Rauschtrinken bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen

Reciprocal relations between past behavior, implicit beliefs, and habits: A cross-lagged panel design

The current study assessed cross-lagged relationships between binge drinking, implicit beliefs, and habit in undergraduate university students (N = 105). Students completed self-report survey and implicit measures in lab visits 3 months apart. A structural equation model revealed cross-lagged relations between habit and behavior, and some evidence for a reciprocal relationship between implicit beliefs and habit. Implicit beliefs were related to alcohol behavior across time, but no cross-lagged relationship was observed. Findings provide preliminary support for recent advances in habit theory, suggesting that implicit beliefs and habit may develop in tandem or even share common knowledge structures and schemas.

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Health Sciences Students in the Amazonia Region of Peru

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate 199 health sciences students in the city of Iquitos. Their socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, level of physical activity, type of food, substance abuse, and prevalence of overweight and obesity were ascertained using purpose-validated questionnaires, i.e., the Systematic Alcohol Consumption Interview (Interrogatorio Sistematizado de Consumos Alcohólicos/ISCA), a questionnaire on the frequency of dietary intake (CFCA), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) of 25.0–29.9 kg/m²) was 26.5% (95% CI = 19.9–33.0%) and that of obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²) was 7.9% (95% CI = 3.8–12.1%). A total of 34.4% of students (95% CI = 27.4–41.4%) presented with a BMI > 25 kg/m². The frequency of overweight was significantly higher in persons aged over 20 years (OR = 2.5) and smokers (OR = 3.2), and the frequency of obesity was significantly higher in older students (OR = 4.1) and males (OR = 5.5). In conclusion, a considerable proportion of health sciences students in the Amazonia region presented with a high BMI. The proportion of students with overweight was higher among students aged over 20 years and smokers, while that of obesity was also higher among males. In the university setting, the development of more overweight- and obesity-preventive activities and educational interventions would therefore be desirable.

UPPS-P facets of impulsivity and alcohol use patterns in college and noncollege emerging adults

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use and related problems reach a peak in emerging adulthood. Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct known to be involved in emerging adult alcohol use. Few studies have examined impulsivity and alcohol use across both college attending and noncollege attending emerging adults.

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the multifaceted nature of impulsivity and its links to emerging adult alcohol use, this study investigated whether the five distinct facets of the UPPS-P model of impulsivity were predictive of three different behavioral outcomes: alcohol intake, alcohol related problems and binge drinking. In addition, the moderating effects of college attendance were tested.

METHODS

A community sample comprising 273 Australian college and noncollege attendees (58.6% women; 41.4% men) aged between 18 and 30 years (M_age = 23.71, SD = 2.81).

RESULTS

Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that lack of premeditation predicted alcohol intake and binge drinking behavior, whilst positive and negative urgency predicted alcohol related problems. Moderation analyses revealed that the effects of impulsivity on alcohol patterns were consistent for college and noncollege attending emerging adults.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of impulsive urgency (both positive and negative) in emerging adult problematic alcohol use, and support the generalizability of college samples to broader emerging adult populations. Emerging adults may use alcohol to avoid negative mood states and further enhance positive mood states. Improved emotional regulation may help both college and non-college emerging adults reduce their alcohol use.

Correlates of Breath Alcohol Concentration Among Driving Under the Influence Program Clients in Southern California

Understanding factors correlated with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) at time of arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) may lead to informed rehabilitation programs. This study describes correlations between BrAC at time of arrest and sociodemographic, mental, and physical health, and alcohol-related characteristics among clients in a large California DUI Program. Client reported data ( n = 17,282) were collected at an intake from 2009 to 2014. BrACs ranged from 0.083% to 0.390%, with an average of 0.159% ( SD = 0.051), almost twice the legal limit in the state. Approximately 10.6% of the variance in BrAC was explained by 11 significant correlates. Two sociodemographic factors (age and race/ethnicity) as well as several alcohol-related characteristics were related to higher BrAC levels, whereas comorbid mental and physical health factors played less of a role. Factors associated with BrAC are complex and warrant further investigation to identify causality and inform future interventions.

