Consumo esporádico excessivo em consumidores/as de álcool: contributos para uma análise compreensiva do risco

BACKGROUND: The harmful use of alcohol is one of the most important determinants of public health, being heavy episodic drinking (HED) one important indicator of alcohol abuse. AIM: Considering the overall difficulties in the operationalization of HED and the consequent lack of research on the phenomenon in Portugal, the main aim is to analyze the prevalence of this consumption pattern (ie, frequency, intensity and duration) and to explore its relationship with risk behaviors in a sample of young and young adults in the city of Porto. METHODS: A total of 403 questionnaires were administered over a period of 1 month in the city of Porto to young people between 18 and 29 years old (M = 22.76, SD = 3.57). The study falls within the scope of social epidemiology, as it seeks to problematize the EEC from a biopsychosocial perspective. RESULTS: Of the participants who ingested alcohol in the last 12 months, 67.7% reported HED, the majority between 1 to 2 times a week, with drinking time ranging from 3 to 4 hours. The number of drinks per binge drinking episode was of 5 on average for women and more than 10 for men. Results such as the disparity in the prevalence of consumption when using different criteria to define HED and the association between levels of consumption, gender and risk behaviors, appeared as particularly relevant to the discussion of a comprehensive definition of HED. CONCLUSIONS: The results will be discussed problematizing the criteria associated with the definition of CEE. In order to foster more appropriate responses to the real needs of young people exhibiting this pattern of consumption, public health policies should be able to integrate the frequency, duration and intensity of consumption in risk assessment.