Does Drinking Initiation of Young Thai Drinkers Vary Over Time and Generation? Results of the National Surveys on Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption of the Thai Populations 2007 to 2017

Abstract

Background: Early age at drinking initiation may be one factor responsible for underage drinking in Thailand and this may be affected by cultural and generational changes over certain periods of time. This study aimed to explore the effects of time period and generation on drinking onset of young Thai drinkers in the past decade. Methods: We analyzed data from a total of 60,018 Thais aged 15 to 24 years from 4 national surveys conducted in 2007, 2011, 2014, and 2017. We used multilevel and event history analysis to examine the effects of period (survey year) and cohort (birth year of participants), adjusted for sex, age, area of residence, and region on drinking onset. Results: The overall prevalence of past-year drinking was 23.6 % (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.2, 23.9) among participants of all surveys. Cox proportional hazards model revealed significantly different probabilities to have initiated drinking between participants of different surveys and birth years, indicating significant period and cohort effects. After adjusting for sex, age, cohort, living region, and area of residence, participants in the 2014 survey had the highest likelihood to have started drinking (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.25 CI: 1.15 to 1.36), compared to the participants of the same age in the 2007 survey while those in

Functional-Belief-Based Alcohol Use Questionnaire (FBAQ) as a Pre-Screening Tool for High-Risk Drinking Behaviors among Young Adults: A Northern Thai Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis

“…In contrast, heavy drinkers were usually found in middle-income countries and younger age populations [5]. Particular attention should be paid to the younger generation, as there have been consistent reports on decreasing age at onset of alcohol use [6][7][8] and that these groups were the ones that are at a higher risk of alcohol intoxication-related harms [9].…”

Ascending Pattern of Alcohol Use and Underage Drinking in Asia: A Commentary on the Article by Assanangkornchai and Vichitkunakorn (2020)

“…Notably, 4.4% of adolescents in Indonesia consumed alcohol, while it was 23.0% in Thailand. Assanangkornchai and Vichitkunakorn (2020) illustrate a temporal picture of Thai youths’ drinking behavior by analyzing 4 national cross‐sectional surveys. Their results provide compelling evidence on the changing patterns of problematic alcohol consumption from 2007 to 2017.…”

“…Unlike the regional trend, this study describes the increasing alcohol consumption in the past year prevalent among Thai youth (15‐ to 24‐year‐olds) from 2007 to 2014, especially among female youth. This necessitated identifying country‐specific trends of alcohol consumption among the young population (Assanangkornchai and Vichitkunakorn, 2020).…”

“…They noted an increasing tendency for early initiation (<20 years old) in a more recent national survey, with about 1-tenth of respondents admitting that they consumed alcohol before reaching the legal age (20 years old) as per Thai regulations. Their data provided initial evidence of increased underage drinking and potential association with the younger generation (Assanangkornchai and Vichitkunakorn, 2020). A review evaluating the sensitive period of adolescent-onset drinking found no defined stage (early vs. middle vs. late) was more subjected to risk.…”

“…Therefore, it is important that regional stakeholders focus on preventive strategies specifically designed to take into account regional and national socio‐cultural factors. Societal attributes play a pivotal role in determining alcohol consumption or even initiation, as illustrated in the studies by Assanangkornchai and Vichitkunakorn (2020). The authors noticed a significant decline in alcohol consumption and initiation in 2017, after peaking in 2014.…”