Factors associated with alcohol consumption among early adolescents in a province in Eastern region of Thailand: a cross-sectional analysis

Problematic alcohol consumption among management undergraduates of Bhaktapur District, Nepal

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern among young people worldwide. While alcohol use is culturally embedded in many Nepalese communities, evidence regarding the prevalence of problematic drinking and its associated factors remains scarce among youths. This study aims to assess the prevalence of alcohol consumption and problematic drinking and their associated factors among management undergraduate students of Bhaktapur, Nepal.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 304 undergraduate students in Bhaktapur, Nepal. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess problematic drinking. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to determine factors associated with alcohol consumption and problematic drinking, at the 5% level of significance.

RESULTS

The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 58.2% (95% CI:52.0-63.6%), with 26.6% (95% CI: 19.2-33.1%) exhibiting problematic drinking. Being male (aOR: 2.05, 95% CI:1.11-3.76), dissatisfaction with academic performance (aOR: 2.43, 95% CI:1.35-4.38), and alcohol preparation at home (aOR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.20-5.40) were associated with alcohol consumption. Problematic drinking was linked to male gender (aOR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.71-9.46), living in a joint family (aOR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.09-5.29), poor perceived emotional support from family (aOR: 4.94, 95% CI: 1.50-16.26), and traumatic experience (aOR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.19-6.02).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the concerning prevalence of alcohol consumption and dependency among Nepali undergraduate students. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive interventions targeting gender, the family environment, and academic factors to address alcohol misuse among Nepali youth.

Exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among children and early teenagers in South Africa

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of information on alcohol adverts on alcohol consumption among early teenagers. The study aimed to examine the association between exposure to alcohol adverts and alcohol consumption.

METHODS

A sample of 3833 early teenagers aged 12-14 years were extracted from the South African National HIV Prevalence, HIV Incidence, Behaviour and Communication Survey (SABSSM) 2017. Participants answered questions related to their exposure to alcohol adverts across television, Poster/billboard, events, and social media. Alcohol consumption was assessed on ever consumed alcohol and in the previous 12 months. Information on demographic characteristics was collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to process the data.

RESULT

Exposure to alcohol adverts increases from 5.2% for Events to 77.0% on television. All alcohol media of adverts were associated with alcohol consumption by age. The results mirror studies that demonstrated that exposure to alcohol advertisements was associated with alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSION

The association between alcohol consumption, exposure to alcohol adverts, and demographic characteristics need the urgent attention of policymakers and interventionists. The focus of action should be on protecting these early teenagers from exposure to media of adverts and risk background factors.

From abstainer to current drinker: a qualitative investigation of the process of alcohol use initiation among early adolescents in Thailand

Background: Recent evidence shows that young people started their first alcohol initiation when they were early adolescents (10-14 years of age), while there is still very little scientific understanding concerning the process of alcohol use of this age group. This study examined how adolescents in Thailand emerge to become drinkers. Method: The semi-structured interview with 10-14-year-olds (n = 61) in Chonburi, province of Thailand. Data were collected, and analysis followed the method of content analysis. Results: Our analyzes revealed three steps of alcohol initiation among early adolescents: (a) the pre-stage; (b) the initiation; and (c) the self-adjustment stage. Parent, peer, and the taste of alcohol were noteworthy as the factors that promote young people to accept alcohol sipping and consumption as part of their life. Nevertheless, law, social norms, culture, parents, and health consequences discouraged young people from emerging alcohol initiation. Conclusion: The preliminary evidence from this study recommends the interventions that address both individual-level and interpersonal circumstances as potentially being effective solutions to the provision of precautionary measures against underage alcohol use.

Alcohol consumption and its associated factors among adolescents in a rural community in central Thailand: a mixed-methods study

Early onset of alcohol use was associated with alcohol dependence and other health problems. We aimed to identify the prevalence and factors associated with alcohol consumption among adolescents in a rural community in Thailand. A mixed-methods study was carried out in 2021 using an explanatory sequential design. The study enrolled a total of 413 adolescents. On average, young adolescents initiated alcohol consumption at age 13. The lifetime drinking prevalence among adolescents was 60.5%, while the 1-year drinking prevalence was 53.0%. The prevalence of hazardous drinking among current drinkers was 42.0%. Alcohol consumption was associated with females (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR): 1.19; 95% CI 1.01-1.41), age ≥ 16 years (APR: 1.28; 95% CI 1.09-1.50), having close friends consuming alcohol (APR: 1.75; 95% CI 1.43-2.14), night out (APR: 1.93; 95% CI 1.53-2.45), being a current smoker (APR: 1.39; 95% CI 1.15-1.69), and having relationship (with boyfriend/girlfriend) problems (APR: 1.18; 95% CI 1.01-1.38). Qualitative data demonstrated that individual and environmental factors, including friends, family, social media use, and alcohol accessibility, affect alcohol use in this population. Therefore, effective strategies should be implemented across multiple levels of the socio-ecological model simultaneously to alleviate alcohol consumption and attenuate its complications.

Alcohol Recognition and Desire to Drink of Extended Alcohol Brand Logos

Alcohol companies in Thailand have adopted surrogate marketing that uses similar logos on non-alcoholic products. We aimed to assess variations of the alcohol recognition using reaction time and desire to drink among consumers exposed to original logos and modified logos (i.e., black logos, partial logos, logos on non-alcoholic beverages and other merchandise). Participants aged ≥19 years took part in this cross-sectional study. The primary independent variables were types of logos: original logos, modified logos (i.e., black logos, partial logos, logos on non-alcoholic beverages, and logos on other merchandise). An in-house-developed online survey randomly presented the logos. Alcohol recognition and the desire to drink alcohol were assessed. The study included 1185 participants. More time (estimated coefficient of reaction time <0.5 s) was required to recognize the modified logos than the original logos. Younger participants (19-24 years) reacted significantly faster than the older participants (>25 years) after seeing all types of logos. The desire to drink alcohol (<0.5 point) upon seeing the modified logos was lower than the original logos. No significant difference in the desire was observed between the younger and older participants upon seeing the original and partial logos. The modified logos reminded consumers of the alcohol products of that brand with a tiny difference in reaction time and the desire to drink without practical significance.