**2.3 Instruments**

*Lifestyle and Epidemiology - The Double Burden of Poverty and Cardiovascular Diseases...*

problems like suicide,, impaired driving skills,, vandalism or fights [5].

reported to be 78.4% [8].

lems, and personal problems [11].

who are not enrolled in the University [2–4] . Unhealthy behaviour such as tobacco product use, marijuana use, injuries and interpersonal problems are the vital risk factors associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Besides, alcohol use among university students has been associated with poor academic performance, personal injuries, loss of memory, temporary illness (such as nausea, vomiting, and hangover), unprotected sexual activity, acquaintance rape, sexual violence and other

The high percentage of alcohol use and abuse in the university environment by students is viewed as representing the prime drinking years for individuals [6]. For example, Young and De Klerk. [7] reported that more than 50% of Rhodes University student respondents who participated in their study were dependent on alcohol. The prevalent of alcohol use in a university in the South-East of Nigeria was

The prevalence of alcohol use by university students in South Africa has been found to range from 20% to 80% in 2009 by Peltzer & Ramlagan [9]. The prevalence of alcohol drinking at the University of Venda, South Africa was reported to be 65% of the current drinkers [10]. In South Africa, substance rehabilitation centers found alcohol as the primary substance abuse in eight out of the nine provinces [9]. Excessive alcohol consumption during University year's impacts negatively on student lifestyles even on post-University level, leading to accidents, health prob-

Alcohol drinking may be responsive to internal rewards such as the manipulation of management of one's own internal emotional state and external reward such as social acceptance [2]. Various factors affect the alcohol drinking patterns of students in the university environment. Some university student prefer beer and other drugs for economic reasons, Regardless of the various alcoholic beverages like cider, wine, spirits, champagne, whisky, gin or brandy [12]. Gender differences in alcohol use was reported among university students in the USA with a significantly high number of males compared to females drinking alcohol [13]. Furthermore, staying on-campus has been linked with excessive alcohol drinking than staying off-campus [14]. Little is known about the prevalence of alcohol use and associated risk factors among the University of Limpopo. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol use and associated risk factors among University of Limpopo students aged 17 to 43 years.

The study was conducted at the University of Limpopo, that was previously known as the University of The North (Sovenga). The University of Limpopo is situated at the foothill of Hwiti (Wolkberg range) in Mankweng, midway between Polokwane and Makgoebaskloof in Limpopo province, South Africa. The research was approved by the University of Limpopo research ethics committee

All the participants of the study were full-time students enrolled for the academic year 2019 in University of Limpopo. The participants represented the four available faculties (Science and Agriculture, Humanities, Management and Law, and Health Sciences). The total number of participants was n = 917 of which 45.5%

**178**

**2. Method**

**2.1 Geographical area**

(TREC/61/2019: IR).

**2.2 Sampling and sample size**

The questionnaire used in this study was based on questions, which have been used in the Ellisras Longitudinal Study and other studies [15, 16]. The questionnaire was shared with experts to ensure content, face and construct validity. The questionnaire was then revised and piloted with a sample of students to make sure it was valid, reliable, acceptable and accurately understood.

The questionnaire comprised of three sections. The first section of the questionnaire included of participants's age,gender, marital status and place of residence, field of study, year of entering the university and the level of study. The academic level was categorised as lower level (first and second year), moderate high (thirdyear level) and high level (postgraduate level).

Current alcohol drinkers were defined as anyone who drinks alcohol regularly for the past 30 days. The following question was asked: "During the past 30 days, have you had at least one drink of any alcoholic beverage such as beer, wine, a malt beverage, or liquor regularly?" The number of days in the past month where you had a drink between 07:30 and 16:00 and the frequency of drinking alcohol regularly the past 30 days were classified into: Less than four times in the past 30 days, 2 to 3 days a week in the past 30 days and more than four days a week the past 30 days. This was classified into the less than four times in 30 days. The onset (initiation age) age for alcohol drinker use was determined by the question "If yes, indicate how old you were when you first tried this \_\_\_\_. How old were you when you first drank alcohol regularly \_\_\_\_\_\_." Onset age was grouped as less than 15 years, between 15 and 19 years and over 20 years.
