Sociodemographic Characteristics, School Performance, Pattern of Consumption and Emotional Health as Risk Factors for Alcohol use among Adolescents

Objective: It is known that alcohol use has increased both nationally and internationally. The present study was designed to evaluate the extent to wich sociodemographic characteristics, school performance, pattern of consumption and emotional health can predict the variable of interest, recent alcohol use, defi ned as the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the past 30 days, among adolescents from public schools in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre/Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. Methods: This was an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study of 124 students, 70 girls and 54 boys, aged 11 to 18 years. Participants were assessed in the classroom and completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Youth Self Report, and a questionnaire on drug use. Results: The variable with the greatest impact on recent alcohol use was total internalizing problems, anxiety/depression, and female sex. First alcohol use at 15 years or younger as well as school failure were also able to predict alcohol use. Conclusion: the data confi rm the multidimensionality of the phenomenon that should be considered in prevention campaigns.