Age Of First Alcohol Use Research Articles

Prevalence and factors of alcohol use among secondary school students in Ghana: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUNDGlobally, the harmful use of alcohol is the cause of 3 million (5.3%) deaths. The prevalence of alcohol use among students has been increasing and there is, therefore, the need to explore the situation and solutions to tackle it. The study sought to determine the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use among public secondary school students.METHODOLOGYA cross-sectional study was carried out among 848 students from two districts in Ghana who completed a set of questionnaires on alcohol use. Chi-square tests were carried out to determine associations between demographic characteristics and alcohol usage; and gender and age of onset of alcohol use. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of alcohol use.RESULTSOf the 848 study participants, 437 (51.5%) were females. The prevalence of alcohol use was 22.2%. The mean (SD) age of first alcohol use was 13 (2.1) years. Predictors of alcohol use were male gender 3.561 (p=0.003), friends 4.435 (p<0.001) and parents’ 5.302 (p<0.001) use of alcohol.CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of alcohol use among students in this study was high, with many students consuming alcohol at an early age. There is a need for effective health education interventions targeted at secondary school students to reduce alcohol use.

Sociodemographic Profiles And Psychiatric Comorbidities Among Patients With Alcohol Dependence In Western Nepal

Introduction: Alcohol is a potent drug that causes acute and chronic changes in almost all neurochemical systems and heavy drinking can produce serious temporary psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety and psychoses. Alcoholism is clinically heterogenous disorder with variable age of onset, drinking patterns, severity and comorbidity with other mental disorders. There is a gender difference in many aspect of alcohol use. The aim of the study was to study the sociodemographic profile, severity, gender difference and psychiatric comorbidities in patient with alcohol dependence syndrome in Nepalese population.
 Material And Method: This is a hospital based study done in patients coming to Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur over a period of one year from June 2019 to May 2020 on consecutive serial basis. Diagnosis of alcohol dependence was made based on International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) criteria. Semi structured proforma and Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) was applied in those patients and recorded accordingly. The data was analyzed using SPSS.
 Results: Out of 40 patients studied (N-40), 37 (92.5 %) were male and 3 (7.5 %) were female. Alcohol dependence is most common in the age bracket of 30-39 (43.1%) followed by 40-49 (33.4 %) with mean age of 40.3 years and the mean age of duration of alcohol use being 13.45 years. The mean amount of alcohol consumed per day is 92.25 grams. The SADQ scores, age of first alcohol use, duration of alcohol use in years and daily amount of alcohol use in grams is significantly different between male and female. Similarly there is severe alcohol dependence in 75 % while moderate level in 25 % of study population. Regarding psychiatric comorbidities, 90 % have comorbid other substance use disorder followed by anxiety disorders in 37.5 %, personality disorders in 35 %, mood disorders in 32.5 %, deliberate self harm in 30 % and psychotic disorders in 12.5 %.
 Conclusion: Alcohol dependence is most commonly found in young and adults of various age group. Age of first alcohol use, duration of alcohol use in years and daily amount of alcohol use in grams is significantly different between male and female. Alcohol dependence is comorbid with multiple psychiatric entities.

Drinking Behavior, Taste Preferences and Special Beer Perception among Romanian University Students: A Qualitative Assessment Research.

The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be a challenging period for many students. This period is associated with an increase in alcohol consumption (AC) which can develop a drinking behavior or shape the preferences for certain alcoholic beverages. The purpose of this study was to analyze the AC pattern among Romanian university students, by investigating the association between taste and consumption, including preferences for special beer. A 30-item omnibus-type questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate students and used to gather sociodemographic data, alcohol expectancies, drinking motives and consequences, and special beer consumption. Results showed a statistically significant relationship between the age of first alcohol use and the existence of an alcoholic family member. The main reasons for AC are taste, sensation, relaxation, and socialization. Both female and male students tend to drink occasionally, with a preference for public places. Female students prefer a sweet taste, choosing special beers over the regular ones. The students’ residence may also influence the choice of special beers. Understanding the students’ drinking behavior and taste preferences is essential to create useful strategies to discourage excessive AC. Special beer, a growing segment in the beverage industry, could represent a healthier and safety alternative to AC.