Substance consumption in adolescents with and without an immigration background: a representative study-What part of an immigration background is protective against binge drinking?

Background

Representative data indicate that adolescents with an immigration background show less harmful patterns of consumption, for example, they practice binge drinking less often. It remains to be shown whether this also applies to substances such as tobacco and cannabis and if the “healthier” patterns of consumption are permanent or if they gradually disappear as the level of integration increases. Using representative data, the current study was designed to a) present the epidemiology of the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis of adolescents with and without an immigration background in 2013 and b) to analyze which immigration-specific variables predict problematic alcohol consumption in adolescents with an immigration background.

Methods

A representative, written survey was administered to 9512 students in the 9th grade from Lower Saxony, Germany in 2013 by the “Kriminologisches Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen (KfN).” Data were collected from 1763 adolescents with an immigration background regarding their cultural, structural, social, and identificative integration. These variables were introduced as predictors in a multiple logistic regression analysis with binge drinking during the last 30 days as the dependent variable.

Results

Compared with German adolescents without an immigration background, significantly fewer adolescents with an immigration background had already tried alcohol, but they were significantly more likely to report experience with cigarettes and cannabis. In the group of adolescents with an immigration background, the percentage of binge drinkers fluctuated by country of origin (p < .001). In the regression model, binge drinking was associated with a lower targeted school leaving certificate (p < .001), not living on social welfare (p = .038), and the strong assimilation (p = .015) of the adolescent. Binge drinking was negatively associated with attitudes that favored segregation (p < .001) and a stronger attachment of the parents to the traditions of their country of origin (p = .003).

Conclusions

It cannot be confirmed that adolescents with an immigration background generally show less harmful patterns of consumption. Distinctions have to be made regarding the substance, the adolescent’s country of origin, and the level of assimilation or segregation of the adolescent and his/her family.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3796-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Alcohol Drinking in University Students Matters for Their Self-Rated Health Status: A Cross-sectional Study in Three European Countries

Background

Alcohol drinking was linked to self-rated health in different populations, but the observed association was inconsistent. We studied the association among university students across three European countries with different patterns of drinking.

Methods

We analyzed data from three universities, one from each country: Germany (beer dominant), Bulgaria (wine dominant), and Poland (unclassified among youths, spirits dominant in adults) (N = 2103). Frequency of drinking and problem drinking (≥2 positive responses on CAGE-scale), on the one side, and self-rated health, caring for one’s own health, and worsening of health since the last year, on the other side, were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaire. The association between alcohol- (independent) and health-related (dependent) variables was evaluated by means of logistic regression, adjusting for country and sex.

Results

Poor self-rated health and worsened health since previous year were associated with problem drinking {odds ratio 1.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–2.73] and 1.61 (95% CI 1.17–2.21), respectively}, but not with a higher frequency of drinking. In contrast, not caring for one’s own health was associated with frequent drinking [1.40 (95% CI 1.10–1.78)], but not with problem drinking [1.25 (95% CI 0.95–1.63)]. The results were consistent across the studied countries and for both sexes.

Conclusion

The health status of university students was associated with problem drinking. A high frequency of drinking was associated with the lack of care of own health, but it was not associated with current health status. These associations were independent of the predominant pattern of drinking across the studied countries.

Different versions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as screening instruments for underage binge drinking

BACKGROUND

The changes experienced in recent years in the conceptualization of binge drinking (BD) make it necessary to revise the usefulness of the existing instruments for its detection among minors. The AUDIT and its abbreviated versions have shown their utility in different populations and consumption ranges, but there has been little research into their use in the detection of BD among adolescents. This study tests the capacity of the AUDIT, AUDIT-C and AUDIT-3 to identify BD adolescents, indicating the optimal cut-off points for each sex.

METHODS

High school students self-administered the AUDIT and completed a weekly self-report of their alcohol intake. BD is classified into different groups according to parameters like the quantity consumed and its frequency in the past six months, adjusting the cut-off points for each case.

RESULTS

The results obtained with a sample of 634 adolescents (15-17 years old/52.2% female) indicate that cut-off points of 4 on the AUDIT and 3 on the AUDIT-C show the best fit. Dividing the sample by sexes, the AUDIT and the AUDIT-C would detect BD males with scores of 5 and 4, respectively (with the AUDIT-C being more sensitive), and BD females with a score of 3 on both (the more sensitive being the AUDIT).

CONCLUSIONS

All three versions are adequate to classify BD adolescents but none of them made it possible to safely differentiate binge drinkers with different consumption intensities.

Self-assessment of alcohol consumption as a health-education strategy in nursing students

BACKGROUND

In the field of preventive activities, early identification of excessive alcohol consumption is essential. The simplicity of existing instruments for detecting hazardous drinking makes for ready assimilation in university students.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain nursing students' level of knowledge about alcohol prevention activities and assess their skills, acquired through self-assessment of their own alcohol consumption, in managing tools designed to detect hazardous drinkers.

DESIGN

Before and after intervention study.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We assessed 1060 nursing students and ascertained their level of knowledge about excessive alcohol consumption. Following an educational intervention in which students were taught to use the recommended screening instruments in clinical practice through self-assessment of their own consumption (Systematic Interview of Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Test), we tested the skills acquired in detecting hazardous drinkers and their knowledge of alcohol prevention activities.

RESULTS

Initially, the concept of hazardous drinker was known by only 24.1% of students and the method of quantifying alcohol consumption by only 3.1%. The prevalence of hazardous drinkers was 17.9% (95% CI: 15.5-20.3). After the educational intervention, 95.8% of students stated that they understood the concept of hazardous drinker and 92.5% stated that they understood how to quantify alcohol consumption, with these proportions being significantly higher than those obtained at baseline (p<0.001). When asked about the intervention's usefulness, 91.3% viewed it favourably.

CONCLUSION

By using a simple educational intervention, nursing students can improve their knowledge and skill detection of hazardous drinkers and quantification of alcohol consumption. These concepts allow for students to be satisfactorily introduced into the prevention activities during their university education. After assessing their own consumption, a considerable proportion of students realise that they are indulging in excessive alcohol consumption, which could in turn make for greater awareness of the problem among future health professionals.

Prevalence of hazardous drinking among nursing students

AIMS

To estimate the frequency of alcohol consumption among nursing students and describe their behaviour patterns in relation to excessive consumption.

BACKGROUND

Most alcohol-related problems appear in individuals who indulge in hazardous consumption, with hazardous drinkers constituting a priority in the field of preventive activities. According to previous studies, there is a high proportion of hazardous drinkers among university students.

DESIGN

Descriptive cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Over the course of the 2012-2013 academic year, we assessed 1060 nursing degree students, ascertaining their socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and alcohol consumption by means of the Systematic Alcohol Consumption Interview (Interrogatorio Sistematizado de Consumos Alcohólicos/ISCA) and Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Test (AUDIT).

RESULTS

Hazardous alcohol consumption was observed in 43·4% of students. Moreover, 14·9% of men and 18·7% of women met criteria for hazardous drinkers, without any statistically significant difference between the sexes. The frequency of hazardous drinkers was significantly higher among participants aged under 21 years, those living outside the family nucleus and smokers.

CONCLUSION

A considerable proportion of students show evidence of hazardous alcohol consumption and, while there are no sex-related differences, the proportion of hazardous drinkers tends to be higher among the youngest subjects, smokers and persons living outside the family nucleus. Alcohol-prevention activities should envisage greater protection of university settings, particularly where future health professionals are involved.

Alcohol-related aggression-social and neurobiological factors

BACKGROUND

Alcohol-related aggression and violence are a widespread cause of personal suffering with high socioeconomic costs. In 2011, nearly one in three violent acts in Germany was committed under the influence of alcohol (31.8%). The link between alcohol consumption and aggression is promoted by various interacting factors.

METHODS

In this review, based on a selective search for pertinent literature in PubMed, we analyze and summarize information from original articles, reviews, and book chapters about alcohol and aggression and discuss the neurobiological basis of aggressive behavior.

