Cross-sectional study on parental pro-drinking practices and adolescent alcohol drinking in Hong Kong

Abstract

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between parental pro-drinking practices (PPDPs) and alcohol drinking in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.DesignA cross-sectional study.Setting4 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong.Participants1738 students (mean age 14.6 years ±2.0, boys 67.8%).Main outcome measuresDrinking status, drinking intention and exposure to 9 PPDPs (eg, seeing parents drunk, helping parents buy alcohol, encouraged to drink by parents) were reported by students. Logistic regression was used to compute adjusted ORs (AORs) of drinking and intention to drink by each PPDP and the number of PPDPs (0, 1–2, 3–4, 5 or above), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, parental drinking and school clustering.ResultsNearly half (48.6%) of the students were ever-drinkers, 16.2% drank monthly (at least once per month) and 40.3% intended to drink in the next 12 months. Most PPDPs were significantly associated with ever drinking (AORs 1.40–6.20), monthly drinking (AORs 1.12–8.20) and intention to drink (AORs 1.40–5.02). Both ever and monthly drinking were most strongly associated with parental training of drinking capacity (ability to drink more without getting drunk) with AORs of 6.20 and 8.20 (both p<0.001), respectively. Adolescent drinking intention was most strongly associated with parental encouragement of drinking and training of drinking capacity with AORs of 3.19 and 5.02 (both p<0.001), respectively.ConclusionsExposure to PPDPs was associated with ever drinking, monthly drinking and drinking intention in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. More studies, especially prospective studies, should be conducted to confirm these results, followed by interventional studies.

Associations of Passive Drinking with Perceived Health Status, Mental Health, and Family Wellbeing in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Studies found that parental drinking was strongly associated with children's mental health problems, including depression and anxiety [9]. In Hong Kong (HK), a local study showed that exposure to parental prodrinking practices was common in Chinese adolescents [10]. Of 1,700 HK secondary students, 51.0% saw their parents drink at home, and 23% were asked by their parents to open drinking bottles [10].…”

“…In Hong Kong (HK), a local study showed that exposure to parental prodrinking practices was common in Chinese adolescents [10]. Of 1,700 HK secondary students, 51.0% saw their parents drink at home, and 23% were asked by their parents to open drinking bottles [10]. Children with drinking parents were more likely to have psychological distress because of the higher risk of suffering from verbal abuse and physical violence at home [11].…”