Abstrait

Associations between transition into adulthood and alcohol consumption: Analysis of a cross-country population based survey

Taylor AW, Makanjuola AB,Ling Q, Kirzhanova VV, Dal Grande E, Shi Z, Bewick BM

Objective: To understand better the relationship between alcohol consumption and transition into adulthood to assist in determining appropriate alcohol programs for the priority population of 18 to 35 year olds.

Method: Cross-sectional, multistage, random sample, face-to-face survey undertaken in Ilorin (Nigeria), Wuhan (China), Montevideo (Uruguay) and Moscow (Russia). The questionnaire was forward and back translated into relevant languages. Three questions regarding transition into adulthood were asked. For each city, associations between emerging adulthood and alcohol consumption (grams per day) using quantile regression modeling adjusting for selected sociodemographics were undertaken.

Results and Discussion: The data were weighted to the population of each city. In total 6235 structured interviews were undertaken (1391 in Ilorin, 1600 in Montevideo, 1604 in Moscow and 1640 in Wuhan). The proportion ever consuming alcohol varied from 33.3% in Ilorin, 53.4% in Wuhan, 86.1% in Moscow to 96.4% in Montevideo. After adjustment no association between alcohol consumption and transition into adulthood was found in Ilorin or Moscow while in Montevideo an inverse association was found with the higher the level of adulthood the less alcohol consumed. In Wuhan higher levels of adulthood were associated with increased alcohol consumption after adjustment.

Conclusion: High levels of country specific influences on alcohol consumption and the associations with level of adulthood were apparent for these 18-35 year old populations. Assessment of country specific influences together with assessment of level of adulthood, are important for specific interventions when implementing projects aimed at reducing harm from alcohol for this priority population.