Social media use and alcohol consumption among students in Uganda: a cross sectional study

ABSTRACT

Background

Globally, alcohol use significantly contributes to the disease burden. Alcohol consumption in Uganda is related to several health consequences among young people, including university students. Social media is commonly used by students to share academic information and create social networks. Among young people in high-income countries, previous studies have also shown that social media use can have negative health outcomes related to alcohol use, and associated problems. To date, similar studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries are largely missing.

Objective

To assess the prevalence of and associations between social media use and alcohol consumption among university students in Uganda.

Method

This was a cross-sectional study among 996 undergraduate students at Makerere University. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Alcohol use in the previous 12 months was the dependent variable. The independent variable was social media use categorised as general use, alcohol-related use, and social media lurking/passive participation. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess associations. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were reported.

Results

Nearly all students (97%) used social media and 39% reported alcohol use. Regular alcohol use was significantly associated with moderate (OR = 2.22, CI: 1.35–3.66) and high level general social media use (OR = 2.45, CI: 1.43–4.20). Regular alcohol use was also associated with alcohol-related social media (OR = 6.46, CI: 4.04–10.30), and alcohol-related lurking (OR = 4.59, CI: 2.84–7.39). Similar, although weaker associations were identified for occasional alcohol use.

Conclusions

Approximately four in ten students reported alcohol use in the past year, and almost all students used social media. Alcohol-related social media use was associated with occasional and regular alcohol use, with stronger associations for regular use. These findings may guide further research and present an opportunity for potential alcohol control interventions to improve health among young populations in low- and middle-income countries.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• alcohol
• lurking
• university students
• Uganda

Responsible Editor

Stig Wall

Responsible Editor

Stig Wall

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge students who volunteered to participate in the study, and the Research Assistants for their commitment to the data collection process. The support provided by Umeå University Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, and Makerere University School of Public Health is appreciated. The funding from Erling Persson’s Family Foundation (EP) to the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health (EpiGH), Umeå University, and the Makerere University School of Public Health Small Grants Program are acknowledged.

Authors contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception, design, and implementation. EA collected data, EA and EL led data analysis. All authors provided guidance in the data collection, analysis and writing process (reading, giving input to drafts, and approving the final manuscript).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics and consent

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Makerere University School of Public Health Higher Degrees Research and Ethics Committee, (protocol no. HDREC 735). The study was also registered with the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) (study registration number HS849ES). Permission was also obtained from the Makerere University main administration. All participants provided informed written consent after the study objectives were explained to them. No individual person’s identification data in any form is contained in the current article.

Paper context

This study provides evidence on association of social media and alcohol use by university students in Uganda. Our findings indicate that students’ regular alcohol use was significantly associated with their moderate and high general social media use. Additionally, students’ alcohol use (occasional, and regular) was associated with alcohol-related social media, with stronger associations for regular users. These findings may be similar in other universities in Uganda and other low- and middle-income countries with similar contexts.

Additional information

Funding

Umeå University Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Erling Persson’s Family Foundation (EP). Part of this study (data collection activities) was funded by Makerere University School of Public Health under the Small Grants Programme, [Grant Number: MakSPH-GRCB/19-20/02/02].