The magnitude of alcohol use was examined using four items – level of use, trend availability, affordability and accessibility. The results of the survey indicated a very strong consensus in the community that alcohol use is a major problem in the Province owing to its high level of usage, increasing trend and ease of availability, affordability and accessibility.
3.1.1. Level of Alcohol Usage
The level of usage was examined with the question: How would you describe alcohol consumption in this area? The suggested responses were “very high”, “high”, “moderate”, “low”, “very low” and “don’t know”. About two-thirds (exact, 65.4%) of community members reported that alcohol consumption in their areas was high or very high (Table 3). Across the districts the level of usage, based on the response “high” and “very high”, ranged from a low of 51.5% for Nyandarua to a high of 75.4% for Kirinyaga. The perceived high level of usage vindicates the current public and policy makers’ concern of high alcohol use in the province. Only a paltry 0.3% of the population did not know the level of alcohol use in their areas reflecting both awareness of, and exposure to, the behavior. This implies that some people will be attracted to alcohol through the need for experimentation or peer pressure while others will be dissuaded from it by observing the harmful effects it may have on some people. This presents an opportunity for agencies interested in prevention of alcohol abuse as there are enough cases to learn from.
Table 3: Community Perception of level of Alcohol usage by Districts
3.1.2. Trend of Alcohol Usage
The trend of alcohol usage was examined by asking respondents their views on whether the alcohol usage, disaggregating for the first generation, second generation, traditional liquor and chang’aa, was increasing, decreasing or constant in their own areas. A significant majority of 81.4% felt that the second generation was increasing compared to 11.4% and 5.3% who felt it was decreasing or constant (Figure 1). Over half (58.6%) of the respondents felt that the first generation alcohol was decreasing. More people felt that traditional liquor and chang’aa usage was more of constant than increasing or decreasing. This indicates that the main competition is between the first and second generation types of alcohol, with the newly introduced second generation eating into the market of the traditional first generation alcohol.
The results also showed that more people did not know about the trend of traditional liquor and chang’aa compared to the first and second generation types reflecting, partly, their actual infrequency or lack of knowledge which is possible because their illegality means they are processed, marketed and consumed with some secrecy.
Thika had the highest proportion of people (33.9%) who felt that the use chang’aa was increasing, which seem to imply that where the second generation alcohol has not taken stronghold then the equally potent chang’aa will take its place. Across the districts, another important finding is the large number of people in Nyandarua who didn’t know the trend in the usage of traditional liquor (73.7%) and chang’aa (70.6%). Nyandarua also had the highest of those who didn’t know the trend of first generation alcohol use. This raises the question whether the lack of knowledge is true – meaning that, for instance chang’aa and traditional liquor are infrequent, or whether it is fear of law.
3.1.3. Availability, Affordability and Accessibility of Alcohol
The survey showed that the second generation alcohol was the most available, affordable and accessible type of alcohol in the province (Figures 2, 3 and 4). Nearly 90% of the respondents reported that this type of alcohol was available (both easily available and moderately available), 91.2% felt it was affordable (both very affordable and affordable) and two-thirds felt that it was accessible (both very many and many selling places). Only a paltry 2.8% reported lack of knowledge of its availability. On the other hand, chang’aa and traditional liquor were reported to be the least available and accessible types of alcohol. Nonetheless, it is an important note that one-quarter of the respondents reported knowledge of chang’aa selling places, despite its illegal status at the time of the survey. This in part reflects ineffective legal enforcement against the brew.
3.1.4. Alcohol Drinking Times
The survey also examined community views on alcohol drinking periods of the day in their own areas using the question: Are you like to see people drinking in this area in the following hours: “before noon”, “12.00 noon to 12.00 pm”, “12.00 pm – 11.00 pm” and “Past 11.00 pm”. The expected responses were “yes”, “no” and “don’t know”. Alcohol drinking times is an important indicator of the alcohol problem since usage during day time/working hours would generally occur at the expense of engaging in social and/or economic productive activity. Likewise, late night drinking compromises sleep or rest time meaning that the individual may not be very productive in the following day.
It is therefore a serious indictment of the Province that nearly 60% of the respondents reported that in their areas there is alcohol consumption before noon, apparently the most productive hours of the day (Figure 5). A significant majority also reported occurrence of alcohol consumption between 12.00 noon and 6.00 pm (80.6%) and past 11 pm (55.9%). These results while showing the magnitude of the problem are also an indictment of law enforcement since bars – where most of the drinking occurs – are generally and especially in rural areas prohibited from operating before noon, 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm and past 11.00 pm.
6 Although the two slum areas were selected as part of the Enumeration Areas for the survey, the data collectors were unable to access them for security reasons. Certainly an investigation touching on the illicit chang’aa would not go well with its marketers and consumers.
3.1.5. Alcohol Consumption by Age and Gender Groups
The community view of the prevalence of alcohol consumption among age and gender groups was measured using the question, “how would you describe alcohol consumption among… (Males/females of various age groups) The expected responses were “very high”, “high”, “low”, and “very low”. Alcohol problem among any age and gender group would be of great concern but it is the consumption among children and the youth – the group with the greatest potential from socioeconomic productivity – that raises the most concern. The survey revealed that while there is variability in which age and gender group is affected by alcohol, each group has an issue which ultimately needs to be addressed. To begin with, a number of respondents reported “high” (combining very high and high) existence of alcohol consumption among under age – those aged under 18 years which is the minimum legal age for alcohol consumption – males (25.6%) and females (5.8%)
TO BE CONTINUED.....
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