Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2013 Volume 141, Issue 1-2, Pages: 66-71
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1302066K
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Attitudes on alcohol and drinking patterns among youth in Serbia
Kilibarda Biljana (Institut za javno zdravlje Srbije „Dr Milan Jovanović Batut“, Beograd)
Mladenović Ivica (Institut za mentalno zdravlje, Beograd)
Gudelj-Rakić Jelena (Institut za javno zdravlje Srbije „Dr Milan Jovanović Batut“, Beograd)
Introduction. Alcohol is most abused psychoactive substance among youth.
Analyzing attitudes on alcohol, patterns and consequences we are getting
inputs important for implementing evidence based preventive measures.
Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze drinking patterns and
expectations and alcohol risk perception by gender and region and determine
correlation between attitudes and one year prevalence of drinking. Methods.
The study used data from the European School Survey on Alcohol and Other
Drugs, which was then conducted in 2008 in Serbia on a sample of 6,553
students aged 16 years. For data analysis descriptive and analytical
statistic were used. Results. The results show that nine out of ten students
have had at least one alcoholic beverage during life and 5% have at least one
alcohol beverage on more than 20 occasions during the last month. Students in
Serbia have mainly positive expectations from alcohol, and the strongest
potential drinking predictors in the previous year are expectation of having
fun and the wish to feel relaxed. According to the participants, drinking 4-5
drinks on weekends (34.6%) is less risky than trying cannabis (52.0%). Boys
have experienced problems caused by alcohol drinking more often than girls,
while students from Vojvodina have performed badly in school in higher
percentage than students from Belgrade and Central Serbia. Conclusion. In
Serbia, girls drink less and perceive drinking as more risky in comparison to
boys, while 16-year-old students from Vojvodina have more positive
expectations but also more prominent problems caused by alcohol drinking.
Additional education of the young on alcohol risk is recommended.
Keywords: youth, alcohol, alcohol abuse, risk perception