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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Edessa C. Jobli, MPH, CHES, Chudley E. Werch, PhD, Michele J. Moore, PhD, Deborah M. Owen, MSH, CHES, Joan M. Carlson, MSW, and Rhonda L. Bledsoe, MPH, CHES. Center for Drug Prevention Research, University of North Florida, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road South, Jacksonville, FL 32224, (904) 620-2847, ejobli@unf.edu
The purpose of this study was to determine specific alcohol beverage use by gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; and compare self-reports of alcohol use on specific and non-specific beverage measures among adolescents. Participants included 8th grade students (n=465) from three middle schools in northeast Florida. Sixty percent of participants were females and 30% were in the free/reduced lunch program indicating economically disadvantaged status. Fifty percent were white, 30% were black and 15% were from other ethnicities. Data were collected on student’s lifetime, 30-day frequency and quantity of alcohol use. Analysis of data indicated that more males use malt liquor than females and economically disadvantaged students drank beer more frequently in the last 30-days (p’s <. 05). Students from other ethnicities were more likely to use liquor, malt liquor and fortified wine; have a greater 30-day frequency of beer; and quantity of wine/wine cooler use (p’s <. 05). White students have a greater 30-day frequency of liquor, and quantity of beer and liquor use (p’s <. 05). Self-reports of 30-day frequency and quantity of alcohol use were higher for specific than non-specific beverage measures (p’s <. 01). Results of this study indicated that significant proportion of adolescents use alcohol including high potency alcohol beverages; considerable differences in alcohol use exist across gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; and use of beverage specific measures resulted in more accurate self-reports of alcohol consumption. Findings of this study indicate that intervention efforts need to examine beverage type, specifically high potency alcohol beverage use among youth.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescents, Alcohol Use
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.