Article

Social Profile of Illicit Alcohol Consumers

Abstract

This paper examines the association between social profiles and illicit alcohol consumption in Embakasi East, Nairobi, focusing on two key indicators: frequency of visits to illicit alcohol outlets and quantity consumed per session. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 119 current and former consumers through structured surveys. This paper shows that males (80%), unmarried individuals (75%), and adults aged 30–39 (46%) were significantly more likely to visit illicit alcohol outlets more than five times per week. Similarly, high-volume consumption; over 4 litres per visit was most prevalent among males (30%), individuals with no formal education (55%), low-income earners earning less than KES 10,000 (50%), and the unmarried (70%). The type of illicit alcohol consumed showed no significant association with either frequency or volume. These findings offer a granular social profile of high-risk consumers and underscore the need for targeted, socially informed interventions beyond conventional regulatory approaches.

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