[Attitudes towards alcohol in adolescents of 3 social classes in the City of Cordoba].

When dealing with some of primary prevention of alcoholism, the starting point is always a preliminary descriptive study of valueattitude systems of community groups, being one of the main prevention goals to modify certain guidelines and patterns of alcohol intake. This research aims at: a) Description of attitudes towards alcohol of 116 adolescents between 12 and 16 years in Córdoba City, belonging to middle class, white collar and qualified blue collar; b) Definition of relationships between adolescents' attitudes and social class; c) Determination, according to the social class, of favorable, unfavorable or neutral attitudes towards a program of prevention and control of alcoholism. A questionnaire with 49 uncomplete phrases first conceived for Chile and adapted to our milieu was used. General results show that middle class and nonqualified working class groups are the ones who most disapprove of and condemn alcohol abuse and, at the same time, avoid to a higher degree drinking alcohol. When alcohol intake in women is considered, the percentage is even higher. Groups belonging to middle classes think alcohol abuse is the result of sadness, anguish, and the like. For the qualified working classes, the causes are attending parties or meetings where others drink; there is a high percentage of answers showing compassion for alcoholics. Helping attitudes are higher in these groups, and more permissive and flexible attitudes are found. A favorable disposition towards prevention programs is registered for more than 55% of the total number of adolescents in this research.