Frequency of use and attitudes about drinking alcohol in the student population

Abstract

In our culture, consuming of alcohol drinks is generally tolerated. The alcohol drinks is easily available and even represent a particular pattern of behavior. Young populations are at risk for alcohol abuse while most of them are beginning to experiment with alcohol in early adolescence and early creates a habit of drinking. To determine the frequency of alcohol consumption and attitudes towards alcohol consumption among students of the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Economics in Kosovska Mitrovica and their association with demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of students of Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Economics in Kosovska Mitrovica, in the period from 26th to 30th November 2012. As the survey instrument was used Questionnaire about behavior and health. From the statistical methods were used chi-square and Man-Whitney test, with a significance level of 0.05. In the week preceding the survey alcohol had consumed significantly higher part of students of economics (55.2%) than medical students (29.9%). More often alcohol consumed males, older students and students of higher years of study. Most of the students declared that tried alcohol for the first time at home in the presence of their parents (37.6%), alcohol consumption is socially acceptable in the communities in which they live (76.1%) and where they study (81.6%), and that they would not be embarrassed when in the company of fellow ordered a drink that is not alcoholic (87%).Nearly one of three medical students and half of students of economics in Kosovska Mitrovica had tried alcohol in the previous week, while the majority concluded that the consumption of alcohol is socially acceptable in the communities in which they live and study.

Keywords

• alcohol use
• students
• attitudes
• social acceptability