title: Alcohol consumption and awareness of the risks related in alcohol-abuse in high school students: evidence from a Health Education program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The unceasing and widespread increase of alcohol consumption represents an important problem for the European Union. For this reason, we wanted to investigate the patterns of alcohol consumption among high-school students of Rieti, a city in central Italy, and of surrounding rural areas. Furthermore, the study intends to investigate students' awareness on alcohol-related health risks and on the consequences of driving in a state of intoxication.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the investigation 7 schools including senior high schools and technical schools were involved, for a total of 669 students aged between 15 and 19 years. As part of a program of health education, a self-administered anonymous questionnaire was proposed to each student. A descriptive and multivariate analysis was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of usual drinkers was equal to 12.7 per cent. The logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between usual consumption of alcohol and the attendance of Technical Institutes (OR=3.43; 95% IC: 2.07 - 5.69), and the residence in rural areas (OR=2.19; 95% IC: 1.38 - 3.47). The area of residence in the multivariate analysis loses significance. Only 54.6 % of the students answered the questions regarding the state of driving under the effect of alcohol; of these, 11.0 % declared of having driven at least once under the effect of alcohol, whereas 18.0 % declared that they had been passengers of a driver who was drunk. The answer to the question whether the consumption of alcohol is harmful to health was "no" for 15.7 % of usual drinkers against 2.2 % of the non drinkers or occasional (episodic) drinkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that the drinking habits of high school students of Rieti are worse for those attending technical schools. Usual drinkers show lower consciousness of alcohol-related harm. Our study may provide clues useful for the identification of the target population at high risk for alcohol abuse in order to create targeted prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Enviromental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Angelone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartolomei
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Necozione
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: di Orio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data