Consumption of alcohol and binge drinking among school-age young invididuals

Objectives: This objective of this study is to understand the consumption of alcohol, in particular the practice of binge drinking (BD), among young people attending compulsory education in the district of Lisbon, Portugal. Methods: This was a descriptive correlational study of quantitative nature. The sample consisted of 174 male and female participants attending compulsory education in the district of Lisbon, Portugal. The following assessment instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Data were analyzed using SPSS 25. Results: The sample included participants with a mean age of 15 years old, 75.9% of which had already consumed alcohol, and 23% had already practiced BD; a higher percentage of BD was seen among female participants. Statistically significant differences correlating practice of BD, hazardous drinking as per the AUDIT-C, and type of education attended were seen. Participants of either sex showed the same percentage of hazardous drinking. A positive correlation between age of onset, hazardous drinking, and BD was seen. Conclusion: Early-onset alcohol consumption and BD among school-age young people evidences a pressing need for alcohol consumption prevention actions in Basic Education and increased alcohol consumption literacy among young people, in particular regarding BD.