School-based sports participation and alcohol-related behaviors among adolescents in Southwest Georgia

Introduction: Adolescent alcohol use is a public health concern in the United States. The majority of U.S. adolescents are involved with alcohol prior to adulthood, and alcohol use is associated with the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among adolescents. Sports participation, while offering numerous benefits for youths, has been associated with alcohol use in past research. Despite suggestions by a number of researchers that sports-specific factors (e.g., level of participation, team vs. individual sports, different sports) may be related to alcohol use, few studies have examined these relationships. Objectives: This study investigated whether sports-specific factors (i.e., participation in different sports, team/individual sports, and collision sports, and level of participation) were associated with six alcohol-related behaviors among a sample of 378 adolescents participating in school-based sports in Southwest Georgia. This study also focused on differences between males and females. Methods: An anonymous, self-completed questionnaire assessing demographics, sports-specific factors, and six alcohol-related behaviors was administered among a sample of students obtaining physical examinations to participate in sports. Analyses included bivariate descriptive statistics and multiple linear and logistic regression models. Conclusions: Significant differences between males and females in terms of aspects of sports participation (e.g., level of participation) support existing evidence suggesting inequalities between males and females in opportunities for sports participation. Few sports-specific factors were significantly associated with alcohol-related behaviors. However, relationships between some sports-specific factors examined, including level of participation, collision sports, and taking part in softball among females, may be promising areas for future research.