title: Adolescents from affluent city districts drink more alcohol than others.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the level of alcohol consumption and problems among adolescents in city districts in Oslo, Norway with different socio-economic composition; to test whether differences in alcohol consumption are related to district differences in socio-demographic characteristics; and to analyse whether such associations remain significant after controlling for individual-level variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey using multi-level linear regression analyses with individual responses at the lowest level and city-district data at the highest level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oslo, Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 6635 secondary school students, in 62 schools, living in 15 different city districts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frequency of alcohol consumption and alcohol intoxication; alcohol problems; and individual characteristics such as immigrant status, religious involvement and parental norms with regard to alcohol. Socio-economic indicators in city districts, such as education, income and unemployment, were combined into a district-level socio-economic index (DLSI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  DLSI scores were related positively to alcohol use (r = 0.31, P < 0.01) and alcohol intoxication (r = 0.25, P < 0.01) but negatively to alcohol problems among alcohol users (r = -0.18, P < 0.01). DLSI scores remained significant for alcohol consumption and alcohol intoxication, after controlling for individual-level variables (P < 0.01), but this was not the case for alcohol problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents in affluent areas of Oslo, Norway report the highest levels of alcohol consumption and alcohol intoxication of all areas; neighbourhood characteristics such as education, income and unemployment levels seem to play a role in such drinking behaviour. Alcohol users in poorer districts reported more alcohol problems than those in other districts; however, here neighbourhood effects do not seem to play a role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Social Research, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakken
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, and Norwegian Social Research, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tilmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Soest
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D012067:Religion; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D066262:Social Norms; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000066608:Underage Drinking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Adolescent; affluence; alcohol; alcohol problems; neighbourhood