Consumption, knowledge and attitudes of high school pupils towards alcohol and alcoholism: the Israeli experience

Abstract Five hundred nine high school pupils from Holon (a city in the center of Israel) were surveyed about their consumption, knowledge and attitudes towards alcohol use and alcohol dependence. Two hundred fifty-nine pupils attended a vocational high school and 253 attended an academic high school. Forty percent of the pupils attending the academic school reported that they had drank beer between one to nine times during the last 2 months. In comparison with 72% of the vocational pupils, 42% of the academic pupils and 47% of the vocational pupils drank other alcoholic beverages (such as hard liquor, cognac, whisky or vodka) between one to nine times during the last 2 months. Boys drank alcohol more frequently than girls did. An earlier mean age of beer consumption was found among pupils in the vocational schools—12.8 years; as opposed to pupils in the academic school—13.4 years. Knowledge of most pupils concerning alcoholic beverages and its potential harmful effects was lacking and pupils in the academic school showed a higher level of knowledge in comparison with the vocational pupils. Pupils in the vocational school had more liberal attitudes concerning recurrent consumption of alcoholic beverages than pupils in the academic school. Among the three leading reasons for drinking in the two schools were helping foster a sense of belonging, wish to feel like an adult and desire to forget daily anxieties and conflicts. Pupils in vocational schools are a target population with a higher risk for consuming alcoholic beverages. Discussion groups should be held in school and include personal stories of recovering alcoholics.