Abstract
AimTo identify differences in Risky Consumption (RC) and Binge drinking (BD) trends in students who already followed these patterns of alcohol consumption on starting university and those who did not, and also to try to understand what leads students to engage in these types of behaviour at university.Material and methodsCohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). BD and RC were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to calculate the adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs).ResultsThe prevalence rates of RC and BD were lower throughout the study in students who did not follow these patterns of consumption at age 18. For RC and BD, the differences at age 27 years, expressed as percentage points (pp), were respectively 24 pp and 15 pp in women and 29 pp and 25 pp in men. Early age of onset of alcohol use increased the risk of engaging in RC and BD patterns at university, for men (OR = 2.91 & 2.80) and women (OR = 8.14 & 5.53). The same was observed in students living away from the parental home for BD (OR = 3.43 for men & 1.77 for women). Only women were influenced by having positive expectancies for engaging in RC (OR = 1.82) and BD (OR = 1.96).ConclusionsThe prevalence rates of both RC and BD at age 27 years were much higher among university students who already followed these patterns of consumption at age 18 years, with the differences being proportionally higher among women. Focusing on the age of onset of alcohol consumption and hindering access to alcohol by minors should be priority objectives aimed at preventing students from engaging in these patterns of alcohol consumption at university.
Highlights
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance worldwide [1]
Binge drinking (BD) has been associated with a wide range of negative consequences, for both the drinkers themselves and for others in their close environment [6,7]
The study findings show that the rates of prevalence of both Risky consumption (RC) and Binge drinking (BD) at age 27 years were much greater among university students who already followed these consumption patterns at age 18 years, among women
Summary
Alcohol is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance worldwide [1]. Alcohol use often begins in early adolescence, a period when risky behaviours such as substance use are common [2]. Recent reports indicate that 47% of young Europeans have consumed alcohol at or before the age of 13 years [3]. Binge drinking (BD), a particular type of risky alcohol consumption, is defined as the consumption of large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, with blood alcohol concentrations reaching up to 0.08 g/dl[4]. This pattern of consumption, is replacing among young people traditional alcohol use in Spain (one in four young people between the ages of 14 and 18 years partake in BD) [5]. BD has been associated with a wide range of negative consequences (e.g. neurocognitive deficits, other drug use, risky sexual behaviour), for both the drinkers themselves and for others in their close environment [6,7]
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