Alcohol consumption in pupils of Compulsory Secondary Education

Abstract

Background. The consumption of addictive substances by adolescents is a growing problem with a considerable social and health impact, with alcohol being the drug of greatest consumption. The aim of this paper is to analyse the consumption of alcohol in pupils attending Compulsory Secondary Education in our health care milieu in order to understand the dimension of the problem in our context. Methods. Randomized distribution, stratified by school year, of a semi-quantitative questionnaire on the frequency of consumption of alcoholic drinks. Distributed to 406 pupils in Compulsory Secondary Education: 194 males and 212 females, with ages between 13 and 16 years. Results. Alcohol consumption increased with school year (p<0.05), with differences existing between the two sexes. From figures for consumption in the 1st year of Compulsory Secondary Education of 27.8% in males and 11.4% in females (p<0.05), figures were reached in the 4th school year of 81.5% in males and 54.7% in females (p<0.05). The regular consumption of alcohol (at least once a week) in males rose from 8.4% (1st school year) to 53.7% (4th school year); and in females from 5.8% (1st school year) to 24.6% (4th school year). In the 4th year of Compulsory Secondary Education, amongst the males who consumed alcohol, 18.2% did so on a daily basis, 47.7% at the weekend, and the remaining 34.1% occasionally; and amongst the females, 6.9% did so on a daily basis, 37.9% at the weekend, and the remaining 55.2% occasionally. In the 4th year of Compulsory Secondary Education, the average quantity of alcohol ingested by the males at the weekend was 130.7 grams, and by the females 98.8 grams. In both sexes, the proportional contribution to the total ingestion of alcohol was in the majority of cases by consumption of spirits (46.1% in males and 55.4% in females) and beer (30.9% in males and 31.6% in females). Conclusions. The prevalence of alcohol consumption amongst Secondary School pupils is very high, especially starting in the 3rd year of Compulsory Secondary Education in males and the 4th school year in females. On the completion of studies in Compulsory Secondary Education, there is a generalised consumption of alcohol amongst our adolescents that is mainly circumscribed to the weekend, although there is an important and relevant number of pupils who refer to daily consumption.