Expectancies towards alcohol consumption in Bucaramanga, Colombia

Expectancies such as memories, motivations and emotions towards alcohol are an important predictor of alcohol consumption in the population. The Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ-III) can measure objectively these expectancies. To study which expectancies are associated to alcohol consumption in adults living in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The AEQ-III was applied to 601 adults (334 males) aged 18 to 60 years. A binomial regression was used to determine the expectancies that were associated with alcohol consumption after adjusting for social and demographic variables. Eighty nine percent of the population consumes alcohol, without differences by age, gender, body mass index, educational or socioeconomic level. Positive expectancies related to disinhibition and feelings of power with a prevalence ratio (PR) of 1.33 (95% confidence intervals of1.06-1.67) and an age of less than 16 years when alcohol consumption started, with a PR of 1.15 (95% confidence intervals of 1.08-1.23), were the only two explanatory variables for alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption is more associated with social context and group integration than with individual behaviors.