Abstract
BackgroundAlcohol consumption by young people (particularly early initiation) is a predictor for poorer health in later life. In addition, evidence now clearly shows a causal link between alcohol and cancer. This study investigated prevalence, predictors of alcohol consumption among adolescents including perceptions of the link between alcohol and cancer, and the role of parents and peers.MethodsA sample of Australian school students aged 12–17 years participated in a survey (n = 2885). Logistic regression analysis was undertaken to determine predictors.ResultsAlcohol use increased with age and by 16, most had tried alcohol with 33.1% of students aged 12–17 reporting that they drank at least occasionally (95% CI = 31.0–35.2). Awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer was low (28.5%). Smoking status and friends’ approval were predictive of drinking, whereas parental disapproval was protective. Those aged 14–17 who did not think the link between alcohol and cancer was important were more likely to drink, as were those living in areas of least disadvantage. The only factors that predicted recent drinking were smoking and the perception that alcohol was easy to purchase.ConclusionsAn education campaign highlighting the link between alcohol and cancer may have positive flow-on effects for young people, and schools should incorporate this messaging into any alcohol education programs. Consideration should be given to factors that serve to regulate under-aged accessibility of alcohol.
Highlights
Alcohol consumption by young people is a predictor for poorer health in later life
These figures were lower than those obtained in a recent survey of Australian adults (36.6%) [19], and of the finding in the UK that 37% of young people aged 15 to 24 years were aware of the link [18]
Consistent with previous research involving adults [19], results indicated that awareness of the cancer link discriminated ‘no consumption ever’ from ‘any consumption’, paradoxically, we found no relationship between awareness and recent consumption
Summary
Alcohol consumption by young people ( early initiation) is a predictor for poorer health in later life. Harmful consumption of alcohol has been ranked among the top five risk factors for non-communicable disease, disability and death globally and has been causally linked to over 200 health conditions including cancer [1]. There is a Bowden et al BMC Public Health (2017) 17:549 dose-response relationship between alcohol and cancer risk with increasing consumption associated with increased risk [3, 5]. For this reason, Cancer Councils are recommending that ‘to reduce their risk of cancer, people limit their consumption of alcohol, or better still avoid alcohol altogether’ [6]. It is possible that these estimates may be updated and increased over time with more emerging evidence of the link between alcohol and cancer
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