Mental Health and Smoking-Related Determinants of Alcohol Drinking Experience in Korean Adolescents

This study aimed to identify the determinants of mental health and smoking-related behaviors among Korean adolescents with drinking experience. Secondary data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2021) were analyzed. The final study sample consisted of data from 5905 adolescents with a history of smoking. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the factors related to drinking experience. The factors that influenced alcohol drinking were sex, school level, academic performance, self-reported depression, and smoking. The results of this study showed that there are numerous factors affecting adolescents’ drinking experience. Early education and interventions are needed to reduce alcohol consumption among adolescents. Integrated attention and support from society, school, and family are necessary so that they can cope with and adapt to stress in a healthy way.