title: Factors Associated With Levels of Risky Drinking in Adolescent Alcohol Users in Taiwan: A Secondary Data Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drinking is largely viewed as a socialized behavior; however, our understanding of factors associated with levels of risky drinking is limited in cultures where underage drinking is relatively unacceptable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to define the different levels associated with risky drinking and to examine the factors that are associated with these levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Child and Adolescent Behavior in Long-Term Evolution project. Of the 2184 students who participated in the 2006 Child & Adolescent Behavior in Long-Term Evolution survey, 1591 self-reported prior use of alcohol and had complete questionnaire data that could be used in secondary data analysis. The main study variables that were used in this study to assess levels of risky drinking included frequency of drinking, amount of drinking, and frequency of intoxication. We used ordinal logistic regression to analyze the relationships between levels of risky drinking and associated factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study sample, 9.55% were classified with high-risk drinking behavior, 22.51% were classified with medium-risk drinking behavior, and 67.94% were classified with low-risk drinking behavior. Having a mother or peers who used alcohol, being encouraged to consume alcohol by older adults or peers, high alcohol availability, high positive alcohol expectancies, low negative alcohol expectancies, and low alcohol refusal efficacy were all associated with higher levels of risky drinking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreasing the availability of alcohol, developing appropriate alcohol expectancies, and increasing alcohol refusal skills may help decrease the development of high-risk drinking behavior in adolescents. Our study furthers the understanding of underage alcohol use in societies with low alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: 1PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Yuanpei University 2PhD, Investigator, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes 3PhD, Associate Professor, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University and Associate Professor, Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment of Fujian Province University, School of Public Health, Xiamen University 4PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Health Industry Management, Kainan University 5ScD, Emeritus Professor, Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University.
authors.forename: Chao-Chia
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lee-Lan
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan