Background: Forced displacement is high globally as populations are increasingly displaced by conflicts and disasters. Substance misuse is increasingly recognized as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in displaced populations. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the correlates of alcohol misuse among internally displaced adults in Northern Cross River, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ogoja displacement settlements. Three-hundred and thirty-five displaced adults were selected using snowball sampling method. Alcohol dependence was measured using the interviewer-administered Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and multivariable logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of alcohol misuse was 26.3%. The multivariate analysis revealed that male gender (AOR=7.28; p<0.001), farming occupation (AOR=4.44; p=0.003), discrimination (AOR=3.49; p=0.001), financial strains (AOR=0.12; p=0.002), overcrowded shelters (AOR=3.49; p=0.001), fear of reprisals (AOR=2.49; p=0.016), and concerns about health and safety (AOR=0.087; p<0.001) were significantly associated with alcohol dependence among IDPs in this study. Conclusion: These findings indicate that nearly three out of every ten displaced adults were alcohol-dependent as a result of traumatic events, life events, and deprivation of basic care. Protection, social, and psychological remedies are required to foster relief and reintegration efforts for internally displaced persons in Nigeria.
Ugbe et al. (2026) studied this question.