Two research articles published

The ALMA-study was conducted with a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The first part was a survey among 60.000 adults. Husbands and wifes, 18 years and above, in 31.676 households were asked about their drinking habits. In a follow up round 1.795 of these households, with at least one alcohol user, responded to a detailed questionnaire. The larger part of the data in the first ALMA report build on interviews with these 3.190 drinkers.

In the qualitative part of the study 69 individual interviews and 7 group interviews were conducted with persons with insight into local realities in Malawi with regard to alcohol sale and consumption; village headmen, owners of bars and nightclubs, local brewers and distillers, police officers, school teachers and headmasters, religious leaders, NGO representatives and health workers, among others.

The article "Context and consequences of liquor sachets use among young people in Malawi" by Erik Hoel, Gloria Azalde, Alister C. Munthali, Arne Henning Eide, Henrik Natvig and Stine Hellum Braathen is published in the African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies (AJDAS). This article draws on the qualitative component of the study. The results imply that the indtroduction of sachets has contributed to an increase in alcohol consumption among young people.

The second article, "Self- and collateral spouse-reported alcohol use in Malawi: Exploring social drinking norms' potential for alcohol prevention" is also published in AJDAS by the same group of autors, adding Annika Linge Hessen and Jameson Ndawala to the team. The article draws on the quantitative part of the study. This is probably the most comprehensiver study of alcohol use ever conducted in Malawi. the most striking results were tha so few as 1.6% of the women and 27.3% of the men reported to have used alcohol in the last 12 months. The big gender difference in proportions of alcohol users is also reflected in the quantum reported, 1,51 litres 100% alcohol per year fro female alcohol users and 8,05 litres for male alcohol users.

Both articles are available at the African Journals Online web site:

"Context and consequences of liquor sachets use among young people in Malawi"

"Self- and collateral spouse-reported alcohol use in Malawi: Exploring social drinking norms' potential for alcohol prevention"