Abstract
AimTo evaluate the prevalence of alcohol consumption among university students during late adolescence and young adulthood and to identify the associated factors.Material and MethodsCohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) and Risky Consumption (RC) were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Data on potential factors associated with alcohol use were obtained with an additional questionnaire. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to obtain adjusted OR (Odds Ratios).ResultsThe rates of prevalence of RC were lower, but not statistically significant, in women. The age-related changes in these rates were similar in both genders, and the prevalence of RC peaked at 20 years. By contrast, the prevalence of HED was significantly lower in women and peaked at 18 years in women and at 22 years in men. Multivariate models showed that early age of onset of alcohol use (OR = 10.6 and OR = 6.9 for women; OR = 8.3 and OR = 8.2 for men) and positive expectations about alcohol (OR = 7.8 and OR = 4.5 for women; OR = 3.6 and OR = 3.3 for men) were the most important risk factors for RC and HED. Living away from the family home was also a risk factor for both consumption patterns among women (OR = 3.16 and OR = 2.34), while a high maternal education level was a risk factor for RC among both genders (OR = 1.62 for women; OR = 2.49 for men).ConclusionsAlcohol consumption decreases significantly at the end of youth, with higher rates of prevalence and a later peak among men. Prevention strategies should focus on beliefs and expectations about alcohol and on delaying the age of onset. Women are at particular risk for these consumption patterns if they live away from their parents. Belonging to a high-income family is a strong risk factor for RC.
Highlights
Predictors and Prevalence of Alcohol Use among University Students data would be guarded carefully by the research team. For these last two reasons we consider that we do not upload the dataset to a stable, public repository
The authors agree to make freely available any materials and data described in the publication upon reasonable request to the Corresponding Author
Alcohol consumption constitutes a public health problem worldwide, and Europe has the highest rate of consumption per capita [1]
Summary
Alcohol consumption constitutes a public health problem worldwide, and Europe has the highest rate of consumption per capita [1]. The age-related distribution of prevalence rates has followed a bell-shaped curve, peaking at around 21 years in the US [4] and at between 19 and 24 years depending on the country and gender in European studies, usually with earlier peaks in females [3,5]. One of the latest and most widely cited reviews on the topic [6] has mainly cited the following variables for HED in university students: gender, age, ethnicity, religion, expectations about alcohol, age of onset of alcohol consumption, consumption of other drugs, health and stress, personality, physical activity, socioeconomic level, living circumstances, and any family history of alcoholism. Prevalence rates of HED found in these studies can be explained by the importance of different risk factors in different European countries
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