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Alcohol consumption by medical students

SUMMARY

OBJECTIVE

Excessive alcohol consumption is a global health issue. This article aims to evaluate the consumption of alcohol by medical students in relation to their personal and social aspects.

METHODS

This study was conducted with students in the first, third, and sixth year of medical school at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2019. Students were invited to participate anonymously by responding to a questionnaire with 15 questions regarding student characteristics (gender, age, family income, physical activity, origin, housing condition, and academic performance) and alcohol consumption (onset, reason, occasions of use, type of drink, amount consumed). Data were compared with significance corresponding to p<0.05.

RESULTS

A sample of 382 students of both sexes responded to the questionnaire. Alcohol consumption was reported by 85% of students. About 70% of first and third-year students and 47% of those of the sixth year were motivated by socializing with peers. Alcohol consumption was prevalent among those who practice physical activities (93%) and live with their families (89%). Around 80% had consumed alcohol before starting medical school, and consumption was more frequent in males.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol consumption begins during high school, stimulated by socialization. Men who practice physical activities and live with their families are the largest consumers.

Alcoholism; Students, medical; Family; Socialization; Academic performance; Physical activity

RESUMO

OBJETIVO

O consumo excessivo de álcool é um problema de saúde presente no mundo inteiro. Este artigo avalia o consumo de bebidas alcoólicas por estudantes de Medicina e sua relação com características pessoais e aspectos sociais.

MÉTODOS

Estudo realizado com estudantes dos 1o, 3o e 6o anos do curso de medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais no ano de 2019. Os alunos foram convidados a participar anonimamente, respondendo a um questionário com 15 perguntas relativas a características do estudante (sexo, idade, renda familiar, prática de atividades físicas, origem, condição de moradia e desempenho discente) e ao consumo de bebidas alcoólicas (início, motivo, ocasiões de uso, tipo de bebida, quantidade consumida). Os dados foram comparados com significância correspondente a p<0,05.

RESULTADOS

Um total de 382 estudantes de ambos os sexos respondeu ao questionário. O consumo de bebidas alcoólicas foi relatado por 85% dos entrevistados. Cerca de 70% dos alunos de 1o e 3o anos e 47% dos alunos do 6o ano foram motivados pela socialização com colegas. O consumo de bebida alcoólica foi prevalente entre os que praticavam atividades físicas (93%) e moravam com a família (89%). Ao redor de 80% consumiram bebidas alcoólicas antes do ingresso na faculdade, com maior frequência no sexo masculino.

CONCLUSÕES

O consumo de álcool começa durante o ensino médio, estimulado pela socialização. Os homens que praticam atividades físicas e moram com a família são os maiores consumidores.

Alcoolismo; Estudantes de medicina; Família; Socialização; Desempenho acadêmico; Atividade física

INTRODUCTION

The growing use of psychotropic substances is a serious public health problem11. Romani O. Las drogas: sueños y razones. 2ª ed. Barcelona: Editorial Ariel; 1999. . These substances that are present in the life of most social groups include natural or synthetic products, which act on the central nervous system and alter its function, causing variations in consciousness and behavior22. Bucher R. Prevenindo contra as drogas e DST/AIDS: populações em situação de risco. Programa Nacional de DST/AIDS. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 1995. . Among them, alcoholic beverages are noteworthy, since due to being licit and socially accepted drugs, they are widespread. In Brasil, alcohol is the drug most consumed by young people, followed by tobacco, marijuana, and mental stimulants33. Chiapetti N, Serbena CA. Uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas por estudantes da área de saúde de uma universidade de Curitiba. Psicol Reflex Crit. 2007;20(2):303-13. .

With respect to students of medicine, despite their extensive knowledge about the harmful effects of alcohol44. World Health Organization. Global status report on alcohol and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. , there is high consumption of alcoholic beverages among them, with a likely negative impact on their intellectual performance and, possibly, future professional practice44. World Health Organization. Global status report on alcohol and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.

