Association between perceived accessibility to alcohol and binge drinking among adolescents in Puerto Rico, 2010-12

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among teens. Even more troubling, 1 out of every 5 US teens report binge drinking (≥5 drinks in a row) in the last month, a dangerous drinking pattern that increases their risk for several health problems and impairs their decision-making ability. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of binge drinking among Puerto Rican adolescents and to evaluate the association between perceived accessibility to alcohol and binge drinking. This study is a secondary analysis of "Consulta Juvenil VIII", an island-wide cross-sectional survey. The sample (n=10,134) was selected using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design, and is representative of all 7th-12th grade students in PR. Data was collected using a pre-coded self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted. Approximately 93,643 adolescents (34.4%) in PR have recently consumed alcohol (last month), most of whom (61.2%) indulged in binge drinking at least once during that period. Binge drinking was more frequently reported by males and high school students. Over half (61.1%) the students believe that it would be easy or very easy to get alcohol. Over 80% of those who reported binge drinking find it easy to get alcohol. Students who reported easy accessibility to alcohol had 35% higher odds of binge drinking than those who found it hard after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics (gender, school level, parents' education, and school system). Interventions targeted to limiting the availability of alcohol should have a great impact on decreasing risky drinking behavior among teens.