2012 ISBRA POSTER ABSTRACTS
P173
ON THE CAUSES OF ALCOHOLISM IN RUSSIA: INSIDERS VIEW
S.V. Jargin
Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
Alcoholism in the former SU has been a theme of research and publication despite the
difficulties of obtaining valid statistics. The fact that the state, at various times, encouraged
alcohol consumption is known. It was visible during the 1960-1980s and obviously took
place also earlier. A tool of the alcohol propaganda was creation of attractive image
of a drunkard, suitable for self-identification: carefree, cheerful and manly. The carrier
of this notion was, for example, the popular magazine Crocodile, whose feuilletons
and caricatures were formally directed against alcoholism but, in fact, romanticized
alcohol consumption. Mass media supported alcoholic stereotypes: vodka-i-seliodka
(consumption of vodka with salty herring), butylka-na-troikh (a bottle for three) etc.
Association of pastimes such as fishing trips or domino play with alcohol consumption
was maintained by numerous pictures and cartoons. In the same way acted popular
films with participation of the famous actor Yuri Nikulin, who personified the image of
charismatic drunkard. Alcohol consumption at work places was not only tolerated but
taciturnly encouraged among workers, students and intelligentsia. Soviet festivals were
associated with drinking, for example the New Year (which had replaced Christmas),
Womens Day on March 8 and professional holidays such as the Builders Day on the
second Sunday of August, when many people related to corresponding professions
became intoxicated. Birthdays and other personal events were celebrated in many working
teams. Drinking bouts at working places were often initiated or indirectly inspired by the
management, which was also the case in medical, educational and scientific institutions.
In such institutions, technical or medicinal alcohol was consumed, which was knowingly
tolerated by the management. Non-drinkers were often stigmatized as outsiders. Drinking
was started by a considerable percentage of schoolchildren, which was tolerated by the
society and authorities. Treatment and prevention of alcoholism were mostly inefficient,
while placebos and persuasion were usual methods. The anti-alcohol campaign, started
in 1985, was initially effective, but ended up in failure and was accompanied by massive
consumption of home-made alcohol, technical fluids and perfumery. In general, the quality
of alcoholic beverages deteriorated at that time. In the 1990s, consumption of alcohol
rapidly increased, while high-proof beverages, especially vodka, enhanced their share.
Only in the 2000s, as a result of the more responsible way of life under market economy,
intimidation and crime against alcoholics, did alcohol consumption visibly decrease
especially in large cities such as Moscow.
P174
CHANGING PATTERNN OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN RUSSIA
S.V. Jargin
Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
Drinking in binges was typical for alcohol consumption in the former Soviet Union. This
pattern is changing today, especially in large cities such as Moscow. Young people
drink usually one to three cans of beer during an evening but not a bottle of vodka for
three or for two, and then often another one, with beer, as it used to be in the 1970-
1980s. Fortified wine (1719% of alcohol), often imitations of Port (Portwein), Madeira or
Vermouth, was also consumed at that time, while a 0.75-l bottle per person was a usual
dose. Companies with female participation often preferred wine: dry, sweet or sparkling,
which was inexpensive and sometimes of good quality. Vodka prices remained stable
for many years. Matters changed in 1985 with the start of the anti-alcohol campaign,
when the vodka price doubled and quality of alcoholic beverages deteriorated. After the
campaign, the prices and quality levels of alcoholic beverages diversified. New sorts
appeared and disappeared, the sorts and labels correlated poorly, great part of vodka
and other spirits being of low quality. Well-known Soviet-time wine and Cognac sorts
disappeared, changed their taste or were replaced by surrogates. Some new sorts were
good in the beginning but later worsened. Unpredictability and on average poor quality
of alcohol contributed to a decrease in consumption. Approximately after the year 2000,
quality of alcoholic beverages seemed to slightly improve, although sorts and labels not
always agree. Alcohol consumption appears to be decreasing since approximately the
year 2000. The drinking pattern of young people has changed: they can sit in a staircase
or on a bench in a park, communicate with each other and drink one to three cans of beer
or canned cocktails each, with others drinking soft drinks, which was unusual in the past.
