Prospective associations between attitudes toward alcohol advertisements and alcohol use behaviors among adolescent boys

OBJECTIVES: Earlier initiation of alcohol use and problematic drinking among adolescents are linked with adverse health outcomes. Exposure to alcohol advertisements is associated with drinking among adolescents, but the association between the attitudes toward alcohol advertisements and drinking behaviors is understudied. We evaluated the association between attitudes towards alcohol advertisements and initiation of alcohol use among adolescent boys. METHODS: Adolescent boys from urban and Appalachian Ohio enrolled in a prospective study and reported whether they had ever consumed alcohol or been drunk at baseline (N = 1220; ages 11–16 years) and at the 24-month follow up (N = 891). Attitudes toward alcohol advertisements were measured at baseline following a brief advertisement viewing activity. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between attitudes toward advertisements and initiating alcohol use or drunkenness at the 24-month follow-up. RESULTS: Adolescent boys reporting any positive attitudes toward alcohol advertisements had higher odds of initiating alcohol use (aOR = 2.00, 95% CI [1.16, 3.44]), and attitudes were marginally associated with incident drunkenness (aOR = 2.20, 95% CI [0.94, 5.12]). Increasing age, higher household income, ever use of tobacco, and frequency of visiting alcohol retailers were also associated with greater odds of incident alcohol use and/or drunkenness. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward alcohol advertisements at baseline were associated with alcohol drinking behaviors 24-months later among adolescent boys. Results highlight the importance of media literacy interventions targeted to adolescents.