Professional paper

Prevalence of alcohol consumption among students of Osijek University and its possible connection to students involment in traffic accidents

Vlatko Arambašić ; Zavod za hitnu medicinu Osječko-baranjske županije
Maja Miškulin orcid.org/0000-0001-7330-3019 ; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Medicinski fakultet
Marina Matić ; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Filozofski fakultet

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption among students of the University of Osijek, to clarify the interconnection between the established alcohol consumption, participants’ demographic features, and their socio-economic and academic status and to explore whether there is a possible connection between alcohol consumption and student involvement in traffic accidents.
From April to June 2011, a cross-sectional study via an anonymous questionnaire was conducted among second year students of the University of Osijek. General demographic data, as well as data on academic and socio-economic status, were obtained. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used in order to assess the extent of alcohol consumption, with a cut off value of 8 indicating possible alcohol problems. The study included 307 participants, 38.1% (117/307) males and 61.9 % (190/307) females with an average age of 20.6 ± 1.2 years. The majority of study participants 93.2% (286/307) had tried alcohol at least once in their life. Among this group, 45.8% (131/286) had an AUDIT total score of 8 or more: 51.9% (68/131) were males and 48.1% (63/131) were females. Among the participants who, according to AUDIT values belonged to the group with possible problems when consuming alcohol, there were 74.8% (98/131) of them whose level of drinking could be reduced by simple counseling about the hazards of heavy alcohol
drinking (AUDIT 8-15), 16.8% (22/131) needed brief counseling and continued monitoring (AUDIT 16-19), and 8.4% (11/131) clearly warranted further diagnostic evaluation for alcohol dependence (AUDIT 20 and above). The study showed a statistically significant difference in levels of alcohol consumption among male and female students (2-test; p = 0.000) as well as in levels of alcohol consumption among groups of students according to their faculty subject area (2-test; p = 0.010). It was further determined that students who did not drink alcohol were not involved in traffic accidents while among students who consumed
alcohol, 3.5% (10/286) of them had been involved in traffic accidents. The study further revealed that
drinking alcohol in levels that are not connected with possible alcohol problems (AUDIT 1-7) contributed significantly to student involvement in traffic accidents. It was concluded that the consumption of alcoholic beverages among students, with all of its negative consequences, is a significant public health problem and it
is necessary to continue to systematically work on its prevention with an increased collaboration between public health, the education system and the police.

Keywords

students; alcohol; AUDIT; traffic accidents; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

133211

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/133211

Publication date:

14.1.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 3.408 *