ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION IN SCHOOL AGES

BACKGROUND: The onset of alcohol consumption begins very early in the Spanish society; generally, at the school age. The target of this stud y is to identify the factors that are linked to alcohol use and abuse, at this age. METHODS: A survey was designed and carried out among 1,8 16 students of 6 schools of Barcelona and Lleida, Spain (97.5% respons e rate) between 13 and 18 years old included, through a questionnaire filled-in in the classroom. RESULTS: 85.5% had ever consumed alcoholic drinks, 7.3% reported to drink alcohol every day and 39.6% said that they had drunk four or more glasses of an alcoholic beverage at least once. The multivariate analysis showed that smoking habitually, with a n odds ratio (OR) of 9.7; having a larger amount of own money to buy a lcohol (OR = 1.5); and the expectations that alcohol helps to enjoy an d get along with friends (OR = 2.4) were the most important factors id entified as associated with problematic alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIO NS: The study points to several factors related to the habit of smokin g, the influence of the environment of schoolchildren and the expectat ions associated to alcohol consumption are related with the consumptio n of alcoholic drinks, especially from the beginning in the high schoo l.