5. Stempliuk VA, Barroso LP, Andrade AG, Nicastri S, Malbergier A. Comparative study of drug use among undergraduate students at the University of São Paulo: São Paulo campus in 1996 and 2001. Braz J Psychiatry. 2005;27(3):185-93.
- 66. Barbosa FL, Barbosa RL, Barbosa MCL, Aguiar DL, Figueiredo IA, Ribeiro AC, et al. Alcohol consumption among medical students at the Federal University of Maranhão, Brasil. Rev Bras Educ Med. 2013;37(1):89-95. . Such consumption may have negative social, economic, and cognitive impacts, leading to the use of other drugs and hindering educational activities77. World Health Organization: Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Global status report on alcohol 2004. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004. . Evaluating alcoholism among medical students is essential to analyze the quality of student’s life based on their physical health, emotional state, personal conduct, and social relationships88. WHOQOL Group. The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): position paper from the World Health Organization. Soc Sci Med. 1995;41(10):1403-9. .

The goal of this study was to evaluate the consumption of alcoholic beverages by medical students and assess its associated factors.

METHODS

This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), under case CAAE - 01912118.3.0000.5149; Opinion No. 3,113,455 and carried out at the Faculty of Medicine of UFMG in 2019.

Medical students of 1st, 3rd, and 6th years were informed publicly about the purpose of the study and invited to voluntarily participate, anonymously and with secrecy concerning the identification of those who accepted to be part of it. After signing the informed consent, 400 students of the 1st, 3rd, and 6th years received a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 15 questions relating to their personal characteristics (gender, age, family income, practice of physical activities, origin, housing conditions, and student performance) and consumption of alcoholic beverages (beginning, motivation, occasions in which it is consumed and quantity consumed).

Statistical analysis was performed using the Epi Info software version 7.2.2.6 and PASW Statistics 18. The comparison of the means was done by Student’s t-test, and the proportions were evaluated using the chi-square test. Differences were considered significant for values of p<0.05.

RESULTS

Of the 400 questionnaires distributed to the medical students of the UFMG, 382 (96%) were considered valid, and the respondents were 51% female and 49% male ( Table 1 ). The most frequent age was in the range between 21 and 24 years (51%), followed by 17 to 20 years (31%), and 25 to 30 years (17%). At the time of the survey, 167 (44%) were in the 1st year, 109 (29%) in the 3rd year, and 106 (28%) in the 6th year ( Table 1 ).

TABLE 1
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SAMPLE ACCORDING TO THE CHARACTERISTICS ADDRESSED BY THE QUESTIONNAIRE (N=382).

The motivation for alcoholism for 70% of the students of the 1st and 3rd years was socializing with friends and colleagues, while only 47% of the 6th year students had the same motivation. The consumption of alcoholic beverages prior to admission in college was reported by 80% of the students of both sexes, of which 46% were influenced by friends outside of college ( Table 2 ).

TABLE 2
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SAMPLE ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL (N=382).

The practice of physical activity was reported by 87% of the students, of which 27% exercised at least three times a week, which showed a significant association with alcohol consumption (OR=4.33; CI=1.58-11.83; p=0.024). Alcohol consumption was declared by 76% of the students who reported not practicing regular physical activity, by 81.9% of those who reported practicing it only once a week, by 83.1% of those who practiced it two or three times per week, and by 93.2% of those who reported practicing it more than three times a week.

With regard to sex, 86.2% of men and 83% of women reported consuming alcohol (p=0.39). Alcoholism was more present among men, with 68% consuming more than 700 ml of beer ( Figure 1 ), compared with 49% of women (OR=2.26; CI=1.38-3.69; p=0.001). The weekly consumption for 34% of men was over two times, compared with 24% of women (OR=1.62; CI=1.03-2.53; p=0.044).

