Alcohol use and abuse by adolescents: the impact of living in a border community.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the rates of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related risk behaviors among a sample of high school students living on the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as to investigate factors associated with alcohol use among this population.


METHODS
A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was administered to students in grades 9-12 during Fall and Spring semesters of 2001 (n = 1366; 639 males and 722 females) in 16 high schools in a community along the U.S.-Mexico border. The questionnaire addressed demographic factors, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related behaviors. Surveys were completed by Chi-square tests for homogeneity of the odds ratio and logistic regression models were used to identify factors significantly associated with the outcome variables.


RESULTS
Rates of binge drinking (45%), drinking and driving (19%), and riding with a driver who had been drinking (46%) were higher for our study population when compared with state and national rates. Students who consumed alcohol were more likely to report alcohol-related problems and lower academic grades. Drinking while in Mexico was significantly associated with binge drinking (OR = 6.44), drinking and driving (OR = 5.39), and riding with a driver who has been drinking (OR = 3.12).


CONCLUSIONS
The high rates of alcohol risk behaviors among students living on the U.S.-Mexico border underscore the need to develop and implement culturally appropriate prevention programs that address alcohol consumption in Mexico, particularly in terms of students driving back home.
McKinnon
Sarah A
SA
Association of Schools of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
O'rourke
Kathleen M
KM
Thompson
Sharon E
SE
Berumen
Jessica H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population