To determine the prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and associated risk factors among adolescents living in Central Catalonia (Spain) during the 2011-2012 academic year, depending on their area of residence. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 1268 10th grade students (4th grade of secondary education) in Central Catalonia. Risky alcohol consumption was higher among adolescents in rural areas than in urban areas (59.6% versus 49.8%). Associated risk factors were drunkenness in siblings and friends, having positive expectations of alcohol consumption, and buying alcohol. Not living with both parents and poorer academic achievement were associated risk factors in rural areas, while higher socioeconomic status was a risk factor in urban areas. Risky alcohol consumption was much higher among adolescents living in rural areas. The main associated factor was alcohol consumption among family and friends.

Background: We examined educational inequalities in hazardous drinking prevalence among individuals aged 50 or more in 14 European countries, and explored educational inequalities in mortality in hazardous drinkers in European regions. Methods: We analyzed data from waves 4, 5 and 6 of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We estimated age-standardized hazardous drinking prevalence, and prevalence ratios (PR) of hazardous drinking by country and educational level using Poisson regression models with robust variance. We estimated the relative index of inequality (RII) for all-cause mortality among hazardous drinkers and non-hazardous drinkers using Cox proportional hazards regression models and for each region (North, South, East and West). Results: In men, educational inequalities in hazardous drinking were not observed (PR_medium = 1.09 [95%CI: 0.98–1.21] and PR_high = 0.99 [95%CI: 0.88–1.10], ref. low), while in they were observed in women, having the highest hazardous drinking prevalence in the highest educational levels (PR_medium = 1.28 [95%CI: 1.15–1.42] and PR_high = 1.53 [95%CI: 1.36–1.72]). Overall, the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) in all-cause mortality among hazardous drinkers was 1.12 [95%CI: 1.03–1.22] among men and 1.10 [95%CI: 0.97–1.25] among women. Educational inequalities among hazardous drinkers were observed in Eastern Europe for both men (RII_hazardous = 1.21 [95%CI: 1.01–1.45]) and women (RII_hazardous = 1.46 [95%CI: 1.13–1.87]). Educational inequalities in mortality among non-hazardous drinkers were observed in Southern, Western and Eastern Europe among men, and in Eastern Europe among women. Conclusions: Higher educational attainment is positively associated with hazardous drinking prevalence among women, but not among men in most of the analyzed European countries. Clear educational inequalities in mortality among hazardous drinkers were only observed in Eastern Europe. Further research on the associations between alcohol use and inequalities in all-cause mortality in different regions is needed.

Antecedentes: los problemas de salud mental durante la adolescencia suponen un aumento de la morbimortalidad y la discapacidad. Se pretende testar la hipótesis de que el bullying y el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas están asociados al estado de ánimo negativo.Métodos: estudio transversal entre estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) (n=238) de los institutos de Burela (Lugo). El “estado de ánimo negativo” se definió a partir de los siguientes ítems: sentirse cansado/a, triste, desplazado/a, aburrido/a, desesperanzado/a, nervioso/a o insomne. Como variables independientes se consideraron: el binge drinking, el haber fumado alguna vez tabaco o cannabis, así como sus correspondientes percepciones de peligrosidad. Además, se midió la variable bullying. Se estimaron modelos de regresión de Poisson con varianza robusta y se obtuvieron Razones de Prevalencia (RP).Resultados: el 10,5% [IC95% (7,2-15,2)] de la población encuestada presentaba estado de ánimo negativo. La nula o baja percepción de peligrosidad para el cannabis [RP=2,6 (1,2-5,5)], haber probado alguna vez esta sustancia adictiva [RP=3,1 (1,1-8,9)] y haber sufrido bullying [RP=4,8 (2,4-9,6)] se asociaban al estado de ánimo negativo.Conclusiones: sería recomendable crear intervenciones para la mejora de la salud mental durante la adolescencia que tengan en cuenta el consumo de sustancias adictivas y el hecho de haber sufrido bullying.

The present study aimed to explore the differences in the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, mood and bullying between adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out in five regions of Northern Spain (one in Galiza and four in central Catalonia) that share similar socioeconomic characteristics and encompass around 10,000 inhabitants each. Students living in Burela, Galiza (N = 71) were compared to those of Central Catalonia (N = 193). The independent variable was the municipality of residence. The dependent variables encompassed: weekly available pocket money, Family Affluence Scale, self-classified academic qualification, place of origin, alcohol consumption, tobacco and cannabis smoking, negative mood and bullying. The mean age and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of participants were similar between the regions (Burela: 15.90 years (15.68–16.13) and Central Catalonia: 15.36 years (15.28–15.44)). More than half of the participants were females (Burela, Galiza (53.5%) and Catalonia (54.9%)). Prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% CI were estimated using Poisson regression models. In comparison with adolescents from Burela (Galiza), those living in Central Catalonia had higher prevalence of diverse academic levels (adjusted PR = 3.92 (1.78–8.66)), tobacco consumption (adjusted PR = 2.41 (1.47–3.97)) and negative mood (adjusted PR = 5.97 (3.05–11.70)). Even when dealing with regions with similar socioeconomic characteristics and number of inhabitants, differences exist in terms of the socioeconomic level, tobacco consumption, mood and bullying, as reported by adolescents.