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. 2025 Apr 23;25(1):1510.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22682-8.

Prevalence and associated factors of alcohol consumption in Albanian schoolchildren

Alketa Qosja  1 , Ditila Doracaj  1 , Iris Mone  1 , Genc Burazeri  2   3 , Enkeleint A Mechili  4   5 , Eugena Tomini  1   6 , Gentiana Qirjako  1   6
Affiliations

Prevalence and associated factors of alcohol consumption in Albanian schoolchildren

Alketa Qosja et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption among adolescents is a global public health challenge, with many children engaging in early drinking habits, affecting negatively growth and development. We aimed at assessing the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of alcohol consumption among Albanian children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania in 2022, including a nationwide sample of 5454 schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 years (N = 5454; ≈52% girls; response rate: 96%). Information on drinking habits and sociodemographic characteristics of schoolchildren was collected. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the relationships of alcohol consumption indices with sociodemographic factors.

Results: The prevalence of alcohol indices was: 23% for lifetime alcohol consumption; 14% for current alcohol consumption; 13% for lifetime drunkenness; and 6% for current drunkenness. Independent positive correlates of alcohol consumption and/or drunkenness included male gender, age 15, and pertinence to more affluent families (all P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Our findings reveal that alcohol consumption and drunkenness are prevalent among Albanian adolescents. These results highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies addressing demographic factors that contribute to underage drinking in Albania.

Keywords: Albania; Alcohol consumption; Children; Drunkenness; Health behaviour in School-aged children (HBSC); Schoolchildren.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tirana Medical University (approval ID: No.700/1) and the data collection process was also confirmed by the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sport. All schoolchildren were informed about the aim and objectives of the study and were explained in sufficient detail particularly the aspects related to the anonymity of the survey and the successive aggregated data analysis. Passive consent was sought from the parents through teachers from each respective school. All ethical issues were followed strictly according to the Helsinki Declaration. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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