Impact of Alcohol Availability and Accessibility on Undergraduates' Alcohol Drinking in Southern Nigeria.

Abstract

This study is a cross-sectional survey examining alcohol availability and accessibility in some selected universities in Southern Nigeria and its impact on alcohol use. One thousand four hundred and ninety eight hundred students (n=1498) were purposively selected from different spots on the various campuses. Availability and accessibility were measured using the number of alcohol sales outlets within and around the campuses and the freedom students have in accessing alcohol. The alcohol use of students was measured using World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). The results showed that 792 (52.8%) of the respondents indicated easy access to alcohol while the AUDIT result indicated that 53.3% of the students are high risk drinkers. It is recommended that the government should ban alcohol sale outlets operating close to academic communities and outlets in operation before the establishment of a university should be restricted in the sales of alcohol to students. Counsellors should organise more awareness programmes on the negative impact of alcohol abuse