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Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
Published in: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

Licit and illicit substance use patterns among university students in Germany using cluster analysis

Authors: Laura Schilling, Hajo Zeeb, Claudia Pischke, Stefanie Helmer, Andrea Schmidt-Pokrzywniak, Ralf Reintjes, Ulla Walter, Maria Girbig, Alexander Krämer, Andrea Icks, Sven Schneider

Published in: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

The use of multiple licit and illicit substances plays an important role in many university students’ lives. Previous research on multiple substance use patterns of university students, however, often fails to examine use of different illicit substances and/or hookah. Our objective was to complement and advance the current knowledge about common consumption patterns regarding illicit substances and hookah use in this group.

Methods

Students from eight German universities completed an online survey as part of the INSIST study (‘INternet-based Social norms Intervention for the prevention of substance use among STudents’) regarding their consumption of alcohol, tobacco, hookah, cannabis and other illicit substances. Cluster analysis identified distinct consumption patterns of concurrent and non-concurrent substance use and multinomial logistic regressions described key sociodemographic factors associated with these clusters.

Results

Six homogeneous groups were identified: ‘Alcohol Abstainers’ (10.8%), ‘Drinkers Only’ (48.2%), ‘Drinkers and Cigarette Smokers’ (14.6%), ‘Cannabis and Licit Substance Users’ (11.2%), ‘Hookah Users with Co-Use’ (9.8%) and ‘Illicit Substance Users with Co-Use’ (5.4%). Illicit substance use clustered with the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. Hookah use was regularly associated with alcohol consumption, less commonly associated with tobacco or cannabis use and very rarely associated with use of other illicit substances. Individuals consuming licit and illicit substances or hookah were mostly male and lived together with other students. Characteristics such as the number of years an individual had spent studying at a university, subject of study, immigrant background and religious affiliation were less commonly associated with cluster membership.

Conclusions

Although we found substance use patterns in our sample largely similar to previous reports, we identified an important subgroup of individuals using both illicit and licit substances. These individuals may benefit especially from targeted interventions that focus on modifying addictive behavior patterns.

Trial registration

DRKS00007635. Registered 17 December 2014 (retrospectively registered).
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Metadata
Title
Licit and illicit substance use patterns among university students in Germany using cluster analysis
Authors
Laura Schilling
Hajo Zeeb
Claudia Pischke
Stefanie Helmer
Andrea Schmidt-Pokrzywniak
Ralf Reintjes
Ulla Walter
Maria Girbig
Alexander Krämer
Andrea Icks
Sven Schneider
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1747-597X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-017-0128-z

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