Alcohol Use in Turkish University Students and
Transkript
Alcohol Use in Turkish University Students and
The New Journal of Medicine 2008;25: 157-160 Original Article Alcohol Use in Turkish University Students and Relationship of Automobile Races Emin METE 1, Mehtap ERKMEN 2, Ahmet KARADAĞ 1, Nükhet BAVBEK 2, Ferhat ÇATAL 1, Cüneyt TAYMAN 1, Nurdan URAŞ 1, Uğur DİLMEN 3 1 Fatih University Faculty of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, ANKARA Fatih University Faculty of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, ANKARA Zekai Tahir Burak Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital Department of Newborn Medicine, ANKARA 2 3 ABSTRACT As a part of automobile races organized in Turkey, we investigated the drinking rate in Turkish University students and whether there is evidence that motor racing is associated with increased risk of drinking in young people. A cohort study funded by the Chest Diseases and Asthma Foundation was conducted in four universities in Ankara, Turkey. Self-completed questionnaires were administered to 1,000 young people that included information on demographics, drinking history, drinkingrelated knowledge and attitudes, and information about automobile races. Total 31.6% of the participants were alcohol drinkers. 36.7% of participants were interested in automobile races and 32.9% of those were drinkers. This ratio was 31.9% in those non-interested in races (p>0.05). Most of non-alcohol drinkers didn’t approve that automobile races are sponsored by alcohol and cigarette producers. In conclusion, since automobile races are mostly watched drinkers, advertising and sponsorship of alcohol drinks producing companies have been seemed to reach its aim in automobile races. Since nondrinkers are also watching by races, restrictions on alcohol drinks company advertising and sponsorship, including automobile racing, must be effective parts of alcohol control programs worldwide. Key Words: Races, drinking, advertisement, sponsorship INTRODUCTION Automobile races are watched by an increasing number of fans in our country. These are not only a sports competition, but a competition of technology and advertisements. While the speed, power and resistance of the human body are tested during the races, the cars are tested and the car companies are able to exhibit their latest technologies. Results of the races are announced in two stages; one for the drivers and the other for the teams (the car companies). Sponsorship of this motor sport is a particularly effective way to reach cigarette and alcohol markets. The product is strongly associated with fast cars, risk taking, danger, and fame, and therefore cannot be equated with other advertising strategies. As a part of automobile races organized in our country, we planned a cohort study investigating whether there is evidence that automobile racing is associated with increased risk of drinking in young people. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study survey was carried out among 1000 university students. The students were asked to answer a 41-item questionnaire that included information on demographics, drinking history, drinking-related knowledge and attitudes, and information about automobile races. Statistical analyses were carried out using Chi-square tests. P<0.05 was accepted to be statistically significant. RESULTS The study population consisted of 1000 people (mean 29.49±5.1 years); 637 (% 63.7) were men and 363 (% 36.3) were women. 31.6% of the participans were alcohol drinkers. The drinking ratio was 33.2% in women and 30.2% in men. (p>0.05) (Table 1). There was statistically significant difference about age between drinkers and nondrinkers. As age gets older, smoking gets frequent . Also as economic status gets better, the drinking rate increases. In participants coming from large cities, drinking ratio was higher than that of coming from small or medium cities (p<0.05). The drinking ratio was 34.1% in respondents whose parents were drinking or smoking, but this ratio was 28.1% in non-smoking or non-drinking parent participants (p>0.05). 