Alcohol Use Socioeconomic Status and Psychological Wellbeing: A Case Study of Household Heads in Kator Payam Juba South Sudan

Abstract

The study looked at the relationship between alcohol consumption, socioeconomic position, and psychological well-being in Kator Payam, Juba County. The study's aims were to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and psychological wellbeing, socioeconomic status and psychological well-being, and the impact of alcohol use and socioeconomic status on psychological well-being in Kator Payam, Juba County. Mixed-methodologies strategy, qualitative and quantitative methods along with descriptive research and case study designs were used in the study. The study population consisted of 10,313 homes from Kator Payam, and a sample size of 370 was obtained using the Krejcie and Morgan Table (1970). The participants were chosen using stratified random sampling, simple random sampling, and purposive sampling approaches, and the data was analyzed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistical results using IBM SPSS 24. The study identified a positive and significant association between socioeconomic status and psychological wellbeing (r=.225, p< 0.01); a negative and significant relationship between the intake of alcohol and psychological wellbeing (r= -.396, p< 0.01); and a linear relationship between all variables (R= .463). The independent factors, alcohol consumption and socioeconomic level, explained 21.4 percent of the variance in psychological well-being (Adjusted R 2= .214). The report recommends government and mental health professionals create systematic plans to rectify deficiencies in national policies aimed at controlling alcohol consumption. Healthcare providers should launch campaigns to raise awareness and promote the importance of maintaining wellbeing. Additionally, residents should receive support through job training to improve their socioeconomic status, positively influencing their psychological wellbeing in multiple dimensions.