They rarely drink vodka and wine today. Some people from older generation, especially in
smaller towns, continue drinking vodka as before, but their behavior has partly changed:
they rarely make a noise in public, sing songs, etc., which was quite usual in the past.
However, moderate consumption of beer can be seen in many places. Therefore, for
alcohol, the conclusion is optimistic: Russia has taken a step out of her alcoholic past; but
there is still a need to prevent violations of the human rights of people consuming alcohol.
More details: Jargin SV. Alcohol Alcohol. 2010;45:586-8.
135A
P175
THE CORRELATION AMONG ALCOHOL PROBLEM AND DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OF
THE MALE NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS IN SOUTH KOREA
J.Y. Jun; M.S. Koo; D. Oh
Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University MNyongji Hospital, Hwajeong, Dukyang,
Goyang, Gyeonggi, 412-270, Republic of Korea
It was well-known that the North Korean Defectors have poor mental health conditions.
They have mental health problems from psychiatric trauma according to their experience
of defecting, and adjustment problem about settlement in South Korea. And It was also
known that male North Korean Defectors have alcohol problem due to their trauma
and stress. And many research report that alcohol problem correlate with anxiety and
depressive mood. So this study was aimed to evaluate the correlation among the alcohol
problem, depression and anxiety of the north Korean Defectors. We investigated 100
North Korean Defectors who settled in South Korea. We evaluated their alcohol drinking,
depression and anxiety. The results shows that there is correlation among the alcohol
problem, depression and anxiety of the north Korean Defectors in South Korea. So the
Specialized alcohol problem for Traumatized Group such as North Korean defectors is
needed.
19 Training / Education Methods
P176
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE JAPANESE VERSION OF THE DRUG AND DRUG
PROBLEMS PERCEPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
A. Takano; N. Kawakami; Y. Miyamoto; T. Matsumoto
Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate
School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033,
Japan
Background: Therapeutic attitudes of health care professionals towards people with drug
use disorder are important for providing better health care. The Drug and Drug Problems
Perception Questionnaire (DDPPQ) was recently developed to measure the therapeutic
attitudes of mental health care professionals who work with drug abusers in England. We
examined the internal consistency reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the
Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire (J-DDPPQ), which the author newly
developed.
Methods: The original English version of the DDPPQ was translated into Japanese,
referring to the following guidelines for the translation and adaptation of psychometric
scales. In total, 503 nurses from six psychiatric and four general hospitals were surveyed
using anonymous questionnaires and 402 questionnaires were returned. We used 352
questionnaires after 50 were excluded because of one or more missing responses to the
J-DDPPQ or important variables. The internal consistency reliability of the J-DDPPQ was
assessed using Cronbachs alpha coefficient. Validity was assessed by explanatory factor
analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In addition, we assessed relation
between the J-DDPPQ and theoretically relevant variables by Pearsons correlation
coefficients. A scale of knowledge and skills to work with substance abusers, a general
self-esteem scale, a career commitment scale, experience working with drug abusers and
their perceptions about people with drug dependence were measured to evaluate the
relation. The J-DDPPQ scores between the groups classified by sex, department, receiving
education on drug problems, participation in training on drug problems and perception
about people with drug dependence were compared using t-test and analysis of variance.
Results: Cronbachs alpha coefficient was high (0.92), and the coefficients of the five
subscales ranged from high to moderate (0.740.99). The same five-factor structure as
the original was identified by EFA, but the structure did not fit well with the data obtained
by CFA. Experience working with drug abusers, a high level of knowledge and skills,
receiving education and training and non-prejudiced and optimistic perception about
people with drug dependence were significantly associated with the total and subscale
scores of the J-DDPPQ.
Conclusions: The results suggest that the J-DDPPQ has an acceptable level of reliability
and validity among Japanese nurses. The J-DDPPQ might be useful to evaluate effect of
education for health care professionals.