Trends in alcohol use among young people according to the pattern of consumption on starting university: A 9-year follow-up study

Aim :To identify differences in Risky Consumption (RC) and Binge drinking (BD) trends in students
who already followed these patterns of alcohol consumption on starting university and
those who did not, and also to try to understand what leads students to engage in these
types of behaviour at university. Material and methods: Cohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). BD and RC were measured
with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Multilevel
logistic regression for repeated measures was used to calculate the adjusted Odds
Ratios (ORs). Results: The prevalence rates of RC and BD were lower throughout the study in students who did not
follow these patterns of consumption at age 18. For RC and BD, the differences at age 27
years, expressed as percentage points (pp), were respectively 24 pp and 15 pp in women
and 29 pp and 25 pp in men. Early age of onset of alcohol use increased the risk of engaging
in RC and BD patterns at university, for men (OR = 2.91 & 2.80) and women (OR = 8.14 &
5.53). The same was observed in students living away from the parental home for BD (OR =
3.43 for men & 1.77 for women). Only women were influenced by having positive expectancies
for engaging in RC (OR = 1.82) and BD (OR = 1.96).Conclusions:The prevalence rates of both RC and BD at age 27 years were much higher among university
students who already followed these patterns of consumption at age 18 years, with the differences being proportionally higher among women. Focusing on the age of onset of alcohol consumption and hindering access to alcohol by minors should be priority objectives
aimed at preventing students from engaging in these patterns of alcohol consumption at university.