FIGURE 1
AMOUNT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES (ML) CONSUMED ON EACH OCCASION BY 382 STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE OF UFMG, ACCORDING TO GENDER, MALE (M) AND FEMALES (F). (N = 382).

Regarding the presence of family members in the daily life of students, 80.2% of those who claimed to live with family members and 89.2% of those who do not live with them consume alcohol (OR=0.49; CI=0.28-0.88; p=0.022).

There was no significant association between the origin (p=0.064), income (p=0.13), and students’ performance (p=0.13) with the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

DISCUSSION

College students are a particular group in terms of the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Factors such as increased independence, reduction of parental supervision, greater social contact with people of the same age, and social acceptance of alcoholism contributed to its increased consumption in this study, with a tendency of abuse99. Brandão YS, Correia DS, Farias MS, Antunes TM, Silva LA. The prevalence of alcohol consumption among the students newly enrolled at a public university. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2011;3(3):345-9. , 1010. Wilsnack SC, Wilsnack RW, Kantor LW. Focus on: women and the costs of alcohol use. Alcohol Res. 2013;35(2):219-28. . Is possible to observe that, unlike one would imagine, the independence of students while away from family life brings greater responsibility, thus reducing the consumption of alcoholic beverages in comparison with students who live with their families.

According to the First National Survey on the Patterns of Alcohol Consumption in the Brazilian Population, published by the National Anti-Drug Secretariat in 2007, men consume alcoholic beverages in greater volume and with more frequency, as was observed in this study1111. Bradstock K, Forman MR, Binkin NJ, Gentry EM, Hogelin GC, Williamson DF, et al. Alcohol use and health behavior lifestyles among U.S. women: the behavioral risk factor surveys. Addict Behav. 1988;13(1):61-71. . However, it is worth noting that, even though their consumption is lower, women are more vulnerable to diseases caused or triggered by alcoholism, particularly since the consumption of alcoholic beverages is increasing among females1212. Windle M. Alcohol use among adolescents and young adults. Alcohol Res Health. 2003;27(1):79-85. , 1313. Oliveira GC, Dell’Agnolo CM, Ballani TSL, Carvalho MDB, Pelloso SM. Consumo abusivo de álcool em mulheres. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 2012;33(2):60-8. .

Surprisingly, most alcoholics practiced routine physical activities ( Figure 2 ), in contrast with what is found in the literature, which associates alcoholism with other behaviors that are harmful to health and multiple diseases1414. Laranjeira R, Pinsky I, Zaleski M, Caetano R. I levantamento nacional sobre os padrões de consumo de álcool na população brasileira. Brasília: Secretaria Nacional Antidrogas; 2007.

15. Thomas DB, Uhl CN, Hartge P. Bladder cancer and alcoholic beverage consumption. Am J Epidemiol. 1983;118(5):720-7.
- 1616. Keilman PA. Alcohol consumption and diabetes mellitus mortality in different countries. Am J Public Health. 1983;73(11):1316-7. . It is also considered that the practice of sports prevents alcoholism1717. Leasure JL, Neighbors C, Henderson CE, Young CM. Exercise and alcohol consumption: what we know, what we need to know, and why it is important. Front Psychiatry. 2015;6:156. . However, there are studies that indicate greater alcohol consumption among athlete students, due to the pressure suffered regarding their academic and sports performance1818. Leichliter JS, Meilman PW, Presley CA, Cashin JR. Alcohol use and related consequences among students with varying levels of involvement in college athletics. J Am Coll Health. 1998;46(6):257-62. . There is still the false belief that alcohol relieves stress. In university parties, with emphasis on those that are sports-related, there is, in general, wide availability of free alcoholic beverages, facilitating the onset or maintenance of this addiction1919. Fachini A. Aspectos da vida acadêmica associados ao uso de álcool e outras drogas. [Tese de Doutorado]. Ribeirão Preto: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto; 2013. .

