Consumo de álcool e outras drogas e fatores associados entre estudantes de uma universidade pública brasileira

Abstract

Alcohol consumption among college students can lead to personal, social, academic and professional problems. Knowledge of the alcohol consumption patterns and factors associated with that consumption can turn into the most effective strategies for its prevention. Objectives: To evaluate the profile of alcohol and other drugs consumption and the factors associated with that consumption among college students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with students from a Brazilian public university in different knowledge areas and periods of graduation. Data were collected using the national survey questionnaire on drug use among university students in Brazilian capitals. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) was used to classify the consumption with risk for dependence (CRD) of drugs. Results: Among the 1139 students, men more often had alcohol consumption in the last 12 months (85% vs. 77%) and in the last 30 days (73% vs. 65%); tobacco use in the last 12 months (29% vs. 20%) and in the last 30 days (22% vs. 13%); marijuana/hashish/skank use in the last 12 months (21% vs. 11%) and in the last 30 days (15% vs. 6%), marijuana/hashish/skank (30% vs. 15%) CRD, as well as weekly consumption of heavy drinking episodic (HDE) in the last 12 months (28% vs. 14%); while opiate CRD was more often among women (40% vs. 5%). Senior students had used alcohol more often than freshman in the last 12 months (86% vs. 78%) and in the last 30 days (75% vs. 66%), and more often than intermediating students in the last 30 days (75% vs. 66%). Freshman had used tobacco more often than intermediating students in the last 30 days (21% vs. 14%). Tobacco CRD was more often in freshman (44%) than intermediating (32%) as well as senior (26%) students. More Exact students than Human area had used alcohol in the last 12 months (86% vs. 74%) and in the last 30 days (72% vs. 63%) as well as had weekly consumption of HED in the last 12 months (27% vs. 17%) and alcohol CRD (28% vs. 21%). Also, Exact students had weekly consumption of HED in the last 12 months more often than those of Biological/Agricultural areas (27% vs. 20%). Students of Biological/Agricultural areas had used alcohol in the last 12 months (84% vs. 74%) and in the last 30 days (72% vs. 63%) more often than those of Human area. Weekly consumption of tobacco was more often observed in Human area students (58%) than those of Exact (32%) and Biological/Agricultural (33%) areas. Students who had alcohol CRD (n=280) had more often consumption of other drugs, and had tobacco or marijuana or cocaine CRD; depression, psychological distress, risk behaviors and little interest for academic activities than those without CRD (n=754). Conclusion: There was worrying alcohol and drug consumption as well as risk behaviors associated with that consumption among college students. The results of this study show that policies of prevention to the alcohol use should include students as soon as attending the university.