Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Ann Glob Health. 2014 Mar-Apr;80(2):83-8. doi: 10.1016/j.aogh.2014.04.003.
Although alcohol consumption is recognized as a global problem, little research to date explores treatment options for alcohol use disorders in developing nations. Given the scarce mental health resources available in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, community self-help programming for alcohol use disorders could potentially provide an important complement to the existing mental health services.
The aim of this study was to gather baseline data on knowledge and attitudes toward alcohol consumption among community members, and subsequently, to pilot self-help rehabilitation programs for alcohol use disorders, while determining factors that affect the feasibility and sustainability of such programs.
Focus groups were conducted in 3 communities to discuss community perceptions of alcohol use and the feasibility of self-help programs. Focus group findings guided the development and implementation of the self-help groups. A postintervention focus group was held to determine the effectiveness and community-wide effect of the self-help programs.
Focus group participants agreed that alcohol consumption was a problem in Saint Vincent, leading to underage drinking and violence. Suggestions to encourage self-help meeting attendance included organizing group activities and providing visuals to illustrate alcohol's effects on health. Self-help group members were surveyed about their group experience. Of the 35 members surveyed, 77% said the group was very helpful, and 91% indicated that they would attend again. Postintervention focus group participants stated that individuals had reduced alcohol consumption after attending at least 1 self-help meeting.
Elements that contributed to the sustainability of self-help groups included strong local leadership from district health nurses as well as willingness of participants to seek support. However, efforts need to be made to increase community awareness of alcohol use disorders and its associated dangers. Our results suggested self-help programs to address alcohol use disorders are a feasible intervention in Saint Vincent that warrants further development, dissemination, and exploration.
尽管饮酒已被确认为全球性问题，但目前为止，针对发展中国家的酒精使用障碍治疗方案的研究甚少。鉴于圣文森特和格林纳丁斯的精神卫生资源匮乏，针对酒精使用障碍的社区自助方案可能是对现有精神卫生服务的重要补充。
本研究旨在收集社区成员对酒精消费的知识和态度的基线数据，随后试点酒精使用障碍自助康复方案，并确定影响这些方案可行性和可持续性的因素。
在 3 个社区进行焦点小组讨论，以讨论社区对酒精使用的看法和自助方案的可行性。焦点小组的发现为自助小组的制定和实施提供了指导。进行干预后焦点小组讨论，以确定自助方案的效果和社区的广泛影响。
焦点小组参与者一致认为，饮酒在圣文森特是一个问题，导致未成年人饮酒和暴力行为。鼓励自助会议出席的建议包括组织团体活动和提供视觉效果来说明酒精对健康的影响。对自助小组成员进行了小组体验调查。在接受调查的 35 名成员中，有 77%的人表示小组非常有帮助，91%的人表示他们会再次参加。干预后焦点小组的参与者表示，参加至少 1 次自助会议后，个人的酒精摄入量有所减少。
有助于自助小组可持续发展的因素包括地区卫生护士的强有力的地方领导以及参与者寻求支持的意愿。但是，需要努力提高社区对酒精使用障碍及其相关危害的认识。我们的研究结果表明，针对酒精使用障碍的自助方案是圣文森特可行的干预措施，值得进一步开发、推广和探索。