FIGURE 2
CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, BASED ON THE FREQUENCY OF SPORTS PRACTICE, BY 382 STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE OF UFMG, MALE (M), FEMALE (F).

Alcohol is the most consumed drug worldwide among the adult population, who, for considering it of low risk, do not abstain from consuming it, which makes its use excessive in countries where alcoholism is cultural2020. Gomes LS, Barroso CRD, Silvestre VA, Baylão ACP, Garcia SCM, Pacheco SJB. Consumo de álcool entre estudantes de medicina do Sul Fluminense - RJ. Rev Med (São Paulo). 2018;97(3):260-6. , 2121. Machado JNS, Finelli LAC, Jones KM, Soares WD. Consumo de álcool entre acadêmicos de medicina. RBPeCS. 2015;2(2):46-51. . In our environment, the beginning of alcoholic drink consumption has been observed in increasingly younger ages, which was confirmed in this study, and a large proportion of students started alcoholism before entering university2222. Valim GG, Simionato P, Gascon MRP. O consumo de álcool na adolescência: uma revisão literária. Adolesc Saude. 2017;14(4):184-94. .

In this study, no variation in alcohol consumption was found between students’ years ( Figure 3 ), in contrast with other studies from the health area, in which the consumption decreased near graduation2323. Sawicki WC, Barbosa DA, Fram DS, Belasco AGS. Alcohol consumption, quality of life and brief intervention among nursing university students. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71(suppl 1):505-512. . In addition, there was no significant variation in alcohol consumption regarding the origin, family income, and the academic performance of students, differing from the results of other studies involving students2424. Pedrosa AAS, Camacho LAB, Passos SRL, Oliveira RVC. Consumo de álcool entre estudantes universitários. Cad Saúde Pública. 2011;27(8):1611-21. , 2525. Ramis TR, Mielke GI, Habeyche EC, Oliz MM, Azevedo MR, Hallal PC. Tabagismo e consumo de álcool em estudantes universitários: prevalência e fatores associados. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2012;15(2):376-85. .

FIGURE 3
PERCENTAGE OF 382 STUDENTS FROM THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE OF UFMG, MALE (M) AND FEMALES (F) WHO CONSUMED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BEFORE AND DURING THE PROGRAM.

CONCLUSIONS

The consumption of alcoholic beverages by medical students is motivated by the need to socialize, especially in the first years of study. Men who practice physical activities routinely and live with their families are the most alcoholic.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Professor Graziella Lage Oliveira for the statistical analysis of the data of this work, and Gordon Wong, of King’s College London, for translating the abstract.

We also thank the CNPq, FAPEMIG, and Pro-Rectory of Research of UFMG for their financial aid.

