Prevalence and determinants of alcohol use among adolescents in post-conflict Liberia

Abstract

Alcohol use remains a major public health concern among youths world wide because of its deleterious effects on physical and mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and misuse among adolescents in Liberia. Using the 2017 Liberia Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS), 2,744 adolescents aged 11– 18 years responded to the 2017 cross-sectional survey. Students responded to questions on sociodemographic factors, substance use, psychological distress, and other health risk behaviors. Logistic regression was employed to study the relationship between alcohol use variables and socio-demographic characteristic, mental health problems, psycho social variables, and parental involvement. The prevalence of alcohol use behaviors was 24.9% and 20.11% for current alcohol use and lifetime drunkenness, respectively. Significant risk factors for alcohol use include personal and lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, sexual behavior, having been physically attacked, substance use (methamphetamine and cannabis), and truancy. These findings underscore the need for screening and early intervention policies to identify adolescents who may be at risk of misusing alcohol.