Alcohol Use, Knowledge and Attitudes Amongst High School Students in Pha-Muang-Wittayakhom, Lomsak District, Petchaboon Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to investigate the alcohol drinking behavior of high
school students enrolled in Pha Muang Wittayakhom School, Lomsak District,
Petchabun Province. A representative sample of 110 high school students
completed a questionnaire in February, 2011. A database was created using Epi Info
3.5.1, and the data were analyzed with STATA 10 in terms of percentages, means,
standard deviations, medians, maximum and minimum values, ranges, and 95%
confident intervals. The majority (59.1%) of the high school students was female
and aged 15 - 17 years (mean 16.7+0.9 years). Most of the students (90.0%) lived at
home with their parents. Thirty percent had consumed alcohol during the last
month. In 70.9% of the students’ knowledge about the effects of drinking alcohol
was assessed as being at an only moderate or adequate level. However, almost all
(98.2%) did answer correctly in terms of alcohol consumption diminishing family
income. Most (65.4%) had responsible attitudes towards drinking. Most (66.4%)
also agreed with the statement that drinking alcohol can lead to quarrels and fights.
The majority of the students (66.4%) were considered to behave well towards
drinking alcohol, and 94.5% reported never having skipped classes to drink with
their friends. A major recommendation based on the findings of this study is that
schools should focus more on interventions designed to enhance students’
motivation to avoid alcohol misuse. Students need to have better knowledge about
the health risks associated with drinking alcohol. They need to know more about
the acute and chronic pathophysiological effects of alcohol consumption.
Deepseated and inflexible attitudes about drinking alcohol are not normally found
in adolescence. Drinking alcohol must cease to be a way of impressing friends.
School campuses should give more emphasis to identifying peers, who do not use
alcohol, as model students. Promoting the status of these students is likely to be
helpful to the wider community.