Prevalence and predictors of hazardous alcohol use among tuberculosis patients: The need for a policy on joint tuberculosis-alcohol collaborative activities in India

Collaborative activities to address tobacco addiction among tuberculosis (TB) patients are in place in India. The research was carried out to estimate the prevalence and to determine the predictors of hazardous alcohol use among pulmonary TB patients, assessing the need for joint TB-alcohol collaborative activities. It was a cross-sectional study carried out among 200 drug-sensitive pulmonary TB patients of Bhavnagar city of Gujarat using the “Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test” (AUDIT), with patients scoring ≥8 on AUDIT said to be having hazardous alcohol use. The prevalence of hazardous alcohol use among drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis patients was found to be 20% (95% CI = 15%–26%). On applying multiple logistic regression, regular use of smokeless tobacco (adjusted Odds Ratio aOR = 5, 95% CI = 1.8–14.9, p = 0.002), history of alcohol use by father (aOR = 4, 95% CI = 1.7–10.2, p = 0.002), residing at a place where spurious liquor was being brewed (aOR = 4.8, 95% CI = 1.4–16.4, p = 0.012), and belonging to scheduled caste/scheduled tribe (SC/ST) (aOR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1–6.8, p = 0.034) were the significant predictors for hazardous alcohol use. It is concluded from the study that one-fifth of drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Bhavnagar have hazardous alcohol use. The study calls for joint TB-alcohol collaborative activities in India. •There is a high proportion of hazardous alcohol use among TB patients in India.•Hazardous alcohol use might add to the already high burden of TB and its mortality in India.•Hazardous alcohol use among patients on anti-TB drugs increases the risk of hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity.•Collaborative activities for tuberculosis-alcohol might help to reduce hazardous alcohol use among TB patients.