Prevalence of alcohol consumption among high school students: A cross-sectional study

Aim: This study addresses the risk and protective factors for alcohol consumption among medical-technology high school students. The specific objectives of the study were to analyse standard influences on excessive alcohol consumption (influence of parents and upbringing) and possible modern influences, represented by social networks and internet use. Design: A cross-sectional analysis. Methods: The sample included the entire cohort of third-year students attending high school in Varazdin (n = 1,352). Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire. The bivariate analysis used an independent t test and a Chi-squared test. The multi-variate analysis used logistic regression. The study was conducted from September 2018 to February 2019. Results: Alcohol consumption was most prevalent among vocational students, followed by college-preparatory students and medical-technology students. Style of parenting and maternal authority have a positive influence on less alcohol use among students. The results showed that smartphone ownership and internet use do not correlate with alcohol use among high school students.