[Alcohol consumption among high school students from the Araucanía-Chile: ethnicity and residence].

Introduction: This study describes the alcohol consumption in association with residence, gender and ethnicity among high school students from the coastal area of the Araucania Region in Chile.

Subjects And Method: Cross-sectional study on a population of 2,763 high school students aged bet ween 14 to 18 years.

Statistical Analysis: exploratory-descriptive analysis was used for all variables and inferential statistical analysis for associations among variables using 95% confidence interval for the estimates and 5% statistical significance for the statistical test.

Data Collection: alcohol consumption reported by AUDIT test and sociodemographic records.

Results: 48.1% of students were Mapuche, mean age of 15.7 years (SD = 1.2), mostly from rural areas (50.9%). Alcohol consumption in the last month was 38.2%; 39.6% male 36.7% female (p < 0.001). 37.5% drank at least once in their life and 85% did so before age 15. 87% reported easy access to alcohol. According to AUDIT test, the levels of risk, harm and symptoms of dependence are 13.9% [95% CI: 12.6-15.2], 20.3% higher in men [95% CI: 18.2-22.5] than women 7.7% [6.4-9.3]. Mapuche students present risk consumption lower than non-Mapuche ones, 12.5% and 15.2% respectively. Urban-rural residence and risk consumption is 12.6% and 8.2% respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The alcohol consumption was higher than that observed at the national level, and as age increases, the level of risk increases, especially in men. Alcohol risk consumption was associated with ethnicity, place of residence and gender. The fact of being non-Mapuche, urban resident and man are factors associated with the risk of alcohol con sumption among students.