Prevalence of dangerous alcohol consumption in nursing students

BACKGROUND: The use of alcohol is a phenomenon widely spread among young people and takes on different psychological, sociological and cultural connotations. The aim of the study is to stimulate the prevalence of dangerous alcohol consumption and examine the associated factors in a cohort of nursing students from the University of Palermo. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional study design. On March 2020, a survey was provided to all nursing students of University of Palermo of the three years of course who attend daily lessons. The questionnaire was structured into two parts. The first section investigates on socio-demographic information. In the second part of the survey, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (A.U.D.I.T.-C) Test was administered. A multivariable logistic regression model was used and adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) are presented. RESULTS : The sample consisted of 525 students (70.3% female). The probability to have a risky consumption of alcohol is significantly associated with the following independent variables: “second” (aOR 3.66) and “third” (aOR 4.28) year of study; “to be a smoker” (aOR 2.11) and “to be a former smoker” (aOR 4.23); “Age Class <22 years old” (aOR 2.77). CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights how there is an increasing consumption of alcohol among students during the years of the degree course in nursing sciences. It also highlights how there is a strong association between cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption in this category.