Alcohol use disorder among healthcare professional students: a structural equation model describing its effect on depression, anxiety, and risky sexual behavior
Timothy Mwanje Kintu, Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Robinah Namagembe, David Jolly Muganzi, Raymond Bernard Kihumuro, Garvin Ssali Luyinda, Brenda Wafana Nabwana, Moses Muwanguzi, Marvin Nnyombi, Alex Kirega, Jerome Kabakyenga, Samuel Maling
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Among university students, alcohol use and poor mental health are associated with risky sexual behavior. Given the syndemic occurrence of these disorders most especially in young adults, we describe the relationship between them so as to guide and intensify current interventions on reducing their burden in this population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on an online survey among healthcare professional university students that captured sociodemographic characteristics, risky sexual behavior, alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression. Structural equation modelling was used to describe the relationship between these variables using RStudio. RESULTS: = 44.437, df = 21, p-value = 0.01, CFI = 0.989, TFI = 0.980, RMSEA = 0.056]. All observed variables were found to fit significantly and positively onto their respective latent factors (AUD, anxiety, depression and risky sexual behavior). AUD was found to be significantly associated with risky sexual behavior (β = 0.381, P < 0.001), depression (β = 0.152, P = 0.004), and anxiety (β = 0.137, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: AUD, depression and anxiety are a significant burden in this health professional student population and there's need to consider screening for anxiety and depression in students reporting with AUD so as to ensure appropriate interventions. A lot of attention and efforts should be focused on the effect of AUD on risky sexual behavior and continued health education is still required even among health professional students.