Telangana ranks among top States in alcohol use: NFHS data

NFHS-5 data show that alcohol consumption in Telangana is much higher than the national average, especially among men. The survey highlights greater usage in rural areas, links with lower education levels, and increased risks of domestic violence.

Hyderabad: Consumption of alcohol among men and women in Telangana is significantly high when compared to most other Indian States, a metric that reflects societal trends and health challenges in the region.

According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data, about 43.3 per cent of men in Telangana consume alcohol, more than double the national average of 18.8 per cent. While Telangana ranks exceptionally high, it is surpassed by Goa (59.1 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh ( 53 per cent).

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Similarly, 6.7 per cent of women in Telangana consume alcohol, significantly higher than the national average of 1.3 per cent, according to NFHS-5 data. The consumption levels of alcohol among women in Telangana are the fourth highest in the country, following Arunachal Pradesh (18 per cent ), Sikkim (16.2 per cent ) and Assam (7.3 per cent).

The NFHS data have indicated that the frequency of alcohol use in Telangana is a point of concern. Roughly 4.7 per cent of men report drinking daily, and nearly 20 per cent consume alcohol at least once a week. In contrast, daily alcohol use among women is nearly non-existent at 0.3 per cent, and only 2.5 percent of women drink on a weekly basis.

Interestingly, these habits are more prevalent in rural areas. The NFHS study has indicated that 49.1 per cent of men and 9.1 per cent of women in rural Telangana are consumers, compared to urban centers where the rates drop to 33.9 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively.

Socio-demographic factors such as education further influence these patterns. Men with no formal schooling exhibit the highest consumption rates at 57.6 per cent, a figure that decreases as education levels rise.

Furthermore, the survey draws a critical link between alcohol and domestic safety, noting that women whose husbands frequently get drunk are more likely to experience spousal violence.

Specifically, the prevalence of such violence reaches 73.4 per cent for women with husbands who get drunk often, compared to 25.4 per cent for those whose husbands do not drink.

Alcohol consumption data of Telangana:

43.3 per cent of men in Telangana consume alcohol

The national average of men consuming alcohol is 18.8 per cent

59.1 per cent of men in Goa consume alcohol (highest in India)

53 per cent of men in Arunachal Pradesh consume alcohol (second highest)

6.7 per cent of women in Telangana consume alcohol

18 per cent of men who drink do so almost daily

About once a week, 53.6 per cent of men and 30.3 per cent of women consume alcohol

57.6 percent of men who consume alcohol do not have a formal education