DRINKING AND DRIVING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BAC GIANG PROVINCE AND BINH THUAN PROVINCE

Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption and driving after drinking have become major public health problems worldwide. Time of first getting drunk is becoming earlier among young people and alcohol has become an important risk factor for injuries, especially traffic injuries among the youth. Objective: To assess the patterns of alcohol consumption and drink-driving behaviour of high school students aged from 15-18. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 2,625 high school students in 2 provinces of Bac Giang and Binh Thuan. Results: The average age of first time drinking was 14.4, the average age of first time getting drunk was 15.5. The proportion of students drinking in the past year was 25.9%, of which in Binh Thuan province was 17.6% and that in Bac Giang province was 33.2%. Among students who drank before, 80% of them reported of consuming from 1 to 2 drinks, while 8.6% reported consuming 3 or 4 drinks on a typical day when drinking. The reported rate of drink-driving among these students was 12.1%. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption and driving after drinking among high school students are alarming in Vietnam. The findings suggest an urgent need for a multi-sectorial approach to curtail drink driving among high school students in Vietnam as well as a need of developing an accessible model in the community to support young people to limit the drinking and drink-driving behavior. Key words: alcohol consumption, drink-driving, student