The Effect of Drinking Style on Alcohol-related Harm and Readiness to Change among the Indigenous Communities of Sabah

Aims: This study aims to examine the effect of drinking style on alcohol-related harm and readiness to change among the indigenous communities of Sabah.

Study Design: This study applied quantitative research design using a survey method.

Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted in the West Coast Division of Sabah, between Sept 2018 to Dec 2018.

Methodology: A total of 56 villagers between age 18 to 56 years old (29 female, 27 male) have participated in this study. Purposive sampling by using Alcohol Use Identification Test (AUDIT) was applied to select hazardous and harmful drinkers among the indigenous communities of Sabah Data were analyzed by using IBMSPSS version 22.0.

Results: The study found a positive and significant effect of drinking style towards alcohol-related harm and readiness to change. The willingness and ability to make changes in their current behaviour to the new behaviour of drinking indicate participants who are at the hazardous and harmful drinking styles were reported experienced negative alcohol consequences. At the same time also, participants have shown their willingness and ability to make changes in their current behaviour to the new behaviour of drinking. It can explain the positive relation between alcohol-related harm and readiness among the participants. On the other hand, the more they experience the adverse effects of alcohol, the more they want to make a change in their drinking style.

Conclusion: These findings are significant to provide direction for the next action plan for intervention purposes aims to reduce the alcohol-related harm among the indigenous communities of Sabah.