title: Alcohol consumption and risky drinking patterns in Malaysia: findings from NHMS 2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the characteristics of current drinker and risky alcohol-drinking pattern by profiles in Malaysia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011. It was a cross-sectional population-based with two stages stratified random sampling design. A validated Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Malay questionnaire was used to assess the alcohol consumption and its alcohol related harms. Analysis of complex survey data using Stata Version 12 was done for descriptive analysis on alcohol use and risky drinking by socio-demography profiles. Logistic regression analysis was used to measure the association of risky drinking status with the socio-demography characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current alcohol use was 11.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 10.5, 12.7], among them 23.6% (95% CI: 21.0, 26.4) practiced risky drinking. The onset for alcohol drinking was 21 years old (standard deviation 7.44) and majority preferred Beer. Males significantly consumed more alcohol and practiced risky drinking. Current alcohol use was more prevalent among urbanites, Chinese, those with high household income, and high education. Conversely, risky drinking was more prevalent among rural drinkers, Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak, low education and low household income. The estimated odds of risky drinking increased by a factor of 3.5 among Males while a factor of 2.7 among Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak. Education status and household income was not a significant predictor to risky drinking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an inverse drinking pattern between current drinker and risky drinking by the socio-demography profiles. Initiating early screening and focused intervention might avert further alcohol related harms and dependence among the risky drinkers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, JalanBangsar, 50590 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia m.hatta@moh.gov.my.
authors.forename: Mohd Hatta B Abdul
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Mutalip
authors.affiliation: Disease Control Divisions, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Level 3, Block E10, Complex E, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62590 Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Rozanim Bt
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kamarudin
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, JalanBangsar, 50590 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manickam
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, JalanBangsar, 50590 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hamizatul Akmal Bt
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Abd Hamid
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, JalanBangsar, 50590 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Riyanti Bt
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Saari
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors