Drug and Alcohol l?ependence, 17 (1986) 31-36 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.

31

ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOLISM AMONG ITALIAN FUTURE TEACHERS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

FLAVIO POLDRUGO”, GIAN BATTISTA MODONUTTIb and RENZO 13UTTOLOE

aInstitute of Psychiatry, bInstitute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Trieste, Trieste and ‘Alcohol Unit, Udine General Hospital, Udine (Italy)

(Received August 26th, 1985)

Attitudes toward alcoholism were investigated in an Italian population of 401 future teachers and health professionals. The results were compared to data obtained from comparable individu~s (student) previously interviewed in the United States and in Australia. In Italy, alcoholism is mainly considered a ‘medical illness’ caused by ‘moral weakness’. The data suggest that attitudes of Italian students are strongly influenced by cultural patterning. University attendance had minor effects in changing students’ attitudes.

Key words: Alcoholism - Attitudes - Teachers and health professionals - Cross cultural studies - Italy

INTRODUCTION

The early learning about wine, and its institution~ization in the home as part of the diet, is the main characteristic of Italian drinking [l] . The first significant drinking experiences take place at school age, between 10 and 15 years of age [ 21. Later on, group pressure is more si~ific~t [3].

Preventive measures against drug abuse and alcoholism have been intro- duced, in Italy, since 1975. Yet, in 1982, less than 15% of the students inter- viewed in secondary schools of Padua stated ever attending a lecture on alcohol [4], where it has also been demonstrated that students aged between 11 and 14 years have a higher need to receive specific information from their teachers [ 51.

No data are so far available on Italian teachers’ knowledge regarding this topic. Previous studies have addressed the attitudes towards alcohol and alcoholism of teachers and health professionals in North America [6] and Australia [ 71. The present study, conducted in Italy, a country traditionally tolerant to alcohol [S], investigates how cultural influences effect attitudes

0376~8716/86/$03.50 o Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd. Printed and Published in Ireland

32

towards alcohol and alcoholism of future professionals in charge of students’ education.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Four hundred one students, equally distributed in the first and final year of the School of Education, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing of the Univer- sity of Trieste were interviewed. They were asked to complete a questionnaire, which included items gathering information on demographic characteristics and drinking patterns.

Attitudes toward alcoholism were evaluated by ‘The Attitude Toward Alcoholism Instrument’ described by Tolor and Tamerin [ 61.

Statistical analysis was performed using the unpaired t-test.

RESULTS

Drinking patterns Only 21.9% of the students were abstinent. Daily consumption of alcoholic

beverages was reported in 15.2% of the sample; excessive drinking in 8.1%.

Attitudes compared to the norm Table I shows the results of the attitude scales for the total population

and for the different courses. On the whole, no differences were found in the attitude scales for ‘psychological etiology’, ‘social rejection’. and ‘human- itarism’. Compared to American students, Italians demonstrated to attribute less importance to a ‘physical-genetic etiology’ for alcoholism, but, at the same time, considered alcoholism more a ‘medical illness’. They attributed to alcoholics also a ‘weak moral character’.

Attitudes by profession Since the ‘American Norm’ refers to teachers, a comparison of medical,

pharmacy and nursing students may be of limited value. However, negative feelings on ‘moral weakness’ scale were common to all groups.

Differences between groups were found in other scales. Future Italian teachers, compared to American teachers, expressed significant differences in 4 out of 6 attitude scales. They perceived alcoholics deserving more social avoidance, and considered alcoholism of inherited nature.

No significant differences were found in attitudes of nursing students on ‘medical illness’ scale, and of medical students on the ‘physical-genetic’ scale.

Attitudes by year in school Table II shows how attitudes were influenced by school attendance. Over-

all attitudes remained unvaried in all scales, except for the ‘moral weakness’ scale. Last-year students of medicine and pharmacy showed a more positive attitude on this scale than first year students. In no group, did students

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35

change their attitude on ‘psychological ‘, ‘humanitarian’, and ‘medical illness’ scales.

DISCUSSION

Compared to the ‘American Norm’, Italian students in general attribute to alcoholics a greater ‘moral weakness’ even to a higher extent than has been reported from similar Australian health professionals [ 71. They also consider alcoholism more a ‘medical illness’. Previous considerations may explain these results. Other researchers, reporting on Italian drinking patterns [ 9- 111, observed how, in this country, drinking alcohol (wine) as a traditional accompaniment to meals brought along fewer social implications. For these reasons, attitudes toward alcoholism had less psychological and higher moral or medical connotations. Italians consider themselves tolerant to alcohol. Heavy, consistent use of alcohol is generally not perceived as a problem, and alcoholics are only those depraved people, who are frequently drunk or present marked withdrawal symptoms. Although no differences were found on the ‘psychological’ scale, the results are consistent with the reported explanations. Another recent Italian study supports this hypothesis [ 121. In South Tyrol the high school students of Italian background considered physi- cal and psychological dependence the main attribute of alcoholism whereas German speaking students gave more relevance to alcohol-related problems.

In the Italian school population, the concept of alcoholism as a ‘medical illness’ is early acquired. As Table II shows, years of university education had no effect on ‘medical illness’ attitude scores of each group. Conversely, as has been previously observed in the Australian students’ population, educa- tion could influence the ‘moral weakness’ feelings of the students, who, at the end of academic training, had more positive feelings toward alcoholics.

Teachers and health professionals play a major role in the prevention of alcohol-related problems in students’ populations. The importance of their role is even higher in Italy where not much information on alcohol and alcohol-related problems has so far been provided to students. However, they are highly influenced by cultural patterning, as the other social groups prob- ably are.

It has not yet been definitively established if a direct relationship exists between an increase in knowledge and a change in attitudes on alcoholism [ 13,141. Our data suggest that university curricula partially change attitudes of students in education and health professions. Among them, future teachers, who, in the final school year still display higher negative scores in attitudes toward alcoholism, and, at the same time, have immediate responsibility in students’ education, need to receive more objective information.

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36

3 B. Spazzapan and M. DeVanna, Minerva Psichiatr. Psicolo, 22 (1981) 177. 4 L. Gallimberti, M. Salvagnini and G. Benussi, Identification of a high-risk model for

problem drinking in a youthful population in North Italy, Paper presented at the 28th International Institute on the Prevention and Treatment of Alcoholism, Munich, 1982.

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