BACKGROUND: The onset of alcohol consumption begins very early in the Spanish society; generally, at the school age. The target of this study is to identify the factors that are linked to alcohol use and abuse, at this age. METHODS: A survey was designed and carried out among 1,816 students of 6 schools of Barcelona and Lleida, Spain (97.5% response rate) between 13 and 18 years old included, through a questionnaire filled-in in the classroom. RESULTS: 85.5% had ever consumed alcoholic drinks, 7.3% reported to drink alcohol every day and 39.6% said that they had drunk four or more glasses of an alcoholic beverage at least once. The multivariate analysis showed that smoking habitually, with an odds ratio (OR) of 9.7; having a larger amount of own money to buy alcohol (OR = 1.5); and the expectations that alcohol helps to enjoy and get along with friends (OR = 2.4) were the most important factors identified as associated with problematic alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The study points to several factors related to the habit of smoking, the influence of the environment of schoolchildren and the expectations associated to alcohol consumption are related with the consumption of alcoholic drinks, especially from the beginning in the high school.
BACKGROUND: The onset of alcohol consumption begins very early in the Spanish society; generally, at the school age. The target of this study is to identify the factors that are linked to alcohol use and abuse, at this age. METHODS: A survey was designed and carried out among 1,816 students of 6 schools of Barcelona and Lleida, Spain (97.5% response rate) between 13 and 18 years old included, through a questionnaire filled-in in the classroom. RESULTS: 85.5% had ever consumed alcoholic drinks, 7.3% reported to drink alcohol every day and 39.6% said that they had drunk four or more glasses of an alcoholic beverage at least once. The multivariate analysis showed that smoking habitually, with an odds ratio (OR) of 9.7; having a larger amount of own money to buy alcohol (OR = 1.5); and the expectations that alcohol helps to enjoy and get along with friends (OR = 2.4) were the most important factors identified as associated with problematic alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The study points to several factors related to the habit of smoking, the influence of the environment of schoolchildren and the expectations associated to alcohol consumption are related with the consumption of alcoholic drinks, especially from the beginning in the high school.