157 E. Mete et al. Table 1. Different sociodemographical characters and drinking rates Sociodemographical characters Drinking ratio (%) Male Female Smoking or drinking parents Non-smoking or non-drinking parents Living with their family before university Living apart from their families before university Living in smoking enviroment Living in non-smoking enviroment Smoking Non-smoking Narcotic drug abuse No narcotic drugs Frequent sports activities No sports Obesity Not obese Interested in automobile races No interested in automobile races Wanting automobile races organized in Turkey Not wanting automobile races organized in Turkey Not approving automobile sponsorship to alcohol drinks producing company in automobile races Approving automobile sponsorship to alcohol drinks producing company in automobile races The drinking ratio was 33.1% in respondents that went to boarding school before university and this was 30.7% in lived with family group (p<0.05). The drinking ratio was 31.6% in participants living with their family during university period and this ratio was 32.2% participants living apart from their family (p>0.05). 37.7% of those living in a smoking environment were drinking, and 21.1% of those living in a nonsmoking, non-drinking environment were drinking (p<0.0001). The drinking ratio was 35% in smokers and 24.2 % in non-smokers; thus smokers were drinking significantly higher than non-smokers (p<0.01). 1.1% of participants were using drugs and 81.8% of those were also drinking. Drinking ratio in drug users was significantly high (p<0.01). The drug usage ratio was 28.7% in drinkers and 0.2% in non-drinkers. The difference was significant (p<0.0001). Smoking ratio was 75.2% in drinkers and 64.9% in non-drinkers The difference was significant (p<0.01). There was a positive correlation in between cigarette and alcohol consumption of participants. As daily cigarette consumption increases, alcohol consumption is also increasing. The drinking ratio was 37.8% in cigarette adductors and 24.7% in non-adductors (p<0.0001). Among the participants, the sporting ratio was 69.2%. The drinking ratio was 31.1% in sporting group and 32.2% in non-sporting group (p> 0.05). 158 30.2 33.2 34.1 28.1 31.6 32.2 37.7 21.1 35 24.2 81.8 31.1 31.1 32.2 30.5 32.1 32.9 31.9 35.8 23.3 38.5 29.3 P >0.05 >0.05 >0.05 <0.0001 <0.01 <0.01 >0.05 >0.05 >0.05 <0.001 <0.05 The obesity ratio was 21.1%. The drinking ratio was 30.5 % in obese participants and 32.1% in non-obese group (p>0.05). 36.7% of participants were interested in automobile races and 32.9% of those were drinkers. This ratio was 31.9% in those noninterested in races (p>0.05). The ratio of participants who want the races to be in their cities was 76.4% and 35.8% of those were drinkers. 23.3% of those who don’t want the races were drinkers (p<0.001). The drinking ratio was 38.5% in those who don’t support the sponsorship of alcohol producers for automobile races (77.6%) and this ratio was 29.3% in supporting group (p<0.05). In those who don’t want the automobile races to be in our country only because of cigarette advertisement prohibition in Europe, drinking ratio was 30.7% and in those who want the races this ratio was 32.7% (p>0.05). DISCUSSION In europe, alcohol consumption is 11 liters per person (It was 15 liter in 1970)1. In our country, the prevalence of alcohol consumption are lower than that of the USA and West Europe. The drinking ratio is higher among men than women. This ratio is lower among university students in Turkey than that of in the USA. The first harmful habit is drinking whereas in our country it comes in second place after smoking2. E. Mete et al. According to a study of Önal et al in 1986, 11.8% of university students were continuously drinking in Istanbul and this ratio was 7.5% in Burdur3. In another study of Turkey in 1998, the prevalence of alcohol consumption was %36.54. We found this ratio is 31.6% and this is upsetting for us because it shows the increase in drinking ratio in this period. But still our drinking ratios are lower than that of the USA and West Europe2. Among university students, drinking ratio of women was higher. This shows that while intellectual level increases, drinking ratio of women is also increasing. In our study, while income level was increasing the drinking ratio was also increasing. This may be due to easy reaching alcohol with the increased income. The advertisement companies are encouraging drinking but there are also some companies against drinking and we may say that they are also successful. In those living with smoking and drinking parents or living in a smoking drinking or drug using environment, drinking ratio was higher. This shows that this habit is starting with the influence of environment. Being some people with those habits around students, will be the main factor that increases the drinking rates. Most of the participants were against the advertisement of alcohol in both drinkers and nondrinkers. This shows the consciousness of students about the harmful substances. In Europe and Mediterranean countries, in young adults, the drinking ratio is higher than that of Northern Europe. In Italy, 10% of children in between the ages