engleski

Alcohol consumption among Osijek university students as a risk factor for their involvement in traffic accidents

The excessive consumption of alcohol is a serious medical, social and psychological issue which affects all societal subgroups, including students. A cross-sectional study using an anonymous self-reporting questionnaire was conducted in May 2011 among 307 Osijek university students. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of alcohol abuse among students and its possible correlation with their involvement in traffic accidents. The questionnaire used to conduct the study was the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), screening instrument for detection of alcohol abuse and early drinking problems. A standard cut-off score of 8 was used to identify general risk level among students ; students who scored 8 or higher on AUDIT were classified as having presumptively hazardous or harmful alcohol intake while those who scored 1-7 were classified as risk free alcohol users. Among all study participants there were 6.8% (21/307) students who do not drink alcohol at all (AUDIT total score 0), 50.5% (155/307) risk free alcohol users (AUDIT total score 1-7) and 42.7% (131/307) students who according to the AUDIT were classified as having presumptively hazardous or harmful alcohol intake (AUDIT total score 8 or higher). Among students with AUDIT total scores 0, 1-7 and 8 or higher there were 0 (0%), 5 (5/155 ; 3.2%) and 5 (5/131 ; 3.8%) students who were involved in traffic accident, respectively. The study revealed that there is a need for comprehensive and continuous prevention programs that will reduce alcohol consumption and all of its harmful consequences among east Croatian university students.

Students; Alcohol drinking; University; Traffic accidents; Croatia

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