Parental School‐Involvement and Substance Use? A Novel Family‐Based Prevention Strategy for Latino Youth

ObjectiveTo examine the association of parental school involvement with reductions in adolescent substance initiation among Latino immigrant youth.BackgroundParental school involvement is an important determinant of children's academic achievement. Likewise, academic achievement is associated with multiple adolescent health risk behaviors. Little research has examined whether parental school involvement is associated with adolescent drug use, and no research has examined this link among Latino immigrant youth.MethodUsing a census of Latino students (N = 661; mean age = 13.1 years) in 12 urban middle schools, we used a multilevel model with zero‐inflated outcomes to test whether (a) parental school involvement is inversely associated with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; (b) school‐level parental involvement affects individual‐level drug use; and (c) child gender moderates these associations.ResultsParental school involvement was negatively associated with lifetime prevalence of all substances and with increases in the age of first alcohol use. School‐level parental involvement was negatively associated with lifetime prevalence of substance use and age of first use for girls and marginally significant with boys.ConclusionParental school involvement is a promising target for prevention efforts to reduce early‐onset substance use.ImplicationsParental school involvement may address multiple negative outcomes in youth even for youth whose parents are relatively uninvolved, and may increase program dosage.

Alcohol Use, Binge Drinking, and Drunkenness Experience in Adolescence: Complex Associations with Family, Peers, Social Context, and Risk Perceptions

Background: A number of correlates to adolescent substance use have been shown, yet their unique predictive influence is unclear. We investigated the incremental validity of demographics, family background, school variables, risk perception, parental alcohol attitudes, age of first alcohol use, peer group influence, and behavioral variables as they concurrently predicted last month alcohol use, binge drinking, and drunkenness experience frequency. Methods: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses in a sample of N = 743 adolescents (mean age = 15.01). Results: All predictors explained 26–40% of the total variance. Alcohol use was predicted by age, gender, having two working parents, academic family background, relationship to parents, relative risk perception, parental acceptance of alcohol use, age of first use, talking about positive aspects of alcohol, normality of alcohol use among peers, time spent with friends, and going out to clubs. Binge drinking was predicted by age, working parents, school problems, relative risk perception, parental alcohol acceptance, age of first use, talking about positive aspects of alcohol, time spent with friends, and going out to clubs. Drunkenness was predicted by age, relationship to parents, school problems, relative risk perception, age of first use, talking about positive aspects of alcohol, and going out to clubs. Conclusions: Researchers need to take the complexity of adolescent substance use into account when designing studies and interventions. Relative risk perception emerged as the strongest (positive) predictor, indicating that adolescents are able to rather accurately assess their own risk and risk awareness alone does not suffice to engage in protective behavior.

Consequences of alcohol use, and its association with psychological distress, sensitivity to emotional contagion and age of onset of alcohol use, in Uruguayan youth with or without college degree.

Psychological distress can promote alcohol consumption during emerging adulthood. Still unknown is, however, how predisposition to emotional contagion alters psychological distress, and how these phenomena are affected by level of education. The present study analyzed the effect of psychological distress, age of first contact with alcohol (early, late), and predisposition to emotional contagion on alcohol-induced negative consequences and on the volume of alcohol consumed during the last year. We also described alcohol-use behaviors as a function of sex, maximum level of education and age of first contact with alcohol, in 1505 youth from Uruguay (18-30 years). A survey measured alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and ad-hoc questionnaire), negative consequences of alcohol use [young adult alcohol consequences questionnaire (YAACQ)], psychological distress (Kessler scale) and proclivity to emotional contagion (Doherty Emotional contagion scale). The patterns of alcohol use were greater in men vs. women and in those featuring an early age of first alcohol use, yet similar in college and non-college graduates. Early drinkers had greater levels of psychological distress than late-onset drinkers. There was a significant bivariate and multiple correlation between psychological distress and the number of negative consequences of alcohol experienced during the last year, which remained significant even after controlling for total volume of alcohol consumed. Significant associations emerged between YAACQ scores and frequency of heavy episodic or binge drinking, and between psychological distress and emotional contagion, but not between emotional contagion and any of the remaining variables. Psychological distress was not significantly correlated with heavy episodic or binge drinking. The study indicates that, during adolescence and youth, psychological distress is associated with experiencing negative consequences of alcohol consumption. The study also suggested that greater levels of psychological distress may underlie the facilitating effect of an early age of drinking onset upon alcohol drinking patterns.

