The Prevalence of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Bengaluru, India.

Background: Substance use can affect scholastic performance. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use and associated outcomes of their use among adolescents and young adults. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study in Bengaluru, India, over the period of September 2017 to September 2021. The study participants included students enrolled in pre-university courses, undergraduate colleges, and higher secondary classes (11th and 12th grades). Upon obtaining consent/assent, the study participants completed a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire covering basic demographics and history of alcohol and tobacco use and their associated characteristics. Data were summarized using frequencies, medians (IQR), and proportions with 95% CI; sex-wise differences were assessed using Chi-square test and odds ratios, with a significance level set at P