Binge drinking, alcohol outlet density and associated factors: a multilevel analysis among adolescents in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract

Our study sought to evaluate the prevalence of binge drinking in adolescents and its association with density of alcohol outlets around schools. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with 436 high-school students aged between 17 and 19 and enrolled in 18 public and private schools. The students completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C), consisting of questions about alcohol consumption by parents and siblings, and socioeconomic status (type of school, mother’s education level). Data from geographic information systems were used to estimate the density of alcohol outlets around schools participating. The association between exploratory variables and binge drinking was investigated using multilevel logistic regression analysis (p < 0.05) with random intercepts and fixed slopes. A three-step sequential modeling strategy was adopted. The prevalence of binge drinking was 39.9%. The alcohol consumption among adolescents was lower for those studying in areas with low density of alcohol outlets around schools (OR = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.14; 0.73) and the consumption of alcohol by mothers was associated with binge drinking among adolescents (OR = 1.94; 95%CI: 1.14; 3.30). Our study concluded that binge drinking among adolescents was associated with density of alcohol outlets around the schools and mother’s alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Use among High School Learners in the Peri-Urban Areas, South Africa: A Descriptive Study on Accessibility, Motivations and Effects

“…Learners also consumed alcohol at parties, friend’s places, clubs and communities. These findings confirm ease of alcohol access by learners both around schools and in the communities, consistent with studies conducted in South Africa [ 21 , 24 , 31 ] and other countries [ 39 , 59 , 60 ]. Hasheena et al [ 28 ], reported that 62% of grade 8 learners, 81% of grade 10 learners and 92% of grade 12 learners reported that alcohol was easily accessible to them in Namibia.…”

“…Hasheena et al [ 28 ], reported that 62% of grade 8 learners, 81% of grade 10 learners and 92% of grade 12 learners reported that alcohol was easily accessible to them in Namibia. Studies have reported that the more alcohol outlets within school vicinity and in the communities, the more likely youths will engage in drinking alcohol, and this has been reported in countries such as South Africa [ 21 , 24 , 31 ], Namibia [ 39 ], Brazil [ 59 ] and Canada [ 60 ]. Therefore, the wide availability of alcohol outlets around schools and the lack of regulating policies contribute to the normalisation of alcohol use [ 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ].…”

“…The alcohol harm paradox suggests that youth living in lower income areas are more exposed to alcohol and suffer more alcohol-related harms than their peers living in less deprived neighbourhoods [ 61 , 62 ]. Early initiation of alcohol use is well documented to lead to alcohol use disorder in adolescence and later in adulthood [ 41 , 59 ]. Behavioural research has found that educational performance is highly correlated with substance abuse [ 73 ], and a high level of drinking results in self-reported academic difficulty among high school learners [ 74 ].…”

Alcohol Consumption Patterns: A Systematic Review of Demographic and Sociocultural Influencing Factors

“…Among adolescents, alcohol consumption by peer access was reported to be higher with exposure to alcohol outlets [33]. In agreement with Morrison and colleagues, Martins et al [37], in a convenience sampling method, discovered that binge drinking among students often occurs as a result of the density of alcohol outlets near the school; however, the convenience sample was not sufficient enough to be representative [75]. Correspondingly, a cross-sectional study with a randomly drawn sample from Curitiba's public schools conducted by Cardoza et al [41] showed an agreement with the mentioned association between adolescents' consumption and the alcohol outlet density, where it reported that a higher density of alcohol outlets is positively associated with more consumption, and adolescents in schools located further than 250 m away from alcohol outlets were had lower consumption of alcohol.…”

“…Among adolescents, alcohol consumption by peer access was reported to be higher with exposure to alcohol outlets [33]. In agreement with Morrison and colleagues, Martins et al [37], in a convenience sampling method, discovered that binge drinking among students often occurs as a result of the density of alcohol outlets near the school; however, the convenience sample was not sufficient enough to be representative…”