Alcohol and drug use prevalence and factors associated with the experience of alcohol use in Iranian adolescents

Abstract EN

Background : Alcohol and other drugs use is a problem among adolescents leading to numerous physical, social, and educational damages.

Objective : For determining the prevalence of alcohol and other substance use as well as the factors associated with the experience of alcohol use in adolescents.

Patients and Methods : This is a population-based and cross-sectional study, which was conducted in August 2010 on adolescents aged 15–18 years in Tehran.

Data were collected by a Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) in 1,201 adolescents.

The multistage cluster sampling method was used.

Questions belonging to the domain of alcohol and other substance use were analyzed.

Results : In general, 15.1 % of adolescents had experienced alcohol, which is significantly higher in boys (21.9 %) compared to girls (8.4 %) (P = 0.000).

3.1 % of adolescents had experience using opium and marijuana.

5.6 % had used ecstasy.

The results of multivariate logistic regression indicated that low parental control rather than medium control [AOR : 0.09], lifetime cigarette use [AOR : 10.41], having a tobacco user friend [AOR : 4.36], and having an alcohol user friend [AOR : 5.84] are factors that are significantly related to the experience of alcohol use in female adolescents.

In addition, studying in private schools rather than public schools [AOR : 3.46], lifetime cigarette use [AOR : 3.41], lifetime water pipe use [AOR : 4.43], experience of sexual activity [AOR : 8.52], having an alcohol user friend [AOR : 12.60], and having a water pipe user in family [AOR : 2.98] are factors that are significantly related to the experience of alcohol use in male adolescents.

Conclusions : We recommend interventional plans based gender aimed at improving adolescent health with regard substance abuse.