Cross-sectional study on parental pro-drinking practices and adolescent alcohol drinking in Hong Kong

• Published in: BMJ open 2016-02, Vol.6 (2), p.e009804-e009804
• Main Authors: Au, Wing Man, Ho, Sai Yin, Wang, Man Ping, Lo, Wing Sze, Tin, Sze Pui Pamela, Huang, Rong, Lam, Tai Hing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol use; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education; Families & family life; Female; Hong Kong - epidemiology; Humans; Intention; Male; Parent-Child Relations; Parents & parenting; Parents - psychology; Prospective Studies; Public Health; Schools; Sociodemographics; Students; Teenagers
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009804

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between parental pro-drinking practices (PPDPs) and alcohol drinking in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.DesignA cross-sectional study.Setting4 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong.Participants1738 students (mean age 14.6 years ±2.0, boys 67.8%).Main outcome measuresDrinking status, drinking intention and exposure to 9 PPDPs (eg, seeing parents drunk, helping parents buy alcohol, encouraged to drink by parents) were reported by students. Logistic regression was used to compute adjusted ORs (AORs) of drinking and intention to drink by each PPDP and the number of PPDPs (0, 1–2, 3–4, 5 or above), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, parental drinking and school clustering.ResultsNearly half (48.6%) of the students were ever-drinkers, 16.2% drank monthly (at least once per month) and 40.3% intended to drink in the next 12 months. Most PPDPs were significantly associated with ever drinking (AORs 1.40–6.20), monthly drinking (AORs 1.12–8.20) and intention to drink (AORs 1.40–5.02). Both ever and monthly drinking were most strongly associated with parental training of drinking capacity (ability to drink more without getting drunk) with AORs of 6.20 and 8.20 (both p