Associations of Passive Drinking with Perceived Health Status, Mental Health, and Family Wellbeing in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Passive drinking is prevalent in adolescents worldwide, but its prevalence and harm are understudied. Secondary students (n = 5840, grades 7–12) from 23 selected schools in Hong Kong participated in the survey from 2015–16. Students reported the harm of passive drinking, perceived health status (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and Perceived Stress Scale-4), perceived happiness, and family health, happiness, and harmony in the questionnaire. The associations were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio, OR) and linear regression (unstandardized coefficient, b), adjusted for confounders. It was found that 29.1% (95% CI 27.8 to 30.5%) of students experienced passive drinking in the past 30 days. The past 30-day parental passive drinking was associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms (AOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.10), stress (adjusted b 0.76, 0.42 to 1.10), and lower level of perceived happiness (adjusted b −0.52, −0.72 to −0.33). The past 30-day parental passive drinking was associated with a lower level of family health (adjusted b −1.39, 95% CI −1.66 to −1.11), family happiness (adjusted b −1.36, −1.64 to −1.08), and family harmony (adjusted b −1.40, −1.70 to −1.10). Passive drinking was associated with poorer mental health, family wellbeing, and a lower level of happiness among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.