Alcohol use and misuse: a profile of adolescents from 2018 Italian HBSC data.

Authors :: Charrier L
Canale N
Dalmasso P
Vieno A
Sciannameo V
Borraccino A
Lemma P
Ciardullo S
Berchialla P
Source :: Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita [Ann Ist Super Sanita] 2020 Oct-Dec; Vol. 56 (4), pp. 531-537.
Publication Year :: 2020
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.<br />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.<br />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%).<br />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.