Participation in pregraming and risk profiles among university students in Argentina

Virtual

Encuentro; II LASBRA Virtual Meeting 2022 "Alcohol Use and Associated Factors"; 2022

Latin America Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (LASBRA)

Aims: There is abundant literature linking pregaming, a drinking practice highly prevalent among Argentine students, to harmful drinking. The main objective of this study is to expand the current knowledge and evidence about pregaming in Argentina by analyzing the students´ decision. In the analysis are considered the preferences of taking risks to health loss due to alcohol and other psychoactive substances use.Methods: Primary data of 1321 university students (aged 18-25) from two national universities of the center region (UNC, n=678) and west region (UNCU, n=643) were used. The students completed a confidential survey and did not receive any compensation. A microeconomic approach was adopted employing a discrete choice model to analyze the decision to participate in pregaming. Risk preferences were identified by using Latent Class Analysis (LCA).Results: Four profiles of students are identified: all-in players (46%) are the ones with the greatest probability of having risky behaviors, early-onset players (36%), later-onset players (15%) and cautious players (3%). Our findings suggest that the preferences toward risk are associated with the decision to participate in pregaming, namely, belonging to all-in players class is associated with a greater pregaming likelihood. Conclusion: Our contribution on harmful drinking behaviors among Argentinian college students, a highly exposed population to alcohol and other psychoactive substances, is relevant for the design and implementation of targeted interventions at educational levels, considering that risk profiles are linked to facts prior to university entrance, as it is the onset age of substance use.