Los trastornos por uso de alcohol son preocupantemente altos en la población universitaria. Contar con instrumentos de tamizaje es fundamental para la medición epidemiológica y la práctica clínica. El objetivo de este trabajo es comparar el desempeño de los instrumentos de tamizaje más usados a nivel internacional (AUDIT, AUDIT-C, TWEAK, RAPS-QF y CAGE) en estudiantes universitarios de Argentina. Los instrumentos de tamizaje, junto a la Entrevista Diagnóstica Compuesta Internacional, que permite obtener diagnósticos compatibles con el DSM 5, fueron administrados a una muestra probabilística (N = 2,430) de estudiantes de una universidad pública nacional. Entre otros, se evaluaron los puntos de corte óptimos, la sensibilidad, la especificidad, la consistencia interna y la estabilidad temporal, así como la presencia y la capacidad de discriminación de los ítems. La apreciación global de los resultados sugiere que tanto el AUDIT como el RAPS-QF serían los instrumentos preferibles para detectar la presencia de trastorno por uso de alcohol en esta población.

Evidence regarding the association between early drinking (ED) and later dependence is controversial. It has been alternately hypothesized that ED either plays a causal role in the development of dependence or that it is an early marker of increased psychosocial vulnerabilities. Despite a clear rationale for delaying youth consumption, it is important to discern this relationship. However, most epidemiological evidence comes from individual studies and high-income countries. If there is a causal link between ED and dependence, an association at the aggregate level would be expected. Furthermore, if the link is due to biological mechanisms, the association should be rather invariable regardless of the drinking context, while if the association is due to psychosocial factors, a wider variability is to be expected. We explored whether the association between ED and dependence varied across countries clustered by their shared contextual drinking characteristics. We used data from 169 countries from the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health of the World Health Organization: ED, alcohol dependence, heavy episodic drinking (HED), actual drinkers, and alcohol policy. To cluster countries by their shared drinking characteristics (prevalences of HED and actual drinkers, and alcohol policy), we used, sequentially, two multivariate data reduction techniques: a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and a hierarchic classification. To estimate the association between ED and alcohol dependence, beta regressions were performed, and then adjusted by country income-level and repeated by gender. The results indicated four country clusters: primarily abstainers (class 1), low drinking countries (class 2), high drinking countries (class 3), and very high drinking countries (class 4). Positive relationships between ED and alcohol dependence were found for all the countries in the world and for those in classes 1 and 2. No significant relationships were found for class 3 or class 4. These results were similar for males, but not for females, where no significant relationships were found after adjusting for income level. The association between ED and dependence varies according to the drinking context. Our findings either suggest that the ED-dependence association may be due to individual or environmental vulnerabilities that promote consumption outside cultural norms or that, if there is a causal link between ED and dependence, it is strongly moderated by psychosocial characteristics.

Objective. To report the risk from alcohol, cannabis, and their combined use for non-fatal road traffic injuries for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Methods. Risk was estimated using the case-crossover method. Participants (N= 306) were injured patients from an emergency department in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Results. Alcohol use (OR= 6.78, CI 95% 3.75-12.25) as well as combined alcohol and cannabis use (OR= 7.05, CI 95% 1.16-42.73) significantly increased the risk of a road traffic injuries. Alcohol use increased the risk in both, women (OR= 8.87, CI 95% 2.69-29.21) and men (OR= 6.16, CI 95% 3.10-12.23); in those >30 years old (OR= 6.01, CI 95% 2.09-17.24) and those <30 years old (OR= 7.15, CI 95% 3.49-14.65). This last group also had an increased risk after combined alcohol and cannabis use (OR= 7.05, CI 95% 1.16-42.75). Both drivers (OR= 6.40, CI 95% 3.23-12.69) and passengers (OR= 13.83, CI 95% 2.87-66.42) had an increased risk after alcohol consumption. Conclusions. To our knowledge, these are the first estimates of the risk of having a road traffic injury after alcohol and cannabis consumption in one of the countries of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay). These results highlight the urgent need to implement and enforce comprehensive alcohol control measures. Furthermore, given the global trend towards legalizing cannabis for recreational use, our results could also inform policymakers to enact or amend impaired driving laws.

