<b>Alcoholic habits among college students of a public institution</b> - doi: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v10i3.14633

Abstract

University students are part of the major alcohol consumer groups in Brazil. The objective of this study was to investigate alcoholic habits of Law students of a public University in São Luis-MA. An epidemiological-descriptive study whose data collection was held between January and June 2011 with the application of two questionnaires: the first was based on a model proposed by the World Health Organization and adapted to Portuguese and the second consisted in the CAGE, which checks the alcoholic dependence.  The sample was randomly selected. Participated in the study 174 students (54% males). The analysis was performed trough the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences. It was found that 90% have already consumed alcohol. The age of 16 to 20 years prevailed (42%). The problematic use of alcohol detected by CAGE test showed that 8% of the sample had physical-psychic problems. The variable religion had significant association in which was found 94% of alcohol consumers between 66% Catholics students. It is concluded that alcohol consumption was exacerbated in the sample, which calls attention to the need to work on this problem in University.