The Myths of Alcohol Use in Ghana

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol has become a regular part of social functions in many cultures. Before the advent of alcohol use disorder becoming a nosological entity, many cultures noted the detrimental association with alcohol use, particularly in its excess use. With such observation, many cultures and even medical research, have tried in many ways to either justify or explain away the harmful effects of alcohol use and gone ahead to promote the use for the most mundane effects. Such explanations for alcohol use over time become acceptable in many cultures and can be viewed asmyths. Four of such myths associated with alcohol use in Ghana, are presented here.

Methodology: These myths were drawn from a bigger study that looked at the prevalence of alcohol use disorder in an engineering company with mixed methods. A thematic analysis of their responses was used to arrive at these myths.

Results: Participants believed that alcohol is sexually potentiating, improves appetite and quality of sleep, and has medicinal qualities like “curing” chicken pox and necessary for successful surgery. Apart from the inconclusive evidence of alcohol, particularly red wine,
protecting against cardiovascular death, we could not substantiate any of these claims from medicine.

Conclusion: Myths of alcohol use in different cultures need to be incorporated in preventive strategies adopted for alcohol use disorder for a comprehensive public health approach to curb the menace. Such myths should be integrated in the training of health workers to help them understand the addictive behaviour of alcohol users and the anthropological underpinnings to alcohol use.