For both self-report methods, alcohol consumption was high, particularly among men (e.g. a median of 54 drinks per month in labourers), and about half of male students (48%) reported hazardous or harmful levels of drinking (AUDIT ≥8). Almost half (49%) of participants were PEth-positive (median concentration 0.03 μmol/L). There were significant positive correlations between reported total alcohol intake and PEth concentration in males (Spearman's correlation rs = 0.65 in college students and rs = 0.57 in casual labourers; p < 0.001). Self-reported use in the past month was a sensitive marker of having a positive PEth result (≥0.01 μmol/L) with 89% of those with a PEth positive result reporting alcohol use, and this was similar in all groups. The proportion of those with AUDIT scores ≥8 and AUDIT-C scores ≥6 among those with a high cut-off positive PEth result (≥0.30 μmol/L) ranged between 94 and 100%.
Conclusion