of 13-16, are drinking everyday. In wine consuming Southern European countries, like France, wine and liquor are consumed only with the meal as an aperitif. But nowadays, bear and grain alcohol consumption is increased and they are not only consumed with the meal but also after meals especially in late afternoons and at nights. In Northern European countries, the alcohol consumption rate is a little higher; drinking is seen in any time of the day and in larger amounts5,6. In young adults, drug usage is commonly as poly substance usage and it brings traffic accidents, social behavioral disorders (aggressiveness, truancy, assault, stealing) and risky sexual activity with it. Adolescents and young adults are a group dealing with sport activities and media, advertisement of alcohol in those places will increase alcohol consumption and social problems of alcohol7. In our study using another substance was significantly high in any drug users. This was 159 correlating with the study of Lo et al. In this study it is indicated that smoking is predisposing factor for drinking8. In study of Jensen et al, in early adolescence it’s indicated that drinking is a facilitating factor for starting smoking later9. In a study of Mayhew et al, young people are at grater risk of death and injuries resulting from alcohol-related crashes than are older people. Of the fatally injured drivers aged 26-35 years in 2000, 28.0% had a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit10. Although rates of involvement in alcohol-related crashes among new drivers (16 and 17 years old) are similar to those among drivers over 25, the younger drivers are 3 times as likely, per kilometer driven, to die11. We should support the civilian community organizations (e.g.;Mothers Against Drunk Drivers= MADD) that work for decreasing the rate of young people driving with alcohol. And also we should limit the advertising companies that cause young people start smoking and drinking. Alcohol is contributing to 33.8% of deaths due to traffic accidents12. In automobile races and other sport activities, giving sponsorship cigarette and alcohol producing firms or taking advertisement from those firms may cause the fact that more young people start smoking and drinking. So, it may be proper to rearrange the advertisement and sponsorship laws. At least, it may be provided not to use sportive activities as a tool for advertisements of harmful habits like alcohol and cigarette. In those dealing with automobile races, the drinking ratio was higher. This may show the effectiveness of cigarette and alcohol advertisements during races, on people. Alcohol advertisements are intensively seen in media, also other than the races. Among drinkers, the ratio of people wanting races to be in their city was significantly high. This may be due to that; they want to see the brands, they are using, in their city and economical contribution of races. Non- drinkers were more conscious about the herms of alcohol and alcohol advertisements. Because of this they don’t want the sponsorship of alcohol producers for races. As a result; drinking is to be described as a multifactorial disease. One of the strongest influences are alcohol drink advertisements. Restrictions on alcohol drink company advertising and sponsorship, including automobile racing motor-racing, must be effective parts of alcohol control programmes worldwide. E. Mete et al. REFERENCES 1. Alcohol in europe. A public health perspective. A report for the European Commission. Peter Anderson and Ben Baumberg. Institute of Alcohol Studies, UK June 2006 page 4. 2. ESPAD (European School survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). Alcohol and other drug use among students in 26 European countries. www.espad.org. 3. Onal AE, Tumerdem Y, Ozel S. Smoking addiction among university students in Istanbul. Addict Biol 2002;7: 397-402. 4. Metintaş S, Sariboyaci MA, Nuhoğlu S, Metintaş M, Kalyoncu C, Etiz S, et al. Smoking patterns of university students in Eskişehir, Turkey. Public Health. 1998;112: 261-4. 5. Arvers P, Choquet M. Regional variations in alcohol use among young people in France. Epidemiological approach to alcohol use and abuse by adolescents and conscripts. 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Shults RA, Elder RW, Sleet DA, Nichols JL, Alao MO, Carande-Kulis VG, et al. Rewiews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce alcoholimpaired driving (rewiew). Am J Prev Med 2001;21: 66-88. Correspondence: Emin METE M.D. Fatih University Medical Faculty Division of Allergy, Hosdere-Ankara e-mail: metee@hotmail.com Received : 06.03.2008 Acceptance date : 28.08.2008