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar las manifestaciones clínicas del trastorno por uso de alcohol (TUA) en universitarios de países con distintas prácticas de consumo, y estimar el potencial de una medida de consumo de alcohol como marcador de TUA. Participaron estudiantes de universidades en Argentina (N = 2157), España (N = 320) y Brasil (N = 149). Se evaluaron criterios diagnósticos de TUA, puntos de corte compatibles con el DSM 5, y una medida de consumo excesivo episódico de alcohol. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y de clases latentes. Generalmente el TUA grave se caracterizó por endorsar todos los criterios; el moderado-leve por tolerancia, pérdida de control, problemas interpersonales y negligencia de obligaciones. En los países con un patrón húmedo de consumo (Argentina y España) los criterios uso en situaciones peligrosas y consumo a pesar de problemas mentales/físicos se manifestaron en categorías distintas. La medida de consumo presentó potencial como marcador de TUA.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation measures on alcohol consumption remains unknown among Latin-American countries. This paper characterizes differences in alcohol consumption and related problems before and after the pandemic among Argentinians from different genders, age groups, income levels, and behaviors regarding the acquisition of alcoholic beverages. Through an online survey 1446 participants were assessed regarding four alcohol consumption dimensions (frequency, quantity, heavy episodic drinking -HED- and alcohol-related problems) three months prior and after the first cases in the country and subsequent lockdown measures. Overall, participants reported small reductions for usual consumption and moderate ones for HED and related problems. As expected, very high reductions were found for those underage (14 to 18 years), and young adults (19 to 24 years). Those who had an increase in income after the pandemic did not report changes in consumption, while those whose income remained equal or lowered reported reductions. Those who did not report special behaviors to acquire alcohol (e.g. pre-stocking) informed decreases in consumption compared to those who did. This study provides new evidence on the impact of environmental factors in public health, suggesting restricted access to alcohol generates a significant decrease in alcohol consumption and related problems.

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Resumen: Este trabajo presenta los fundamentos teóricos y pedagógicos de la propuesta de enseñanza de contenidos de política educacional en el caso de las carreras de grado de educación de la Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM, Argentina). Analiza las características que adquieren la lectura, la escritura y la elaboración del trabajo de campo en la asignatura "Política y legislación de la educación" a partir de las indagaciones que hacen los/as estudiantes universitarios respecto de las regulaciones sobre participación en la escuela secundaria. Se explicitan algunas de las dificultades que ellos y ellas enfrentan para escribir y producir conocimiento sobre esa experiencia y las estrategias pedagógicas que, como docentes, proponemos para intervenir en esas situaciones. Finalmente, se señalan las limitaciones y potencialidades que la propuesta plantea. Palabras clave: Política educacional. Enseñanza universitaria. Lectura y escritura académica.Ler, escrever e produzir conhecimento em um programa de política educacional Resumo: Este artigo apresenta os fundamentos teóricos e pedagógicos da proposta de ensino de conteúdos de política educacional, no caso dos cursos de graduação ligados à educação da Universidade Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM, Argentina). Analisa as características que adquirem a leitura, a escrita e o desenvolvimento do trabalho de campo da disciplina de "Política e legislação da educação" a partir das perguntas que os estudantes universitários fazem a respeito das regulamentações para a participação no Ensino Médio. São explicitadas algumas das dificuldades que os estudantes enfrentam em escrever e produzir conhecimento sobre essa experiência e estratégias pedagógicas que, como professores, nos propomos a intervir em tais situações. Por fim, são indicadas as limitações e as potencialidades da proposta exposta. Palavras-chave: Política educacional. Ensino universitário. Leitura e escrita acadêmica.