Abstract

In this article, we approach the botellón phenomenon as a widespread nightlife activity among Spanish youths. Botellón consists of youths meeting up, primarily on weekend nights, in open-air public spaces to talk and consume the alcoholic beverages that they have prepared. The objective of this study was to analyze the motives, attitudes, and consequences related to the practice of botellón during the leisure time of youth. A qualitative methodology has been used and speeches from 80 young people aged 14 years to 24 years have been analyzed in Seville (Southern Spain). These participants were arranged in 10 focus groups selected by stratified sampling from different public and semiprivate secondary schools and one public university. The results demonstrate that youths indicate that their primary motive for preferentially engaging in botellón is to come together and interact, not only with their group of friends but also with other peers. Regarding the societal perceptions of alcohol consumption, they stated that high social tolerance exists. Regarding social consequences, they believed that the legal measures taken to restrict alcohol consumption on the streets are not yielding successful results. In conclusion, we understand that a change in youth lifestyles has occurred over recent decades; hence, we believe that the solution to alcohol abuse is through the establishment of preventive educational programs that are applied from the earliest levels of educational instruction and supported through work within the family.

Harmful alcohol consumption during adolescence poses a major public health issue as it affects several aspects of young peoples’ health and wellbeing.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Mental Health and Prevention, has examined the prevalence of problem alcohol use and risk factors associated with initiation of alcohol use in a sample (N = 1984) of school-aged adolescents in Ghana. The researchers examined the association between alcohol use behaviour and factors such as age, gender, suicidal thoughts, loneliness a, d interpersonal issues.

Results from the study found that: 

• The prevalence of alcohol problems was 6.8%, lifetime drunkenness was 11.1%, current alcohol use 12.6%.
• 16% of the participants reported feelings of anxiety and 18.4% reported feeling lonely.
• In terms of suicidal behaviour, 18.2% of the participants described suicidal ideation, 22.5% reported a suicidal plan, and 22.2% of reported a suicide attempt
• About 43.8%, 37.5% and 28.2% of the participants reported to have been bullied, physically attacked and involved in a physical fight on once or more occasions respectively.
• No association was found with gender and alcohol use and age was associated with only current alcohol use but not with alcohol problem and drunkenness (reports of current alcohol use increased with age). 

Overall the study found mental health-related factors and psychosocial problems increased the risk of alcohol use among school going adolescents in Ghana. The findings of this study should be used to guide interventions that could target high school students who may be at risk for alcohol use and abuse.

Gene-environment interactions occur when different surroundings make it more or less likely for a particular trait or disorder to develop.

The concept of ‘alcogenic’ environments describes features, such as alcohol outlet density or marketing, which influence patterns of alcohol consumption.

A recent study, which analysed longitudinal data of 18–26-year-olds, has examined the link between genetic variation in alcohol problems and the number of alcohol outlets in a community.

The results from the study found that:

• There was evidence to suggest that the extent of genetic and environmental influences on alcohol problems varied with the density of alcohol outlets in the community.
• The heritability of alcohol problems for those residing in a neighbourhood with more than 10 on-premises outlets was 78% compared with 11% for those in a community with no on-premises outlets.

Overall the results suggest that in environments with fewer alcohol outlets and availability the genetic predisposition to develop problems is dampened. However, in environments where there is greater availability of alcohol the genetic predisposition is heightened.

The researchers suggest that people who are genetically predisposed to develop alcohol problems may be especially sensitive to the influence of alcohol outlet density in their community. This has potential implications for the design of prevention interventions.