ABSTRACT
The study is based on the Kerala Migration Survey, 2014 (KMS). The study finds people who consume IMFL alone constitute around 5.3 percent of the population of Kerala in 2012–13, which exclude under-age drinking and unreported drinking (country liquor, home-brewed alcohol). The disturbing part of alcohol consumption is that nearly 33.7 percent of the IMFL consumers in Kerala are heavy and frequent consumers of alcohol, which is higher than similar estimates for sample states in India. Nearly 11 percent of the males in Kerala consume alcohol and 33 percent of males are heavy and frequent consumers of alcohol. Age-wise, the 50–60 age group are the largest consumers. In terms of marital status, married and divorcees are the largest alcohol consumers in Kerala. In terms of education, most of the alcohol consumers are from a less-educated category (Grade 12 and below). Similarly, 30.2 percent of the persons below the poverty line are alcohol consumers. Wealth-wise, the lower wealth quantile group had relatively higher alcohol consumption. An econometric analysis using multinomial logit analysis found that the proximate determinants of alcohol consumption to be gender (male), education (low education), marital status (married), poverty status (below poverty line), lower castes, religion (Christians) and those that have smoking habits. The present economic conditions of the Indian state of Kerala present the dilemma of fostering economic development by providing budget revenues through alcohol taxes and fighting against morbidity/mortality. The impact of alcohol-attributable harm on morbidity in Kerala (more than twice that of all of India) is substantial and could strain the fragile health care system in the state and its coveted Kerala model of economic development for human, health and social metrics.
