[Prevalence of alcohol consumption among medical students at the Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile]

Abstract

Background: Teenagers and university students are an especially vulnerable population towards unhealthy alcohol consumption.

Aim: To assess the actual consumption of alcohol among medical students at the Universidad Católica del Maule, Chile (UCM).

Material and methods: A cross sectional study of students who entered medical school between years 2004 and 2010.We applied CAGE questionnaire along with questions about frequency of alcohol consumption.

Results: From a universe of 317 students, 216 (age range 17-27 years, 54% females) answered the survey (68.8%), 64.2% admitted to consume alcohol and 6% had alcohol dependence. Seventy three percent of the alcohol drinkers were males.

Conclusions: The prevalence of alcohol consumption in medical students of the UCM is significantly lower than the prevalence in students of another University surveyed in 2005 (74%) and it is similar to the national statistics. Alcohol consumption was higher in men that in women.