@article{ref1,
title="Prevalence and associated factors of alcohol use patterns among university students in Uganda",
journal="Pan African medical journal",
year="2020",
author="Kamulegeya, Louis Henry and Kitonsa, Peter James and Okolimong, Eric and Kaudha, Gloria and Maria, Sonia and Nakimuli-Mpungu, Etheldreda",
volume="37",
number="",
pages="e339-e339",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: majority of alcohol use pattern studies among university students are from developed countries. Information about the different alcohol use patterns and their correlates among university students in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and cardinal demographic and psychosocial factors associated with specific alcohol use patterns among Ugandan university students. <br><br>METHODS: a cross section study conducted over 5-months among university students using a standardized socio-demographic questionnaire screened for alcohol use problems, depression symptoms and academic stress using the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the higher education stress inventory (HESI) respectively. Multivariate multinomial regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with a specific alcohol use pattern with low-risk drinkers as the reference group. <br><br>RESULTS: a thousand out of 1200 students completed all study requirements for which 60% were males; median age was 22.3 (SD=2.36). The prevalence estimates of any alcohol use, low-risk drinking, heavy episodic drinking and alcohol misuse were 31%, 17.3%, 4.5% and 8.9% respectively. In comparison to low-risk drinkers, students reporting heavy episodic drinking were more likely to report high levels of academic stress (P-value <0.10). Those with alcohol misuse were more likely to be males and with significant depression symptoms (P-value ≤0.05). Non-alcohol users were more likely to report high levels of academic stress (P-value ≤0.05). <br><br>CONCLUSION: the prevalence of maladaptive alcohol use patterns is high among Ugandan university students. Integrating peer led psychological interventions into student health services is desperately needed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1937-8688",
doi="10.11604/pamj.2020.37.339.21136",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2020.37.339.21136"
}