REFERENCES

  • 1
    Romani O. Las drogas: sueños y razones. 2ª ed. Barcelona: Editorial Ariel; 1999.
  • 2
    Bucher R. Prevenindo contra as drogas e DST/AIDS: populações em situação de risco. Programa Nacional de DST/AIDS. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde; 1995.
  • 3
    Chiapetti N, Serbena CA. Uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas por estudantes da área de saúde de uma universidade de Curitiba. Psicol Reflex Crit. 2007;20(2):303-13.
  • 4
    World Health Organization. Global status report on alcohol and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.
  • 5
    Stempliuk VA, Barroso LP, Andrade AG, Nicastri S, Malbergier A. Comparative study of drug use among undergraduate students at the University of São Paulo: São Paulo campus in 1996 and 2001. Braz J Psychiatry. 2005;27(3):185-93.
  • 6
    Barbosa FL, Barbosa RL, Barbosa MCL, Aguiar DL, Figueiredo IA, Ribeiro AC, et al. Alcohol consumption among medical students at the Federal University of Maranhão, Brasil. Rev Bras Educ Med. 2013;37(1):89-95.
  • 7
    World Health Organization: Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Global status report on alcohol 2004. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.
  • 8
    WHOQOL Group. The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): position paper from the World Health Organization. Soc Sci Med. 1995;41(10):1403-9.
  • 9
    Brandão YS, Correia DS, Farias MS, Antunes TM, Silva LA. The prevalence of alcohol consumption among the students newly enrolled at a public university. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2011;3(3):345-9.
  • 10
    Wilsnack SC, Wilsnack RW, Kantor LW. Focus on: women and the costs of alcohol use. Alcohol Res. 2013;35(2):219-28.
  • 11
    Bradstock K, Forman MR, Binkin NJ, Gentry EM, Hogelin GC, Williamson DF, et al. Alcohol use and health behavior lifestyles among U.S. women: the behavioral risk factor surveys. Addict Behav. 1988;13(1):61-71.
  • 12
    Windle M. Alcohol use among adolescents and young adults. Alcohol Res Health. 2003;27(1):79-85.
  • 13
    Oliveira GC, Dell’Agnolo CM, Ballani TSL, Carvalho MDB, Pelloso SM. Consumo abusivo de álcool em mulheres. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 2012;33(2):60-8.
  • 14
    Laranjeira R, Pinsky I, Zaleski M, Caetano R. I levantamento nacional sobre os padrões de consumo de álcool na população brasileira. Brasília: Secretaria Nacional Antidrogas; 2007.
  • 15
    Thomas DB, Uhl CN, Hartge P. Bladder cancer and alcoholic beverage consumption. Am J Epidemiol. 1983;118(5):720-7.
  • 16
    Keilman PA. Alcohol consumption and diabetes mellitus mortality in different countries. Am J Public Health. 1983;73(11):1316-7.
  • 17
    Leasure JL, Neighbors C, Henderson CE, Young CM. Exercise and alcohol consumption: what we know, what we need to know, and why it is important. Front Psychiatry. 2015;6:156.
  • 18
    Leichliter JS, Meilman PW, Presley CA, Cashin JR. Alcohol use and related consequences among students with varying levels of involvement in college athletics. J Am Coll Health. 1998;46(6):257-62.
  • 19
    Fachini A. Aspectos da vida acadêmica associados ao uso de álcool e outras drogas. [Tese de Doutorado]. Ribeirão Preto: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto; 2013.
  • 20
    Gomes LS, Barroso CRD, Silvestre VA, Baylão ACP, Garcia SCM, Pacheco SJB. Consumo de álcool entre estudantes de medicina do Sul Fluminense - RJ. Rev Med (São Paulo). 2018;97(3):260-6.
  • 21
    Machado JNS, Finelli LAC, Jones KM, Soares WD. Consumo de álcool entre acadêmicos de medicina. RBPeCS. 2015;2(2):46-51.
  • 22
    Valim GG, Simionato P, Gascon MRP. O consumo de álcool na adolescência: uma revisão literária. Adolesc Saude. 2017;14(4):184-94.
  • 23
    Sawicki WC, Barbosa DA, Fram DS, Belasco AGS. Alcohol consumption, quality of life and brief intervention among nursing university students. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71(suppl 1):505-512.
  • 24
    Pedrosa AAS, Camacho LAB, Passos SRL, Oliveira RVC. Consumo de álcool entre estudantes universitários. Cad Saúde Pública. 2011;27(8):1611-21.
  • 25
    Ramis TR, Mielke GI, Habeyche EC, Oliz MM, Azevedo MR, Hallal PC. Tabagismo e consumo de álcool em estudantes universitários: prevalência e fatores associados. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2012;15(2):376-85.

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    24 Aug 2020
  • Date of issue
    July 2020

History

  • Received
    07 Jan 2020
  • Accepted
    19 Jan 2020
Associação Médica Brasileira R. São Carlos do Pinhal, 324, 01333-903 São Paulo SP - Brazil, Tel: +55 11 3178-6800, Fax: +55 11 3178-6816 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
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