Cigarette Smoking, Risky Alcohol Consumption, and Marijuana Smoking among University Students in Germany: Identification of Potential Sociodemographic and Study-Related Risk Groups and Predictors of Consumption

Publication type:

Journal article

Metadata:

Autoren

Thilo A Hoff
Sebastian Heller
Jennifer L Reichel
Antonia M Werner
Markus Schaefer
Ana Nanette Tibubos
Perikles Simon
Manfred E Beutel
Stephan Letzel
Thomas Rigotti
Pavel Dietz

Autoren-URL

https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=fis-test-1&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:001130910800001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL

DOI

10.3390/healthcare11243182

eISSN

2227-9032

Externe Identifier

Clarivate Analytics Document Solution ID: DG6I8
PubMed Identifier: 38132073

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

Zeitschrift

HEALTHCARE

Schlüsselwörter

substance use
drugs
college
university
tertiary education

Artikelnummer

ARTN 3182

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2023

Status

Published

Titel

Cigarette Smoking, Risky Alcohol Consumption, and Marijuana Smoking among University Students in Germany: Identification of Potential Sociodemographic and Study-Related Risk Groups and Predictors of Consumption

Sub types

Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

Data source: Web of Science (Lite)

Other metadata sources:

Abstract

(1) Background: Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking are the most common behaviors related to legal and illicit drug use worldwide, including among university students. To plan effective evidence-based programs to prevent the risky consumption of these substances among university students, the present study aimed to identify potential sociodemographic and study-related risk groups and predictors of consumption. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online health survey with approximately 270 health-related items was conducted among students at the University of Mainz, Germany. Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C score: female ≥ 4, male ≥ 5), and marijuana smoking were chosen as dependent variables. Of the 270 health-related items, 56 were chosen as independent variables and collated into five groups (sociodemographic, psychological, study-related psychosocial, general psychosocial and health behavior). The prevalence of cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking was assessed using established and validated instruments. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in prevalence between the sociodemographic and study-related groups, and binary logistic regression was used for analyses with stepwise inclusion of the five variable groups. (3) Results: Of the 3991 university students who entered the analyses, 14.9% reported smoking cigarettes, 38.6% reported risky alcohol consumption, and 10.9% reported smoking marijuana. The prevalence of these differed between genders, fields of study, and aspired degree level, among other factors. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed nine significant predictors (p ≤ 0.05) of cigarette smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.314), 18 significant predictors of risky alcohol consumption (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.270), and 16 significant predictors of marijuana smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.239). (4) Conclusions: This study showed cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking among university students in Germany to be associated with multiple factors, especially health behaviors. Furthermore, each of the substances was highly associated with each of the two other substances we examined. Other variable groups, such as psychological or psychosocial variables, seemed to play a rather minor role. Therefore, our recommendation for future prevention programs is that substance use among university students should be addressed as a whole, not just in terms of specific substances.

Autoren

Thilo A Hoff
Sebastian Heller
Jennifer L Reichel
Antonia M Werner
Markus Schäfer
Ana Nanette Tibubos
Perikles Simon
Manfred E Beutel
Stephan Letzel
Thomas Rigotti
Pavel Dietz

DOI

10.3390/healthcare11243182

eISSN

2227-9032

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

Zeitschrift

Healthcare

Sprache

Online publication date

2023

Paginierung

3182 - 3182

Status

Published online

Herausgeber

MDPI AG

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243182

Datum der Datenerfassung

2023

Titel

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

Data source: Crossref

Abstract

(1) Background: Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking are the most common behaviors related to legal and illicit drug use worldwide, including among university students. To plan effective evidence-based programs to prevent the risky consumption of these substances among university students, the present study aimed to identify potential sociodemographic and study-related risk groups and predictors of consumption. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online health survey with approximately 270 health-related items was conducted among students at the University of Mainz, Germany. Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C score: female ≥ 4, male ≥ 5), and marijuana smoking were chosen as dependent variables. Of the 270 health-related items, 56 were chosen as independent variables and collated into five groups (sociodemographic, psychological, study-related psychosocial, general psychosocial and health behavior). The prevalence of cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking was assessed using established and validated instruments. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in prevalence between the sociodemographic and study-related groups, and binary logistic regression was used for analyses with stepwise inclusion of the five variable groups. (3) Results: Of the 3991 university students who entered the analyses, 14.9% reported smoking cigarettes, 38.6% reported risky alcohol consumption, and 10.9% reported smoking marijuana. The prevalence of these differed between genders, fields of study, and aspired degree level, among other factors. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed nine significant predictors (p ≤ 0.05) of cigarette smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.314), 18 significant predictors of risky alcohol consumption (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.270), and 16 significant predictors of marijuana smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.239). (4) Conclusions: This study showed cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking among university students in Germany to be associated with multiple factors, especially health behaviors. Furthermore, each of the substances was highly associated with each of the two other substances we examined. Other variable groups, such as psychological or psychosocial variables, seemed to play a rather minor role. Therefore, our recommendation for future prevention programs is that substance use among university students should be addressed as a whole, not just in terms of specific substances.

