Alcohol Consumption and its Predictors among Medical Sciences Students in the Southeast of Iran

Abstract

Background: There is increasing concern about the use of alcohol by medical science students in the world. This study aimed to assess the frequency and related factors of alcohol consumption among Kerman University of Medical Sciences students. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2020 on students from the Kerman University of Medical Sciences using the Quota sampling method. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used in this study, which included alcohol use frequency, sociodemographic characteristics, and alcohol use behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, which used multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Lifetime, last-year, and last-month prevalence of alcohol use was 41.15%, 37.61%, and 15.91%, respectively. We found a significant association between older age (OR=1.61, P<0.001), male gender (OR=3.12, P=0.001), single marital status (OR=5.07, P=0.001), living in a dormitory (OR=2.97, P=0.025), non-governmental father’s job (OR=3.57, P=0.008), mother’s education level of 13 – 16 year (OR=6.69, P=0.013) and less than 13 years (OR=6.27, P=0.013), and high socioeconomic status (OR=2.38, P=0.019) with lifetime alcohol use. Conclusion: The prevalence of alcohol use among medical sciences students was high in this study, and alcohol use prevention programs should be designed and implemented for at-risk groups, including older students, male students, those living in dormitories, single students, good socioeconomic status, students with non-governmental father’s job and mothers’ low-level education.