Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2024 Apr 2;14(4):e080222. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080222.
To examine the prevalence of alcohol use and its associated factors among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.
Data for the study was sourced from the 2017 Sierra Leone Global School-Based Student Health Survey, a nationally representative survey conducted among in-school adolescents aged 10-19 years using a multistage sampling methodology. Percentages were used to present the prevalence of alcohol use among in-school adolescents. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the factors associated with alcohol use among in-school adolescents. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence interval (CI).
Sierra Leone.
A weighted sample of 1730 in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.
Current alcohol use.
The prevalence of alcohol use among in-school adolescents was 10.7% (7.3, 15.3). In-school adolescents in senior secondary schools were more likely to use alcohol compared with those in junior secondary school (aOR=2.13; 95% CI 1.37, 3.30). The odds of alcohol use was higher among in-school adolescents who were truant at school relative to those who were not (aOR=2.24; 95% CI 1.54, 3.26). Also, in-school adolescents who were bullied (aOR=1.85; 95% CI 1.24, 2.76), ever engaged in sexual intercourse (aOR=2.06; 95% CI 1.39, 3.06), and used marijuana (aOR=3.36; 95% CI 1.72, 6.53) were more likely to use alcohol compared with those who were not. However, in-school adolescents who reported that their parents understood their problems (aOR=0.52; 95% CI 0.33, 0.82) had a lower likelihood of consuming alcohol.
Our study has shown that alcohol use is prevalent among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone. Grade level, experiences of being bullied, history of sexual intercourse, truancy at school, and previous use of marijuana were the factors influencing alcohol use among in-school adolescents. The findings emphasise the necessity of creating school-based health interventions in Sierra Leone that can effectively identify in-school adolescents potentially vulnerable to alcohol-related issues. Also, existing policies and programmes aimed at reducing alcohol use among in-school adolescents need to be strengthened.
调查塞拉利昂在校青少年的饮酒流行情况及其相关因素。
本研究的数据来源于 2017 年塞拉利昂全球学校学生健康调查，这是一项在全国范围内进行的代表性调查，采用多阶段抽样方法对 10-19 岁在校青少年进行调查。使用百分比表示在校青少年饮酒的流行率。采用多变量二项逻辑回归分析来研究与在校青少年饮酒相关的因素。结果以调整后的优势比（aOR）及其相应的 95%置信区间（CI）表示。
塞拉利昂。
塞拉利昂 1730 名在校青少年的加权样本。
目前的饮酒情况。
在校青少年的饮酒率为 10.7%（7.3，15.3）。与初中学生相比，高中学生更有可能饮酒（aOR=2.13；95%CI 1.37，3.30）。与没有逃学的在校青少年相比，逃学的在校青少年饮酒的可能性更高（aOR=2.24；95%CI 1.54，3.26）。此外，与没有遭受欺凌的在校青少年相比，遭受欺凌的在校青少年（aOR=1.85；95%CI 1.24，2.76）、曾经发生过性行为的在校青少年（aOR=2.06；95%CI 1.39，3.06）和使用大麻的在校青少年（aOR=3.36；95%CI 1.72，6.53）更有可能饮酒。然而，与没有这种情况的在校青少年相比，报告说他们的父母理解他们的问题的在校青少年（aOR=0.52；95%CI 0.33，0.82）饮酒的可能性较低。
我们的研究表明，塞拉利昂在校青少年饮酒现象普遍。年级水平、遭受欺凌的经历、性经历、逃学和以前使用大麻是影响在校青少年饮酒的因素。这些发现强调了在塞拉利昂开展基于学校的健康干预的必要性，以便能够有效识别可能存在与酒精相关问题的在校青少年。此外，需要加强现有的旨在减少在校青少年饮酒的政策和方案。
