Department of Geography, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, Social Science Building, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
University of Abomey-Calavi, Godomey, Benin.
Soc Sci Med. 2021 Jul;280:114016. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114016. Epub 2021 May 11.
In many sub-Saharan African countries there have been concerns about the varied effects of increasing rates of alcohol consumption and misuse. These concerns have led to the need for research on the relationship between alcohol misuse and food insecurity in agrarian contexts where alcohol consumption is rising. We present the findings of a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews and focus groups with men and women, which explores the connection between alcohol misuse and food insecurity in the Atacora region of Benin. Our findings show that farmers are misusing alcohol as a response to hunger and distress resulting from persistent food insecurity. These drinking behaviours are gendered and shaped by the rigid division of labour roles, wherein primarily men are misusing alcohol. The misuse of alcohol subsequently undermines farm labour and diverts household resources, further worsening food insecurity. Importantly, women reported that alcohol misuse as a coping response to food insecurity contributes to intimate partner violence. Given this complex cyclical relationship, food relief policy-makers in Benin must consider the intersection of alcohol misuse and intimate partner violence when implementing policy and programs intended to improve food security.
在许多撒哈拉以南非洲国家，人们一直担心饮酒率上升带来的各种影响。这些担忧促使人们需要研究在饮酒量上升的农业背景下，酒精滥用与粮食不安全之间的关系。我们介绍了一项定性研究的结果，该研究采用深入访谈和焦点小组的方式，对贝宁阿塔科拉地区的男性和女性进行了调查，探讨了酒精滥用与粮食不安全之间的联系。我们的研究结果表明，农民正在滥用酒精，以应对持续粮食不安全带来的饥饿和困境。这些饮酒行为具有性别特征，并受到严格的劳动分工角色的影响，主要是男性在滥用酒精。随后，酒精滥用削弱了农业劳动，并转移了家庭资源，进一步加剧了粮食不安全。重要的是，女性报告称，酒精滥用作为应对粮食不安全的一种应对方式，会导致亲密伴侣暴力。鉴于这种复杂的循环关系，贝宁的粮食救济政策制定者在实施旨在改善粮食安全的政策和方案时，必须考虑到酒精滥用和亲密伴侣暴力的交叉问题。
