TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Drinking to ease the burden: a cross-sectional study on trauma, alcohol abuse and psychopathology in a post-conflict context
JO  - BMC psychiatry
A1  - Ertl, Verena
A1  - Saile, Regina
A1  - Neuner, Frank
A1  - Catani, Claudia
SP  - e202
EP  - e202
VL  - 16
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: It is likely that alcohol use and abuse increase during and after violent conflicts. The most prominent explanation of this phenomenon has been referred to as self-medication hypothesis. It predicts that psychotropic substances are consumed to deal with conflict-related psychic strains and trauma. In northern Uganda, a region that has been affected by a devastating civil war and is characterized by high levels of alcohol abuse we examined the associations between war-trauma, childhood maltreatment and problems related to alcohol use. Deducing from the self-medication hypothesis we assumed alcohol consumption moderates the relationship between trauma-exposure and psychopathology. <br><br>METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey targeting war-affected families in post-conflict northern Uganda included data of male (n = 304) and female (n = 365) guardians. We used standardized questionnaires in an interview format to collect data on the guardians' socio-demography, trauma-exposure, alcohol consumption and symptoms of alcohol abuse, PTSD and depression. <br><br>RESULTS: Symptoms of current alcohol use disorders were present in 46 % of the male and 1 % of the female respondents. A multiple regression model revealed the unique contributions of emotional abuse in the families of origin and trauma experienced outside the family-context in the prediction of men's alcohol-related symptoms. We found that alcohol consumption moderated the dose-effect relationship between trauma-exposure and symptoms of depression and PTSD. Significant interactions indicated that men who reported more alcohol-related problems experienced less increase in symptoms of PTSD and depression with increasing trauma-exposure. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The gradual attenuation of the dose-effect the more alcohol-related problems were reported is consistent with the self-medication hypothesis. Hence, the functionality of alcohol consumption has to be considered when designing and implementing addiction treatment in post-conflict contexts.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1471-244X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0905-7
ID  - ref1
ER  -