141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

281925
Patterns of on-campus alcohol-related offenses among undergraduates

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Jessica Cance, MPH, PhD , Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Eric DeDonato , Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Background. The peak in alcohol use during the college years is associated with significant physical and social consequences. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns in alcohol-related offenses among undergraduates at a large university campus. Of particular interest was whether alcohol-related offenses were related to campus events. Methods. Data were obtained from the university police department from 2010-2012 on three types of alcohol-related offenses (N=765): public intoxication (PI, 62%), consumption of alcohol by a minor (CAM, 32%), and possession of alcohol by a minor (PAM, 5%). Information included the date, time, and address of the infraction. Results. Offenses were evenly split across the fall and spring semesters (approximately 38% each semester) and were less frequent in the summer (14%) and between semesters (9%). As expected, more offenses occurred on the weekend (62%) compared with during the week (p<.01), but Thursday nights also accounted for 21% of the offenses. Patterns also emerged in regards to alcohol-related offenses and campus events. In the fall, PAM offenses were more likely to occur on days when there was a home football game (p<.005), while CAM and PI offenses were similar. Of the 181 offenses that occurred on the day of a football game (either home or away), PAM offenses were more likely to occur on the days of a football team loss (p<.05). Conclusions. Findings support the need to target interventions to prevent alcohol-related offenses among undergraduates, particularly for those students at risk for a possession of alcohol by a minor citation.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe patterns of alcohol-related offenses occurring on campus among undergraduates. Discuss the associations between alcohol-related offenses and campus events.

Keywords: Alcohol Problems, College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My career focuses on the etiology and prevention of substance use in adolescence and young adults. I currently have a NIDA funded grant to examine the co-occurring patterns of alcohol and cigarette use throughout emerging adulthood.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.