A new research shows that the rate of use of alcohol in South Sudan is high, despite decades of civil war and poverty.

The survey released this week shows that alcoholism in South Sudan is at the same level as in other countries in Southern Africa.

It was carried out by the Norwegian University Cooperation Programme for Capacity Development in South Sudan, with funding from the Norwegian government.

More than 500 people, mainly adults between 18 and 35 years of age, were randomly contacted in the north-western part of the country and in Juba.

The participants were put into three categories: “Low risk drinkers”, “Harmful or hazardous drinkers” and “Not current drinkers”

Surveyors used Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test to study the individuals.

A questionnaire was also administered to all participants, which included their gender, age, areas, marital status, level of education, employment status, and income, among others

The results indicated that over 14% of them were identified as harmful or hazardous drinkers.

Its conclusion was that lack of regular income and psychological distress were the main risk factors for alcohol abuse in the country.

However, the research did not relate traumatic events to high risk drinking.

Speaking to Eye Radio, a medical doctor, Mawien Akot says post-traumatic stress could also be a factor that might have led some people to drink alcohol.

“People have gone through the war, and people have gone through social problems – marital divorce like myself, which was the root cause of my drinking,” Dr Akot stressed.

“But other people here have seen horrible things like wars; they have lost their dear ones and gone into post-traumatic stress.”

Dr Akot said he has been receiving and treating patients with health problems associated with excessive drinking of alcohol.

According to the research, there is a significant increase in cases of non-communicable diseases which include cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis, alcohol hepatitis, and diabetes among others in conflict-affected populations.

It also says risky drinking is an important contributor to gender-based violence in the form of rape of women in many settings affected by armed conflicts.