Stacy and coauthors have noted that cognitive motivations of a person might be necessary for many behavioral patterns (drug or alcohol use etc). The expected consequences and perception determine whether the individual starts to use alcohol or not, regularly or misuse it, consequently leading to alcohol problems or not. Expectations and motives are the proximal factors in alcohol use. Many theories have been used to explain the pattern of alcohol use in the society. The self-effectiveness and motivational theories have been widely used to explain why people use alcohol. Alcohol users are mostly affected by the motives they prefer. For example, social factors are mostly associated with alcohol misuse. Alcohol use to reduce stress is associated with solitary drinking. As in many other countries, alcohol use is a major public health problem in Belarus.

To identify the motivational factors of alcohol use and related problems within the general students’ population in Minsk, Belarus.

We analyzed the results of 1599 students in Minsk, Belarus, using the AUDIT, CAGE and other alcohol related questions.

Drinking to reduce bad mood (16.4%, p< 0.000001); on days of wages (14.9%, p< 0.00001); for the sweet qualities of alcohol (24.8%, p< 0.05); to get drunk (26.7%, p< 0.0001) were reported by 87.5% alcohol users (of which 17.7% were problem drinkers) as the major motivational factors of alcohol use and related problems.