title: Experience of Czech Children with Alcohol Consumption in Relation to Selected Family Indicators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to monitor and analyze the influence of chosen family indicators related to alcohol consumption and experience of drunkenness in a representative sample of Czech children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for our work were obtained from the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) study - a World Health Organization (WHO) cross national study. The sample consisted of 4,293 children aged 11, 13 and 15 years. Data collection was conducted in June 2010 in 88 randomly selected schools in the Czech Republic using standardized questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed in the program NCSS 9, methods of descriptive statistics, χ2test of independence in the contingency tables and logistic regression analysis were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regular alcohol consumption (at least weekly) was reported by 7.4% of children aged eleven, 19.3% of children aged thirteen and 38.4% of children aged fifteen years. Drunkenness at least twice in their life was admitted by 3% of children aged eleven, 15% of children aged thirteen and 43% of children aged fifteen years. Both alcohol consumption and drunkenness were significantly associated (p<0.001) with age and gender. Formal structure of family was found to have significant effect on the experience of drunkenness, but no effect on alcohol consumption was recorded. Based on our results, neither the amount of time spent together, nor the children communication with parents had a statistically significant influence on alcohol consumption or drunkenness experience within each family type. However, statistically significant differences were observed between different family types (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate a high degree of liberalism of Czech society towards alcohol. It appears that alcohol consumption will remain a serious problem in Czech society, therefore, more attention should be paid to this phenomenon in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hodačová
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jindra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Šmejkalová
authors.affiliation: Computer Technology Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Čermáková
authors.affiliation: Department of Recreology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Czech Republic; HBSC study; alcohol consumption; children; family