Socio-economic context of alcohol consumption and the associated risky behavior among male teenagers and young adults in India

Background Despite a minimum legal drinking age of 21 and a total ban on alcohol consumption in a few states, many young people in India consume alcohol. Frequent heavy consumption of alcohol puts adolescents and youths at risk of alcohol-related disorders and associated consequences. Using the most recent round of the National Family Health Survey, this study examined the pattern of alcohol consumption among male teens and young adults aged 15-24 years and its socio-economic context in India. Results Around 9% of the teens and 24% of young adults in India drink alcohol and the frequency of drinking varies largely. Christian teens and young adults carry a higher burden (26%) of drinking, followed by scheduled tribe males (25%) and those teens and young adults (23%) who are not educated. Teens and young adults across India are also involved in risky sexual activities like, unsafe sex and paid sex. Educational status, wealth status, caste, religion, place of residence are the statistically significant predictors of alcohol consumption. Conclusion Though individual risky behavior varies with age, specific interventions at individual, family, and at community levels can help the young adults to overcome heavy or dependent drinking.