Underage drinkers’ first experience consuming a popular brand of supersized alcopop

ABSTRACT Background Supersized alcopops are sugar sweetened beverages with high alcohol concentration; Four Loko is the most commonly consumed brand among underage drinkers. Objectives The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of Four Loko consumption, as well as drinking location, beverage source, quantity consumed, and alcohol-related consequences among students who consumed the product before age 21. Methods Undergraduate drinkers (n = 1,019; 53.5% female) attending public universities in Florida, Montana, and Virginia completed a classroom survey. Multivariable logistic regression models examined first-time Four Loko experiences among students under age 21 at the time of the drinking episode (n = 336). Results Among drinkers, 46% had consumed Four Loko. The vast majority (93%) drank the product before age 21. During their first Four Loko drinking episode, 57% consumed at least one can and 10% drank two or more cans. Among underage drinkers, being male (AOR = 6.8), paying for the Four Loko (AOR = 3.1), and earlier age of alcohol initiation (AOR = 0.8) were associated with greater odds of drinking at least one can. Among underage drinkers who finished at least one can, 36% blacked out and 21% vomited. The odds of blacking out and vomiting were greater if the participant drank at least one can (AOR = 6.0, AOR = 4.0). Students in states that sold Four Loko with higher alcohol-by-volume were more likely to blackout (AOR = 2.0) and vomit (AOR = 2.5). Conclusions Delaying the age of first alcohol use may have protective effects on supersized alcopop consumption. Increased enforcement of existing laws is needed to prevent underage access to Four Loko. Further, laws that reduce the alcohol content of Four Loko may reduce negative consequences associated with its consumption.

ELSA cohort 2014: association of age of first drink and progression from first drink to drunkenness on alcohol outcomes in Argentinean college freshmen

ABSTRACT Background: College freshman are at-risk for hazardous alcohol drinking and for experiencing alcohol-related negative consequences. This is exacerbated in those featuring an early age of first alcohol use or of first drunkenness. It remains unclear which of these milestones is more strongly associated with alcohol outcomes. Objective: We examined, in Argentinean college drinkers (n = 4088; 43% men; racially and ethnically homogeneous), the association of age at drinking onset and progression to drunkenness (drunkenness naïve [Drunk-Naïve]; No-Delay [same age of first alcohol use and first alcohol intoxication]; one year of delay between age of first alcohol use and first alcohol intoxication; ≥2years of delay) on several alcohol outcomes. Methods: A survey measured substance use, age at drinking and drunkenness onset and alcohol-related consequences. Results: Alcohol consumption per drinking occasion was significantly greater in men than in women. An early drinking onset (alcohol use before age 13) and lifetime drunkenness independently exacerbated alcohol consumption per drinking occasion and during the last year. In men, Early-Onset was associated with a greater number of alcohol-related consequences when the delay between Early-Onset and the first drunkenness episode was 1 or ≥2 years yet did not significantly alter the number of negative consequences in Drunk-naïve or No-delay drinkers. In women, Early-Onset significantly enhanced the number of negative consequences when the delay was two years, but not when the delay was one-year or in Drunk-naïve or No-delay drinkers. Conclusions: The window between the first contact with alcohol and the first episode of drunkenness is a critical period to reduce alcohol-related problems.

Quality of life and pain perception in alcohol dependence: A comparative examination of patients, their relatives, and healthy controls

ABSTRACTObjective: The aim of this study was to investigate how quality of life and the perception of pain are affected by patients with alcohol dependence and their relatives compared with healthy controls. Methods: Fifty patients with alcohol dependence, 50 first-degree relatives of patients with alcohol dependence, and 50 healthy controls were included. Participants were evaluated with a questionnaire form of sociodemographic characteristics, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Bref-Turkish form (WHOQOL-BREF-TR). They were then given a noxious stimulus using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device. After that, pain threshold, pain tolerance, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the participants were measured. Results: Patients’ quality of life was poorer than the relative and control groups. The age of first alcohol use was found to be positively associated with quality of life. Pain tolerance was found to be higher in the patients than in the controls. We found no relationship between pain perception and characteristics of addiction. Conclusions: In this study, pain tolerance was found to be higher in patients with alcohol dependence, and the characteristics of addiction did not seem to affect pain perception.

Early alcohol use and psychopathological symptoms in university students.

Adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol.  Plus, psychopathological disorders tend to emerge in this period. Consequently, early alcohol use may increase the risk of psychopathological disorders, with time and sex-dependent effects. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between alcohol consumption and adolescent psychopathology in the general population. The objective was to determine the association between age of onset of alcohol use and psychopathological symptoms in university students, separately for both sexes. A cross-sectional study involving first-year university students (n = 3,696) was conducted. Symptoms were measured by the Symptom Checklist-R (SCL-90-R). The independent variable was age of first alcohol use. Dependent variables were the SCL-90-R dimensions, dichotomized. Alcohol consumption was considered a mediator variable. Data were analyzed separately for males and females. The findings showed that a younger age of onset is a risk factor for the following global indexes: Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Total for females, and Positive Symptom Distress Index, for males. Alcohol consumption showed a higher mediator effect for females than for males. Early age of alcohol use is associated with increased psychopathological symptomatology in both sexes during the college freshman year. The pattern of symptomatology is different in each sex.

Early onset mood disorders and first alcohol use in the general population

BackgroundMood disorders and alcohol use are common in the general population and often occur together. This study explored how early onset mood disorders relate to age of first alcohol use in the Australian general population. MethodsDiscrete time survival analysis modelled the odds of first alcohol use among those with, versus without, an early onset DSM-IV mood disorders (major depression, dysthymia or bipolar disorder). Data came from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (N=8841). ResultsEarly onset mood disorders as an overall class were not significantly related to the odds of first alcohol use in any given year. On examining the different types of mood disorders individually early onset bipolar disorder was a significant predictor of first alcohol use. The analysis then looked at interactions with time and found that after the age of 14 years the presence of an early onset mood disorder significantly increased the odds of first alcohol use by 32%. LimitationsRetrospective recall was used to determine age of onset data which is subject to known biases and replication is recommended in some subgroup analysis due to smaller sample sizes. ConclusionsMood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder, act as unique risk factors for first alcohol use in the general population and show significant interactions with developmental timing. The findings point to the potential utility of prevention programs that target alcohol use and mood disorders together from early adolescence.

Anxiety disorders and first alcohol use in the general population. Findings from a nationally representative sample

ObjectiveTo examine how early onset anxiety disorders are related to age of first alcohol use in a general population sample. MethodDiscrete time survival analysis was used to model the odds of first alcohol use among those with, vs without, early onset anxiety disorders. Data came from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. ResultsAfter adjusting for the effects of family history of alcohol/drug use, sex, age cohort and education, people who experienced an early onset anxiety disorder had a 27% increased odds of first alcohol use in any given year, when compared to those with no anxiety disorder. This effect was particularly strong for transitions to first alcohol use that occurred after the age of 13 years. ConclusionsEarly onset anxiety disorders significantly predict first alcohol use in the general population and this relationship appears to be related to change over time. These results point to the need for developmentally appropriate and integrated prevention programs that target anxiety and alcohol use together.

The 444G/A and -1021 C/T polymorphisms of the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase gene modulate the trajectory of alcohol dependence development

To study the influence of 444 G/A (rs 1108580) and -1021 C/T (rs 1611115) polymorphisms of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) gene on clinical parameters of the trajectory of alcohol dependence. Authors studied 548 male inpatients, of Slavic ethnicity, with ICD-10 diagnosis of «alcohol dependence» (F-10.2). The effects of DBH * 444 G/A on the rate of formation of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), and DBH *-1021C/T on the age of onset of alcohol abuse with significant role of the age of first alcohol use were identified. In 444 G/A GG carriers, the development of AWS was accelerated since the beginning of alcohol abuse compared with AA carriers (p=0.026), AG carriers occupied an intermediate position. In 22.5% of GG carriers, AWS developed within 2 years (AA: 8.11%, p=0.005; AG: 17.67%, p=0.04). According to the results of linear regression analysis, in AG carriers the alcohol abuse (p=0.037) and the AWS (p=0.049) developed earlier than in AA carriers if the first alcohol use occured at the age of about 15 years. Among -1021C/T genotype carriers who began to abuse alcohol at an early age (before 20 years), there were 23.45% patients with CC genotype and only 11.97% with a T allele (genotypes CT+TT) (p=0.03), but T carriers began to abuse alcohol earlier than others (p=0.05) if the first alcohol use occurred at the age of about 16 years. The results can be used to search for genetic markers for prognosis of alcohol dependence development.

