Predictors of Alcohol Consumption Behavior among Higher Education Students in Chonburi Province

Abstract

Teenage alcohol consumption is a major global issue directly and indirectly affecting physical, mental, and social well-being, leading to long-term health and public health problems. This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to examine the predictors of alcohol consumption behavior among students at an educational institution in Chonburi Province. A sample of 254 students who derived from Bachelor of Public Health and Vocational certificate students using multistage sampling. Samples were collected, during January to March 2024, by using self-administered questionnaire which applies the theory of PRECEDE MODEL including general information, predisposing factors, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and alcohol consumption behaviors. Reliability coefficient obtained for the questionnaire was 0.91 and knowledge about alcohol (KR-20) was 0.71. Several demographic variables and their associations with the alcohol consumption behavior were also examined and analyzed by Multiple linear regression

            The results revealed that the majority of respondents were female (83.90%), average aged 20.37 years (S.D. = 1.71) and under Bachelor degree (76.40%). The knowledge and attitudes about alcohol consumption were the moderate level at 46.50 and 54.40 percent respectively. Enabling factors and reinforcing factors were the moderate level (53.90%), and overall alcohol consumption behavior was at a low level (76.80%). After statistical analysis, predisposing factors, namely attitudes toward alcohol consumption, enabling and reinforcing factors showed a statistically significant relationship with alcohol consumption behavior (p < 0.001). The predictor analysis revealed that alcohol consumption behavior was influenced by the factors such as  predisposing factor as knowledge about alcohol consumption (B_adj = -0.781, 95%CI = -1.218, -0.344), enabling factor (B_adj = 0.515, 95%CI = 0.294, 0.736) and reinforcing factor (B_adj=0.586, 95%CI = 0.360, 0.812) at a statistical significance (R² = 0.331, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that promoting knowledge about alcohol consumption, fostering negative attitudes toward drinking, and strengthening social support from family and friends for alcohol-free environments are important key to provide for desirable health behavior, thereby controlling alcohol consumption appropriately.