Alcohol Consumption in Thailand: A Study of the Associations between Alcohol, Tobacco, Gambling, and Demographic Factors

32 Pages Posted: 17 Feb 2016

See all articles by Pannapa Changpetch

Pannapa Changpetch

Bentley University - Department of Mathematical Sciences

Dominique Haughton

Bentley University - Department of Mathematical Sciences and Global Studies; Paris 1 University (SAMM); Toulouse 1 University (GREMAQ)

Mai Le

Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) - University of Science

Sel Ly

Ton Duc Thang University

Phong Nguyen

General Statistical Office, Vietnam

Tien Thach

Ton Duc Thang University

Date Written: February 15, 2016

Abstract

This paper provides a thorough study of alcohol consumption in Thailand in terms of the relationships between this activity and tobacco consumption, gambling consumption, and demographic factors. Three statistical models and data-mining techniques — logistic regression, Treenet, and directed acyclic graphs — are used to analyze datasets drawn from socio-economic surveys of 43,844 Thai households conducted in 2009. From logistic regression, we find that the region where the household is located, urban/rural location of the household, household income, tobacco household expenditure, gambling household expenditure, education, religion, marital status, gender, age, and work status of the household head are all associated with the alcohol consumption of households. The strongest predictors of household alcohol consumption are tobacco expenditure, religion and sex of the household head. From Treenet, we find that the proportion of tobacco expenditure is the most important factor in explaining the proportion of alcohol expenditure. From the directed acyclic graph (DAG), we find that the proportion of alcohol expenditure has a direct effect on both the proportion of tobacco expenditure and the proportion of gambling expenditure. We expect our results to be useful to researchers and government practitioners in their efforts to design and implement programs targeting households that include alcohol-dependent members and to thereby reduce alcohol consumption in Thailand.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption, Tobacco expenditure, Gambling expenditure, Logistic regression, Treenet, Directed acyclic graphs

Suggested Citation

Changpetch, Pannapa and Haughton, Dominique and Le, Mai and Ly, Sel and Nguyen, Phong and Thach, Tien, Alcohol Consumption in Thailand: A Study of the Associations between Alcohol, Tobacco, Gambling, and Demographic Factors (February 15, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2732844 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2732844

Pannapa Changpetch

Bentley University - Department of Mathematical Sciences ( email )

Waltham, MA 02154
United States

Dominique Haughton (Contact Author)

Bentley University - Department of Mathematical Sciences and Global Studies ( email )

Waltham, MA 02154
United States

Paris 1 University (SAMM) ( email )

90 rue de Tolbiac
Paris, 75013
France

HOME PAGE: http://samm.univ-paris1.fr/

Toulouse 1 University (GREMAQ) ( email )

Manufacture des Tabacs - Bâtiment F 21 Allée de Br
Toulouse, 31000
France

HOME PAGE: http://www.ut-capitole.fr

Mai Le

Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) - University of Science ( email )

Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam

Sel Ly

Ton Duc Thang University ( email )

19 Nguyen Huu Tho, Dist. 7
Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh 084-8
Vietnam

Phong Nguyen

General Statistical Office, Vietnam

Tien Thach

Ton Duc Thang University ( email )

98 Ngo Tat To, Binh Thanh Dist.
Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh 084-8
Vietnam

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