Trends in drinking habits among adolescents in the Baltic countries over the period of transition: HBSC survey results, 1993-2002.

Background: The Baltic countries--Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania--are considered to be an example of regional homogeneity over the period of transition. The World Health Organization cross-national study on Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) allows a comparison and time trends analysis of behavioral patterns among adolescents in this region. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and trends of alcohol consumption and drunkenness among adolescents of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 1993/94, 1997/98, and 2001/02.