Addresses

Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany.

Autoren

Thilo A Hoff
Sebastian Heller
Jennifer L Reichel
Antonia M Werner
Markus Schäfer
Ana Nanette Tibubos
Perikles Simon
Manfred E Beutel
Stephan Letzel
Thomas Rigotti
Pavel Dietz

DOI

10.3390/healthcare11243182

eISSN

2227-9032

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 38132073
PubMed Central ID: PMC10742791

Funding acknowledgements

BARMER GEK: NA

Open access

true

ISSN

2227-9032

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

Zeitschrift

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)

Sprache

eng

Medium

Electronic

Online publication date

2023

Open access status

Open Access

Paginierung

3182

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2023

Status

Published

Publisher licence

CC BY

Datum der Datenerfassung

2023

Titel

Sub types

research-article
Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

Files

https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC10742791?pdf=render

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

(1) Background: Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking are the most common behaviors related to legal and illicit drug use worldwide, including among university students. To plan effective evidence-based programs to prevent the risky consumption of these substances among university students, the present study aimed to identify potential sociodemographic and study-related risk groups and predictors of consumption. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online health survey with approximately 270 health-related items was conducted among students at the University of Mainz, Germany. Cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C score: female ≥ 4, male ≥ 5), and marijuana smoking were chosen as dependent variables. Of the 270 health-related items, 56 were chosen as independent variables and collated into five groups (sociodemographic, psychological, study-related psychosocial, general psychosocial and health behavior). The prevalence of cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking was assessed using established and validated instruments. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in prevalence between the sociodemographic and study-related groups, and binary logistic regression was used for analyses with stepwise inclusion of the five variable groups. (3) Results: Of the 3991 university students who entered the analyses, 14.9% reported smoking cigarettes, 38.6% reported risky alcohol consumption, and 10.9% reported smoking marijuana. The prevalence of these differed between genders, fields of study, and aspired degree level, among other factors. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed nine significant predictors (p ≤ 0.05) of cigarette smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.314), 18 significant predictors of risky alcohol consumption (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.270), and 16 significant predictors of marijuana smoking (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.239). (4) Conclusions: This study showed cigarette smoking, risky alcohol consumption, and marijuana smoking among university students in Germany to be associated with multiple factors, especially health behaviors. Furthermore, each of the substances was highly associated with each of the two other substances we examined. Other variable groups, such as psychological or psychosocial variables, seemed to play a rather minor role. Therefore, our recommendation for future prevention programs is that substance use among university students should be addressed as a whole, not just in terms of specific substances.

Date of acceptance

2023

Autoren

Thilo A Hoff
Sebastian Heller
Jennifer L Reichel
Antonia M Werner
Markus Schäfer
Ana Nanette Tibubos
Perikles Simon
Manfred E Beutel
Stephan Letzel
Thomas Rigotti
Pavel Dietz

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38132073

DOI

10.3390/healthcare11243182

Externe Identifier

PubMed Central ID: PMC10742791

Funding acknowledgements

BARMER GEK: NA

ISSN

2227-9032

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

Zeitschrift

Healthcare (Basel)

Schlüsselwörter

college
drugs
substance use
tertiary education
university

Sprache

eng

Country

Switzerland

PII

healthcare11243182

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2023

Status

Published online

Titel

Sub types

Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

Data source: PubMed

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Cigarette Smoking, Risky Alcohol Consumption, and Marijuana Smoking among University Students in Germany: Identification of Potential Sociodemographic and Study-Related Risk Groups and Predictors of Consumption

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