RESULTS

Aggression is promoted both by the cognitive deficits arising in connection with acute or chronic alcohol use and by prior experience of violence in particular situations where alcohol was drunk. Only a minority of persons who drink alcohol become aggressive. On the other hand, alcohol abuse and dependence together constitute the second most commonly diagnosed cause of suicide (15-43%). Current research indicates that the individual tendency toward alcohol-induced aggression depends not just on neurobiological factors, but also on personal expectations of the effects of alcohol, on prior experience of violent conflicts, and on the environmental conditions of early childhood, especially social exclusion and discrimination. Gene-environment interactions affecting the serotonergic and other neurotransmitter systems play an important role. Potential (but not yet adequately validated) therapeutic approaches involve reinforcing cognitive processes or pharmacologically modulating serotonergic neurotransmission (and other target processes).

CONCLUSION

Alcohol-related aggression has manifold social and neurobiological causes. Specific treatments must be tested in controlled trials.

Predictors of positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in a sample of Brazilian drivers

OBJECTIVE

To verify the frequency of positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) among drivers and to examine associated factors in a cross-sectional study of Brazilian state capitals.

METHODS

3,398 drivers were approached on highways crossing all 27 Brazilian capitals from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. (Fridays and Saturdays). They were breathalyzed and data on their driving characteristics and alcohol consumption were collected. Multivariate logistic regression following a hierarchical conceptual framework was used to evaluate associated factors.

RESULTS

The overall weighted prevalence of positive BAC (> 0.1 mg/L) was 4.2%. The multivariate analysis showed that education up to 8 years (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.4-3.0), age > 30 years (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.8-3.8), type of vehicle (cars: OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.7-5.1; motorcycles: OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 2.1-6.4), binge drinking (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.4), having been breathalyzed before (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.8-3.7), and purpose of the trip (coming from a party: OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-3.0; leisure trip: OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.32.4; driving after 8 p.m.: OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.3) were independently associated with DUI.

CONCLUSION

Study findings suggest that selected external environmental factors, such as socioeconomic and demographic characteristics as well as personal characteristics like alcohol consumption and the relationship between drinking and driving were associated with positive BAC among Brazilian drivers. Results can help to inform drinking and driving policy and preventive approaches.

Introduction to the special issue "Pharmacotherapies for the treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence" and a summary of patents targeting other neurotransmitter systems

This paper introduces the Special Section: Pharmacotherapies for the Treatment of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence and provides a summary of patents targeting neurotransmitter systems not covered in the other four chapters. The World Health Organization notes that alcoholic-type drinking results in 2.5 million deaths per year, and these deaths occur to a disproportionately greater extent among adolescents and young adults. Developing a pharmacological treatment targeting alcohol abuse and dependence is complicated by (a) the heterogeneous nature of the disease(s), (b) alcohol affecting multiple neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems, and (c) alcohol affecting multiple organ systems which in turn influence the function of the central nervous system. Presently, the USA Federal Drug Administration has approved three pharmacotherapies for alcoholism: disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate. This chapter provides a summary of the following systems, which are not covered in the accompanying chapters; alcohol and acetaldehyde metabolism, opioid, glycinergic, GABA-A, neurosteroid, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and endocannabinoid, as well as patents targeting these systems for the treatment of alcoholism. Finally, an overview is presented on the use of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics in tailoring treatments for certain subpopulations of alcoholics, which is expected to continue in the future.

Predictors of binge drinking in adolescents: ultimate and distal factors - a representative study

BACKGROUND

As epidemiological surveys have shown, binge drinking is a constant and wide-spread problem behavior in adolescents. It is not rare to find that more than half of all adolescents engage in this behavior when assessing only the last 4 weeks of time independent of the urbanity of the region they live in. There have been several reviews on predictors of substance consumption in adolescents in general, but there has been less high quality research on predictors of binge drinking, and most studies have not been theoretically based. The current study aimed to analyze the ultimate and distal factors predicting substance consumption according to Petraitis' theory of triadic influence. We assessed the predictive value of these factors with respect to binge drinking in German adolescents, including the identification of influence direction.

