Tobacco and cannabis use correlated with alcohol problems among Czech and Slovak university students during COVID-19
Among nearly 3,000 Czech and Slovak university students surveyed during early COVID-19, tobacco and cannabis use were both positively associated with alcohol use disorders, with males at higher risk.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Tobacco and cannabis use were positively associated with alcohol use disorders in both Czech and Slovak student samples. Males were more likely to report alcohol use disorders. In the Czech Republic, dormitory students had lower AUDIT scores, while in Slovakia, dormitory students had higher scores.
Key Numbers
1,422 Czech + 1,677 Slovak students; 93% CZ and 91% SK drank in past year; tobacco and cannabis positively associated with AUDIT scores; males had higher alcohol disorder risk; dormitory effects opposite between countries
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 1,422 Czech and 1,677 Slovak university students during early COVID-19. Used AUDIT for alcohol, GN-SBQ for tobacco, and CAST for cannabis. Correlation and regression analyses examined substance use associations and demographic factors.
Why This Research Matters
The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered substance use patterns among university students. Understanding the clustering of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use helps target prevention programs that address polysubstance patterns rather than single substances.
The Bigger Picture
The consistent association between cannabis and alcohol problems across two Central European countries reinforces that polysubstance use patterns are relevant for student health services throughout the region, not just in individual national contexts.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional during COVID-19 may not reflect normal patterns. Self-reported measures. Convenience sampling of university students. Cannot determine if cannabis/tobacco use causes or results from alcohol problems.
Questions This Raises
- ?Did COVID-19 lockdowns change the relationship between cannabis and alcohol use?
- ?Why did dormitory living have opposite effects in Czech Republic versus Slovakia?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Tobacco and cannabis use both associated with alcohol disorders in both countries
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-national comparison with reasonable sample sizes, though cross-sectional design during pandemic conditions limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 during early COVID-19.
- Original Title:
- Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Students: A Closer Look at Tobacco Use, Cannabis Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics.
- Published In:
- International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21) (2021)
- Authors:
- Gavurova, Beata, Ivankova, Viera, Rigelsky, Martin
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03147
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did cannabis use predict alcohol problems?
Yes. In both Czech and Slovak samples, cannabis use was positively associated with alcohol use disorder scores, consistent with broader literature on polysubstance clustering among young adults.
Was this related to COVID-19?
The data were collected during early COVID-19, which may have influenced substance use patterns. However, the study could not separate pandemic effects from pre-existing associations between substances.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- cannabis-dependence-physical-psychological-addiction-science
- cannabis-perception-vs-evidence-gap
- cannabis-use-disorder-test
- cross-addiction-quit-weed-start-drinking
- is-weed-addictive
- is-weed-addictive-science
- quitting-weed-and-alcohol
- rehab-for-weed-addiction-necessary
- signs-of-cannabis-use-disorder
- weed-vape-pen-addiction
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03147APA
Gavurova, Beata; Ivankova, Viera; Rigelsky, Martin. (2021). Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Students: A Closer Look at Tobacco Use, Cannabis Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111565
MLA
Gavurova, Beata, et al. "Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Students: A Closer Look at Tobacco Use, Cannabis Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics.." International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111565
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Stud..." RTHC-03147. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/gavurova-2021-alcohol-use-disorders-among
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.