High-Risk Alcohol Consumption among University Student in Cameroon and its association with Psychological Status, Drinking Motives and Practices: A Cross- Sectional Study at the University of Dschang

Context: Alcohol is the most widely consumed psychoactive and addictive substance in the world, contributing to increased global morbidity and mortality rates. High-risk alcohol consumption has become an increasingly significant public health problem in recent years, particularly among students. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk alcohol consumption and identify its determinants among students at the University of Dschang. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the main campus of the University of Dschang between January 2023 and May 2024. Students aged eighteen and over were selected using a two-stage cluster sampling, and data were collected using a self-administered electronic questionnaire. The primary outcomes of interest were alcohol consumption and high-risk alcohol consumption. Multilevel logistic regression investigated associations between these outcomes and key suspected predictors. Results: A total of 1,789 participants were enrolled in the study. The median age was 22 years (IQR: 20-24) and 916 (53.4%) were male. The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 67.9%, while the prevalence of high-risk alcohol consumption was 19.3%. Risk factors for alcohol consumption were Christianism (aOR 3.71 [95% CI 2.08-6.64]; p<0.001 ), living alone (aOR 6.97 [95% CI 4.23-11.5]; p<0.001 ), and depression (aOR 1.71 [95% CI 1.01-2.90]; p<0.05 ). Among alcohol consumers, factors such as depression (aOR 3.03 [95% CI 1.45-6.32]; p<0.001 ), and personal motives including enhancement(aOR 2.12 [95% CI 1.17-3.85]; p<0.005 ), conformity (aOR 1.91 [95% CI 1.19-3.06]; p<0.01 ) and coping (aOR 2.61 [95% CI 1.54-4.42]; p<0.001 ), were all positively associated with high-risk alcohol consumption. Conclusion: High-risk alcohol consumption is highly prevalent among the Cameroon's student population. Strategies to mitigate this trend should include promotion of behaviour change, prevention of psychological distress, and securing the living environment of students by restricting access to alcoholic beverages and encouraging parental responsibility.