Educational and sport factors as predictors of harmful alcohol drinking in adolescence
Recently, Jose M. Saavedra, Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir, Margrét L. Guðmundsdóttir and their colleagues have been published an interesting paper in International Journal of Public Health. This journal has an Impact factor of 2.617 and it is ranked in 23rd place out of 157 journals (Public, Environmental & Occupational Health) Science Edition-2017 Journal Citation Reports. This study aimed to establish the possible influence of sport, scholastic and sociodemographic factors on harmful alcohol drinking (HD) and the initiation of HD in adolescents from Bosnia–Herzegovina. Study included 881 adolescents (49% females) and consisted of (1) baseline tests (16 years of age) and (2) follow-up testing (18 years of age). The independent variables were scholastic and sport-related factors. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test was used, with the following dependent variables: (1) HD at baseline, (2) HD at follow-up, and (3) HD initiation. Logistic regressions were applied to define the relationships. Higher likelihood of HD was evidenced in children who performed poorly in school. Sport factors were positively correlated with HD at study baseline. Higher odds for HD initiation were found for adolescents who reported a lower GPA, a lower behavioral grade, more frequent school absences, and more unexcused school absences. The results showed scholastic failure as the predictor of HD initiation. The potential influence of sport factors on HD initiation should be studied at an earlier age.