“We Drink for a Living”: Exploring Alcohol Consumption, Drinking Behaviors, and Alcoholrelated Problems among Entertainment (En’) Girls in Thailand using AUDIT Screening Tool

Drinking alcohol is hazardous not just to the users, but also to their families and society as a whole. It also plays a contributing factor in many diseases and injuries. The aim of this study was to identify the alcohol consumption, drinking behaviors, and alcohol-related problems among entertainment (En') girls in Thailand using AUDIT screening tool. This study utilized a mixed methods study design, with 44 En' girls participating in the quantitative method and 9 En' girls participating in the qualitative method. For the quantitative portion, time-location sampling method was applied and a self-administered questionnaire with three sections (socio-demographic characteristics, work and drinking characteristics, and 10-items of self-reported AUDIT tool) was used via online Microsoft form. Descriptive analysis technique was applied and categorical data were presented with frequency and percentage. For the qualitative portion, a semi-structured questionnaire with exploring the reason for becoming an En' girl and their current situation was used via in-depth interview. A manual narrative analysis method was applied. About 22.3 % of En' girls had a drink containing alcohol 2-3 times a week while 54.5% had 10 or more standard drinks containing alcohol on a typical day. the overall AUDIT score ranged from moderate to high, indicating that En' girls were consuming harmful alcohol and were at risk of developing alcohol dependency (moderate-severe alcohol use disorder). It is important to prioritize health education programs in order to increase the awareness of En' girls regarding the potential health risks and hazards of drinking, including the establishment of alcohol-addiction treatment centers.