Monkey genomes: A paradigm shift for advancing preclinical research and medications development for addictions

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 146 (2015) e34–e117 e41 also increases. Given this prior research, it would be important to identify strategies to prevent early opportunities to use ATOD. This study aims to understand the impact of neighborhood disorder on opportunities to use alcohol and how neighborhood environment influences the transition from opportunity to use to initial use. Methods: Data were obtained from the Baltimore Prevention Project, a longitudinal study of 678 predominately African American young adults who have been assessed longitudinally from first grade into young adulthood. Perceived neighborhood environment wasmeasured using four items for the Neighborhood Environment Scale (NES) during 6th–9th grade (e.g. every fewweeks, some adult gets beat-up or mugged in my neighborhood). Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to the association between neighborhood trajectories, age of alcohol initiation, and age of first alcohol use. Results: GMM produced a two-class model of neighborhood environment, high neighborhood disorder (76.8%) and low neighborhood disorder (24.2%). There was a marginally significant relationshipbetweenneighborhood trajectoryandopportunities to use alcohol (p=0.067). Additionalmodels will examine howneighborhood environment effects the progression from opportunity to use alcohol to initiation of alcohol use. Conclusions: This study found a trend between neighborhood environment trajectory and age of alcohol initiation and age of first alcohol use. These results suggest that preventing children’s early exposure to deleterious neighborhood and/or providing children with strategies to “cope” with deleterious environments may reduce early exposure to and eventual use of alcohol. Financial support: NIAAA R01AA015196; CDC 5U01CE00195403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.09.482 Monkey genomes: A paradigm shift for advancing preclinical research and medications development for addictions Gregory M. Miller, Eric J. Vallender NEPRC, Harvard University, Southborough, MA,

Age of First Use as a Predictor of Current Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among College-Bound Emerging Adults

Background: Alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly used psychoactive substances; however, the sequencing and relationship between age of first use and continued current problematic use among college-bound emerging adults is not well understood. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of current and historical alcohol and marijuana use among college-bound recent high school graduates (N = 1,365; age ∼18 years). Results: Drinking was prevalent (78%, N = 1,055) and marijuana use was prevalent (46%, N = 622). Stepwise logistical regression revealed the lower the age of first use, the higher the prevalence of current problematic substance use. Those who initiate alcohol ≤ 12 are twice as likely to currently use marijuana frequently. A significant relationship was found between age of first use and non-social substance use (drinking, p = 0.0001; marijuana, p = 0.0025). The temporal ordering of substance use indicates that alcohol precedes marijuana use, and age of first alcohol use is relevant to rates of initiation and current marijuana use.

Childhood Alcohol Use May Predict Adolescent Binge Drinking: A Multivariate Analysis among Adolescents in Brazil

To test the hypothesis that first alcohol use during childhood is associated with heavy drinking patterns during adolescence and with parental drinking patterns and parental rules about alcohol consumption. A national cross-sectional survey of 17,371 high-school students. Students were drawn from 789 public and private schools in all the Brazilian state capitals using a multistage probabilistic sampling method and a self-report questionnaire. Weighted data were analyzed through logistic regression testing for differences on the associated factors for first use of alcohol during childhood. Survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to confirm results. Among the 82% alcohol lifetime users, 11% had first used alcohol before age 12 years. The lack of perception of possible punishment by parents is associated with childhood alcohol use (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.67-2.95). Adolescents who first used alcohol during childhood compared with those who only used alcohol at later ages are more likely to engage in binge drinking behaviors (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.17-2.10), to have a pattern of heavy alcohol use (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.26-3.09), and to have recently used illegal drugs (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.39-2.16). According to hazard ratios, students with an earlier age of onset were more likely to have used tobacco and any illegal drug in the past year. Childhood alcohol may be a risk factor for the most dangerous patterns of alcohol use in adolescence and is associated with parental alcohol use. Parental rules about child alcohol use must be clear because perception of punishment might delay the age of first alcohol use.

Alcohol and Cognition - Consideration of Age of Initiation, Usage Patterns and Gender: A Brief Review

Heavy alcohol use has numerous negative impacts on cognition. In many cases, it appears that excess drinking influences working memory, problem solving, attention, patterns of regional brain activation, and even gray and white matter volume. Due to these effects, most significant conclusions related to cognitive decline are limited to the assumption that "more is worse." However, heavy alcohol use is a very complex psychosocial behavior and is subject to a problematic number of variables. As a result, it is very difficult to extend generalizations about drinking-related consequences to the overall population since many environmental and biological differences come into play for every individual. Three of these variables shown to have significant impact on cognitive sensitivity to alcohol are age of first alcohol use (age of drinking initiation), specific pattern of alcohol consumption and gender. Potential insight can be gained into how individual drinking scenarios differ in risk for cognitive decline by assessing how each of these important factors influences cognition independently. Although some overlap exists between categories, each still appears to contribute unique influence on likelihood and presentation of cognition-related effects. Based on existing and current research, age and gender tend to augment baseline sensitivity to alcohol, with patterns of alcohol intake also influencing how changes appear. Given these categorical differences, it is important to consider personal alcohol drinking history rather than just aggregate alcohol intake as risk factors in the cognitive impacts of drinking. The objective of this brief review is to examine the role of these factors on the effect of alcohol on cognition.

