Factores de riesgo y consumo de alcohol en adolescentes

The use of drugs and specifically the consumption of alcohol is one of the most dangerous behaviors that have a direct impact on adolescents' health. Nowadays the consumption of this substance is a worldwide serious problem. It was carried out a descriptive and transversal study in January, 2014 with the aim to identify some of the risk factors associated to the consumption of alcohol in adolescents of the technical college «Jesus Menendez Larrondo», in the municipality of Manzanillo. The universe comprised 146 students; the sample comprised 100 students randomly selected. To collect the information it was applied a questionnaire. The data were analyzed by the use of percents, absolute numbers, and the Chi square test (X 2 ). The results were presented in charts. A 93 % of the sample had consumed alcohol and 36 % showed a dangerous abuse of this substance. Macro social factors were predominant such as the availability of the substance (88 %) and difficulties to use free time (72 %). The risk factors associated to the dangerous alcohol consumption were: scarce or distorted information, difficulties in the father - son communication, the family consumption, alcohol- consuming friends, and the difficulty to resist grupal pressures.