A STUDY of young people from a local authority housing area of Galway has shown they are much more at risk from alcohol abuse than drugs, the 10th annual European Health Psychology Society conference heard yesterday.
The President, Mrs Robinson, performed the official opening of the conference.
Initiatives to help these "high risk" youths should not be based on the Dublin experience, according to the author of the study.
Ms Saoirse Nic Gabhainn of the Department of Health Promotion at University College, Galway, said projects need to be aimed at specific groups according to the area they live in.
"The survey showed quite an optimistic picture except for the frightening levels of alcohol abuse," she said. "All we are hearing about is the level of drug abuse in this country. We need to look closer. All the kids are hearing from the media is that everyone is on drugs and that creates its own pressure even if it is not the case."
The survey, carried out in 1994 involved 15 to 25 year olds. It showed that almost 30 per cent of males were in a "heavy drinking" category but only 3.6 per cent of women. Heavy drinking is classified as more than 35 units a week for males and more than 30 unit for females. Just a tenth of the group were concerned about their drinking and just one had sought help.
Comparisons with a similar study of two local authority areas in Glasgow and Edinburgh showed the levels of alcohol abuse in Galway were much higher.
However, Ms Nic Gabhainn said it was also significant that 17 per cent had never drank alcohol. Wall over half smoked. There no heroin users among those surveyed and those that abused drugs generally smoked cannabis. Only six of those questioned abused other kind of drugs. "I think this is surprisingly low considering what we hear is going on in Ireland," said Ms Nic Gabhainn.
The average age for losing virginity was 17, while 43 per cent of respondents were still virgins. Sixteen per cent had refused sex in the previous year because of fear of HIV/AIDS, while almost a third had changed their sexual behaviour because of these health fears.
Those surveyed were in the low income potential bracket. Of the 173 young people interviewed, 70 per cent were under the age of 20, almost a quarter were unemployed and 20 per cent were parents.