Lorena Charrier1, Natale Canale2, Paola Dalmasso1, Alessio Vieno2, Veronica Sciannameo3, Alberto Borraccino1, Patrizia Lemma1, Silvia Ciardullo4, Paola Berchialla5. 1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy. 2. Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy. 3. Dipartimento di Scienze Cardio-Toraco-Vascolari e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy. 4. Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 5. Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Biologiche, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Alcohol remains the most commonly substance used by adolescents.The aim of the study was to draw a comprehensive picture of the behavioural patterns that characterize alcohol use and abuse among 15-year-olds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample included 18,918 15-year-olds participating in the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. A Bayesian approach was adopted for selecting the manifest variables associated with alcohol consumption; a latent class regression model was employed to identify health-related risk patterns associated with alcohol use. RESULTS: 21% of our sample represented the cluster of heavy drinkers who shared other risk behaviours: heavy smoking habits (29%), cannabis (68%), gambling (52%) and drunkenness (76%) experience, binge drinking (96%) and sexual intercourse (51%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm multiple risk-taking behaviours among adolescents tending to cluster in behavioural patterns. This has implications for public health policies and must be considered when planning interventions and prevention strategies.
OBJECTIVE:Alcohol remains the most commonly substance used by adolescents.The aim of the study was to draw a comprehensive picture of the behavioural patterns that characterize alcohol use and abuse among 15-year-olds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample included 18,918 15-year-olds participating in the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. A Bayesian approach was adopted for selecting the manifest variables associated with alcohol consumption; a latent class regression model was employed to identify health-related risk patterns associated with alcohol use. RESULTS: 21% of our sample represented the cluster of heavy drinkers who shared other risk behaviours: heavy smoking habits (29%), cannabis (68%), gambling (52%) and drunkenness (76%) experience, binge drinking (96%) and sexual intercourse (51%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm multiple risk-taking behaviours among adolescents tending to cluster in behavioural patterns. This has implications for public health policies and must be considered when planning interventions and prevention strategies.
Authors: Lorena Charrier; Michela Bersia; Alessio Vieno; Rosanna Irene Comoretto; Mindaugas Štelemėkas; Paola Nardone; Tibor Baška; Paola Dalmasso; Paola Berchialla Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-26 Impact factor: 3.390