The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #46663

Derek R. Holcomb, PhD and Vickie L. Sanchez, PhD. Department of Health Promotion and Administration, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Avenue, 423 Begley Building, Richmond, KY 40475, 859-622-1684, derek.holcomb@eku.edu

During the spring of 2001, 925 undergraduate students from a large southeastern university were randomly selected and mailed a health-behavior survey. Of the 368 students who returned the survey (response rate: 39.7%), 60.5% were female, 39.5% were male, 42.2% were traditional students (<25years old), and 57.8% were nontraditional students (>25years old). The mean age was 26.6 years. Regarding 30 day drinking, 59.7% reported drinking at least one day and 34.5% reported having five or more drinks in a row on at least one day. Males and traditional students reported significantly more drinking than females and nontraditional students, respectively (p<.05). Negative consequences due to one's own drinking were examined among the students who reported drinking alcohol. Results of such indicated a range between 59.5% spending money (43.1% female and 78.4% male) and 0.0% getting in trouble with school authorities. A summed negative consequence variable, with scores ranging between 0-18, produced results indicating that students who drank more days and more days heavily reported significantly more negative consequences than students who drank fewer days (p<.05). Males and traditional students reported significantly more negative consequences than females and nontraditional students, respectively (4.03 vs. 1.94 and 3.97 vs. 1.91; p<.05). Students who indicated that they were negatively affected by someone else's drinking reported significantly fewer days of drinking and less days of heavy drinking than students not reporting this condition (2.93 vs. 5.59 and 1.38 vs. 2.22, respectively; p<.05). Finally, females reported significantly more problems associated with others drinking than males.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the relationship between students' level of involvement with alcohol and their self-reported negative consequences due to alcohol use.
• To identify the relationship between students' level of involvement with alcohol and their reported problems associated with other peoples' drinking.

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.