The associations between early alcohol use and suicide attempts among adolescents with a history of major depression

Objective Previous studies have identified significant associations between alcohol initiation before the age of 13 years and risk for suicide attempts. However, these associations have not been extensively tested using data obtained from populations with clinically significant psychopathology. The current study seeks to extend knowledge of the associations between early alcohol initiation and risk for suicide by identifying the associations between age of first alcohol use and suicide attempts among a sample of youth age 13 to 15 years with a history of major depression. Methodology Data were obtained from the National Study of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a household-based survey of U.S. adolescents and adults age 12 years and older. Results Results from these analyses confirm previous reports of significant associations between age of first alcohol use and suicide attempts and extend previous understanding of risk by using data obtained from a household-based survey and from adolescents with clinically relevant psychopathology. Conclusions These findings provide further support for the implementation, enforcement, and continued support of both targeted and universal prevention strategies designed to reduce underage drinking.

Alcopops, alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in a sample of German adolescents: Is there an alcopop-specific effect?

Aims The objective of the present analysis was to investigate the impact of alcopops on drinking behaviour and alcohol-related negative consequences by controlling for alcohol consumption and the share of alcopops in total ethanol intake. Methods Data from the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) in Germany were used. The final dataset comprised students aged 15–17 years who reported to have drunk alcohol in the past 7 days ( n = 5509). Measurements Alcohol consumption was assessed by beverage-specific quantity measures for the last 7 days. Individuals were categorised into “non-alcopop” and “alcopop consumers”; according to the share in total ethanol intake, alcopop users were further divided into “only-alcopop”, “mix-alcopop” and “mix-consumers”. Analogous groups were constructed for the other beverages. Outcome measures were age of first alcohol use and drunkenness, frequency of drinking, binge drinking and drunkenness and alcohol-related problems. Hypotheses were tested using proportional hazard models, linear and logistic regressions. Findings Controlling for overall volume few differences in consumption and problem measures were found when alcopop and non-alcopop users were compared. Further differentiation of the alcopop group also revealed only few differences. Similar associations were found for the other beverages. Only-alcopop and only-wine drinking was associated with less risky consumption patterns and negative consequences. Conclusions An alcopop-specific effect on problematic drinking behaviour and negative consequences could not be identified. Concerted preventive actions tackling alcohol as a whole are needed in order to gain substantial effects on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in adolescents.

Alcohol control policies and alcohol consumption by youth: a multi‐national study

The study examined relationships between alcohol control policies and adolescent alcohol use in 26 countries. Cross-sectional analyses of alcohol policy ratings based on the Alcohol Policy Index (API), per capita consumption and national adolescent survey data. Data are from 26 countries. Adolescents (aged 15-17 years) who participated in the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) or national secondary school surveys in Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Alcohol control policy ratings based on the API; prevalence of alcohol use, heavy drinking and first drink by age 13 based on national secondary school surveys; per capita alcohol consumption for each country in 2003. Correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between alcohol control policy ratings and past 30-day prevalence of adolescent alcohol use, heavy drinking and having first drink by age 13. Per capita consumption of alcohol was included as a covariate in regression analyses. More comprehensive API ratings and alcohol availability and advertising control ratings were related inversely to the past 30-day prevalence of alcohol use and prevalence rates for drinking three to five times and six or more times in the past 30 days. Alcohol advertising control was also related inversely to the prevalence of past 30-day heavy drinking and having first drink by age 13. Most of the relationships between API, alcohol availability and advertising control and drinking prevalence rates were attenuated and no longer statistically significant when controlling for per capita consumption in regression analyses, suggesting that alcohol use in the general population may confound or mediate observed relationships between alcohol control policies and youth alcohol consumption. Several of the inverse relationships remained statistically significant when controlling for per capita consumption. More comprehensive and stringent alcohol control policies, particularly policies affecting alcohol availability and marketing, are associated with lower prevalence and frequency of adolescent alcohol consumption and age of first alcohol use.