Consumption of alcohol among nursing students

Cross-sectional study with 154 nursing students. The research instrument was a questionnaire with socio-demographic data and academic life and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). In the data analysis, we used descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test and linear trend. A statistical significance of 5% was adopted.

Results

Most participants were female, aged 20-24 years old, single, who were black and from the C socioeconomic class. A total of 57.1% of the sample consumed alcohol. We found a higher frequency of consumption and alcohol doses for undergraduate students and greater proportion of these in AUDIT risk level zone II, III and IV. There was no statistically significant difference in analysis between zone and year of study.

Conclusion

Senior students had higher harmful alcohol consumption.

Alcohol drinking; Alchoolism; Students; nursing; Education; nursing; Risk factors

Socio-demographic characteristics	Years of course			p-value
	Total (n=154)	Freshmen	Seniors
	Total (n=154)	(n=91)	(n=63)
Gender
Male	16(10.4)	8(8.8)	8(12.7)	0.435^‡
Female	138(89.6)	83(91.2)	55(87.3)	0.435^‡
Age groups (in years)
18 – 19	39(25.3)	39(42.8)	0(0.0)	0,000^†
20 - 24	81(52.6)	45(49.4)	36(57.1)
≥ 25	34(22.1)	7(7.7)	27(42.8)
Skin Color
White and others	33(21.4)	19(20.8)	14(22.2)	0.835^†
Black	33(21.4)	21(23.1)	12(19.0)
Brown	88(57.2)	51(56.1)	37(58.8)
Marital status
Married/stable union	10(6.5)	2(2.2)	8(12.7)	0.017^‡
Single. without permanent partner	65(42.2)	44(48.4)	21(33.3)
Single. with permanent partner	79(51.3)	45(49.5)	34(53.9)
Socioeconomic condition
A	14(9.1)	8(8.8)	6(9.5)	0.847^†
B	54(35.1)	30(32.9)	24(38.1)
C	70(45.5)	44(48.3)	26(41.3)
D e E	16(10.4)	9(9.9)	7(11.1)
Family Income/per month, MW*
2	30(19.5)	18(19.8)	12(19.1)	0.997^†
3 - 5	62(40.3)	36(39.6)	26(41.3)
6 - 8	25(16.2)	15(16.5)	10(15.9)
≥ 9	37(24.0)	22(24.2)	15(23.8)
Personal expenses/per month (in minimum wages)
<1	77(50.0)	52(57.1)	25(39.7)	0.095^‡
1 - 2	53(34.4)	26(28.6)	27(42.9)
≥ 3	24(15.6)	13(14.3)	11(17.5)

Pattern of alcohol consumption	Years of course			p-value*
	Total (n=154)	Freshmen	Seniors
	Total (n=154)	(n=46)	(n=42)
How often do you take alcoholic beverages? (n=154)
Never	66(42.9)	45(49.4)	21(33.3)	0.01
Once/per month	40(26.0)	23(25.3)	17(27.0)
2-4 times/per month	39(25.3)	21(23.1)	18(28.6)
1-3 times/per week	9(5.8)	2(2.2)	7(11.1)
Number of doses, cups or bottles you normally take (n=88)
1-2	34(38.6)	18(39.1)	16(38.1)	0.36
3-4	31(35.2)	19(41.3)	12(28.6)
5-6	18(20.5)	7(15.2)	11(26.2)
7 or more	5(5.7)	2(4.4)	3(7.1)
Consumption frequency of 6 or more drinks on one occasion (n=88)
Never	32(36.4)	22(47.8)	10(23.8)	0.01
Less than once a month	36(40.9)	16(34.8)	20(47.6)
Once/per month	14(15.9)	8(17.4)	6(14.3)
Once/per week	6(6.8)	0(0.0)	6(14.3)

Symptoms of dependence	Years of course			p-value*
	Total	Freshmen	Seniors
	(n=88)	(n=46)	(n=42)
Frequency of perceived inability to control alcohol consumption
Never	78(88.6)	42(91.3)	36(85.7)	0.56
Less than once/per month	6(6.8)	2(4.3)	4(9.5)
Once/per month	4(4.6)	2(4.4)	2(4.8)
Missed commitments due to drinking
Never	82(93.2)	43(93.5)	39(92.9)	0.82
Less than once/per month	5(5.7)	2(4.4)	3(7.1)
Once/per month	1(1.1)	1(2.1)	0(0)
Frequency of the need to drink in the morning after excessive drinking to feel better
Never	85(96.6)	46(100)	39(92.9)	0.07
Less than once/per month	3(3.4)	0(0)	3(7.1)
Once/per month	-	-	-

Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo R. Napoleão de Barros, 754, 04024-002 São Paulo - SP/Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 5576 4430 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: actapaulista@unifesp.br

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[1] Corresponding author. Cláudia Geovana da Silva Pires. Doutor Augusto Viana Filho Avenue, unnumbered, Campus Canela, Canela, BA, Brazil. Zip Code 40110-16. cgspires@uol.com.br