The assessment of the influence of religiosity and existential well-being on the consumption of alcohol of the adult population of the Orthodox religion

Abstract

Background/Aim: Excessive consumption of alcohol is the important public health problem. Individual attitudes toward religion and God as well as the level of perceived meaning of one's own life are important predictors of a wide spectre of attitudes and behaviors including alcohol consumption. The research aimed to determine frequency of consumption of alcohol of adults of Orthodox religion and to estimate the correlation between the determined consumption and religiosity and existential well-being. Methods: The research is cross-sectional study implemented in the period of three months, from August 1 st 2021. to November 1 st 2021 year. The sample consisted of 103 randomly chosen adults, 57 (55,3%) males and 46 (44.7%) females, approximately 44.7 ± 10.45 years old. The instrument of the research was the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and two subscales of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS): the Religious Well-Being subscale (RWB) and the Existential Well-Being Subscale (EWB). Contingency tables were used in statistical data analysis. Results: Alcohol weren't consumed by 21 (20.4%) respondents, while 82 (79.6%) consumed it with different frequency (low-risk drinking 53.4%, risky drinking 16.5%, harmful drinking 2.9% and abuse alcohol 6.8%). Moderate religiosity had 68% of respondents, low 3.9% and high 29.1%. Moderate existential well-being was achieved by 68% of respondents, high by 24.2% and low by 7.8%. Highly significant statistical correlation was determined at the level of p <0,0001 of the alcohol consumption pattern with religiosity and existential well-being of the respondents. Conclusion: Almost 80% of participants in the research consume alcohol, of which two thirds low-risk drinking. The participants with intensive religiosity as well as high existential well-being significantly less or never consume alcohol, compared to the participants who are moderately or low religiosity and existential well-being.