METHODS

In the years 2007/2008, a representative written survey of N = 44,610 students in the 9th grade of different school types in Germany was carried out (net sample). The return rate of questionnaires was 88% regarding all students whose teachers or school directors had agreed to participate in the study. In this survey, prevalence of binge drinking was investigated as well as potential predictors from the social/interpersonal, the attitudinal/environmental, and the intrapersonal fields (3 factors of Petraitis). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, these variables were included after testing for multicollinearity in order to assess their ability to predict binge drinking.

RESULTS

Prevalence of binge drinking in the last 30 days was 52.3% for the surveyed adolescents with a higher prevalence for boys (56.9%) than for girls (47.5%). The two most influential factors found to protect against binge drinking with p < .001 were low economic status and importance of religion. The four most relevant risk factors for binge drinking (p < .001) were life-time prevalence of school absenteeism/truancy, academic failure, suicidal thoughts, and violence at school in the form of aggressive behavior of teachers. The model of Petraitis was partly confirmed for Binge Drinking in German adolescents and the direction of influence factors was clarified.

CONCLUSIONS

Whereas some of the risk and protective factors for binge drinking are not surprising since they are known for substance abuse in general, there are two points that could be targeted in interventions that do not focus on adolescents alone: (a) training teachers in positive, reassuring behavior and constructive criticism and (b) a focus on high risk adolescents either because they have a lack of coping strategies when in a negative mood or because of their low academic achievement in combination with absenteeism from school.

Alcohol consumption and binge drinking in adolescents: comparison of different migration backgrounds and rural vs. urban residence--a representative study

Background

Binge drinking is a constant problem behavior in adolescents across Europe. Epidemiological investigations have been reported. However, epidemiological data on alcohol consumption of adolescents with different migration backgrounds are rare. Furthermore representative data on rural-urban comparison concerning alcohol consumption and binge drinking are lacking. The aims of the study are the investigation of alcohol consumption patterns with respect to a) urban-rural differences and b) differences according to migration background.

Methods

In the years 2007/2008, a representative written survey of N = 44,610 students in the 9^th. grade of different school types in Germany was carried out (net sample). The return rate of questionnaires was 88% regarding all students whose teachers respectively school directors had agreed to participate in the study. Weighting factors were specified and used to make up for regional and school-type specific differences in return rates. 27.4% of the adolescents surveyed have a migration background, whereby the Turkish culture is the largest group followed by adolescents who emigrated from former Soviet Union states. The sample includes seven large cities (over 500,000 inhabitants) (12.2%), independent smaller cities ("urban districts") (19.0%) and rural areas ("rural districts") (68.8%).

Results

Life-time prevalence for alcohol consumption differs significantly between rural (93.7%) and urban areas (86.6% large cities; 89.1% smaller cities) with a higher prevalence in rural areas. The same accounts for 12-month prevalence for alcohol consumption. 57.3% of the rural, re-spectively 45.9% of the urban adolescents engaged in binge drinking in the 4 weeks prior to the survey. Students with migration background of the former Soviet Union showed mainly drinking behavior similar to that of German adolescents. Adolescents with Turkish roots had engaged in binge drinking in the last four weeks less frequently than adolescents of German descent (23.6% vs. 57.4%). However, in those adolescents who consumed alcohol in the last 4 weeks, binge drinking is very prominent across the cultural backgrounds.

Conclusions

Binge drinking is a common problem behavior in German adolescents. Obviously adolescents with rural residence have fewer alternatives for engaging in interesting leisure activities than adolescents living in cities. This might be one reason for the more problematic consumption patterns there. Common expectations concerning drinking behavior of adolescents of certain cultural backgrounds ('migrants with Russian background drink more'/'migrants from Arabic respectively Oriental-Islamic countries drink less') are only partly affirmed. Possibly, the degree of acculturation to the permissive German alcohol culture plays a role here.