From Abstainers to Dependent Drinkers: alcohol consumption patterns and risk factors among Portuguese university students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alcohol is the most prevalent psychoactive substance consumed around the world. In Portugal, alcohol consumption is deeply embedded in social and cultural practices, contributing to high prevalence rates among university students, with binge drinking emerging as a predominant consumption pattern. Despite the associations between this drinking behaviour and numerous social, physical, and psychological problems, research on alcohol consumption in Portuguese university populations remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of alcohol use patterns among a large sample of Portuguese university students, focusing on adolescents and young adults.

Methods

A total of 1,746 students, aged 17-24 years, participated in a cross-sectional stu

SUBMITTER: Saldanha L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12476170 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature