Use and effects of alcohol in tharu community

Abstract

This is a field based study which is conducted to find out use and effects ofalcohol in Tharu Community of Dumraha Namuna VDC of Sunsari District. It wascarried out toexamine the status of alcoholpractioners in the society. It studied therelationship between the literacy, practice and economic status, practice and socialstatus as well as the alcoholrelated health problems upon the practioners. The study is based on primary as well as secondary sources of data. The total200 respondentswere taken as sample size. Interview schedule and observation formswere applied as tools for collection of primary information. In terms of education, the community seems backward. Those who wereliterate. Among the whole population 37.5% were literate. Majority of the respondents had sufficient income. Similarly the mainoccupation of respondents were agriculture. In Tharu community, they had early marriage. Most of young people marriedbelow 18 years. Male respondents less than female were married below 19 years.Most of female respondents were found to have been married below 19 years. Most ofthe people got married below 31 years. A great majority of the respondents had started to drink alcohol between theage of (16-44) years. Less of the respondents had started at the age of below 15 years. In Tharu community people use alcohol (Raksi) since their childhood. MostTharu people make alcohol in their own home. Soall respondents confessed to drinkhome made alcohol. In present time majority of the respondents i.e drink alcoholmostly following culture. Some of respondents drink with their friends. Similarly therespondents drink alcohol by family pressure. 32 percent of respondents take oneglass (approx. 250ml), 32 percent of respondents drink one bottle (approx. 750ml) and36percent of respondents were not fixed to drink alcohol. The study has revealed to many socio-economic effects. The majority hadfamily quarrel, had low income had society quarrel, had negative with each other, theminor of respondents had violence and had accident. They did not agree as to the physical problem they had due to the use ofalcohol though most of respondents were suffering from heart burn, headache,epigastric pain, vomiting etc. The second cause respondents suffering from high bloodpressure and so also suffering from T.B. At the end of this study, it is concluded that alcohol use by Tharu communityis common in that study area. Various reasons are responsible for it. Among themilliteracy and their culture are the most important ones. It is requested to conductsimilar type of studies in other community with large sample size and differentmethodology.