Consumption, behaviour and knowledge with respect to alcoholic drinks in student nurses in the province of Bologna, Italy.

A study was carried out on alcohol intake among the students of the Schools for Trained Nurses in the province of Bologna by means of an anonymous especially prepared questionnaire. The series consisted of 1077 subjects: 753 females and 324 males aged between 16 and 40. 68.2% of males and 56.8% of females drank wine, l'81.3% of males and 61.8% of females drank beer and 65.3% of males and 46.2% of females drank spirits. While beer was the most popular drink, wine was on average drank in greater quantity. Alcohol intake was significantly related to sex (higher among males), area of origin (South) and cigarette smoking. The risk attributable to alcohol abuse are well known to almost all of the sample, above all those in the 2nd and 3rd years of their course. Nevertheless their alcohol consumption was not particularly different from that of students attending other High Schools. Regarding the sources, of their information about the risks, the 'mass media' was more quoted by the oldest students while 'family' was given by the younger students; the Nursing School was more often mentioned by both sexes in the 2nd and 3rd year of course. No relation however was found between the students knowledge of risks and actual consumption.