Introduction:

Alcohol consumption carries a heavy social and economic burden on society, government, overall health, and health systems.

Objective:

Determine the relationship and effect of family dynamics and school social environment on alcohol consumption in young university students.

Methodology:

This was a descriptive, correlational and predictive study with a sample of 367 undergraduate students from a university in the state of Tabasco, Mexico, selected by stratified random probability sampling. The 63.2% were women, with a mean age of 21.6 years (SD=2.82). A Personal Identity Card and Prevalence of Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire, the Family Apgar, the Questionnaire to Evaluate the Social Environment within the School and the AUDIT were used. The study complied with the provisions of the Regulations of the General Health Law on Research.

Results:

Family dynamics and school social environment were negatively and significantly related to alcohol consumption and to the three types of consumption: low-risk, dependent and harmful. Family dynamics (B= -.040, p<.05) and school social environment (B= -.096, p<.001) were identified as predictors of alcohol consumption in university young people.

Conclusion:

Family dynamics and school social environment as predictors of alcohol consumption may help to prevent this harmful behavior in young university students. These results can contribute to the inclusion of these variables in the understanding of alcohol consumption behavior.

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