Risk Factors associated with Binge

Drinking Amongst College Students

Daniel Canales, Crystal Garcia, Antonio Mendez,

Erika Barajas

INTRODUCTION

According to reports binge drinking is the number one public health concern on college campuses nationwide.

This behavior is related to lower grade point averages, academic problems, student attrition, and the leading cause of death among college students (Vohs, 2008).

It is estimated “about four in five of all college students drink, including nearly 60 percent of students age 18 to 20” (NIAAA, n.d.)

WHAT IS BINGE DRINKING?

According National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) “A “binge” is a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 gram-percent or above. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours” (NIAAA, 2007).

WHY DO STUDENTS BINGE DRINK?

Binge drinking does not stem from just one factor but several. This can include genetic and family predisposition, social and peer influences, college traditions, uncontrolled policy environments and the easy availability of alcohol in and around college campuses (College Alcohol Study, n.d.).

WHY IS THIS A GREAT CONERN?

Binge drinking is of great concern because it is tied to some of the most desired aspects of American college life.

Many factors contribute to the high prevalence of binge drinking among college students, making binge drinking a major health concern for colleges and universities nationwide.

Social Organizations Social fraternities and sororities

play a prominent role in the lives of U.S. college students.

Anecdotal evidence of problem drinking at fraternity events abounds. Data confirm that fraternity members drink more intensively than do non-members. In the NCHRBS, past month binge drinking, defined as consuming at least five alcoholic beverages within a few hours, was reported by 69% of fraternity members as compared with 42% of non-members.

The main activity with which fraternities are associated with is alcohol use.

Fraternity parties

(DeSimone, 2007)

Social Organizations

College Game day Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that drinking is a

common occurrence on game day. Data from the fall 2004 National College Health Assessment

indicate that approximately 31% of women and 44% of men engage in high-risk drinking

A unique challenge concerning high-risk drinking on US campuses is college football game day. Research indicates that sports fans are less likely to abstain from alcohol and more likely to drink excessively than are non-sports fans.

Students underestimated the percentage of tailgaters who drank but overestimated how much they drank. Students who overestimated the number of drinks their peers consumed while tailgating were more likely to drink and experience negative consequences themselves on game day.

(Glassman, Werch et al. 2007)

Early Alcohol Initiation

Does it increase risk of binge drinking in college?Study investigated the influence of age of

alcohol initiation on current alcohol use and alcohol-related problems among college students.

Positive attitudes toward drinking in early adolescence carry into college experience.

Study described early alcohol initiation as alcohol use before the age of 15. Although there is some debate on age range.(LaBrie, Rodrigues et al. 2007)

Early Alcohol Initiation Study

College student sample: From two universities in Western United States. N=214

Subjects recruited through Psychology courses.

Questionnaire Age Range: 17-24 (Average Age: 20.66

yrs) 35% Male, 66% Female 26% Caucasian, 40% Asian, 24% Hispanic,

2% African American, 8% Mixed 20% in Fraternity or Sorority (LaBrie, Rodrigues et al. 2007)

Study Results

Participants split into age of initiation groups.

First had more than a few sips of alcohol: Early alcohol initiation group: before age

15. (40%) Middle alcohol initiation group:

between15 and 17. (42%) Late alcohol initiation group: after age

18. (19%)(LaBrie, Rodrigues et al. 2007)

Study Results

Early Initiators drank more frequently and consumed significantly more alcohol per occasion then middle or late initiators.

Early Initiators were ~3x more likely than middle initiators and >2x as likely as late initiators to avg 5 or more drinks per drinking occasion (binge drinking).

(LaBrie, Rodrigues et al. 2007)

Working More Than 20 hrs/wk

Study investigated “associations between hours worked, binge drinking, sleep habits, and academic performance among a college student cohort”.

~57% college students work while in school.

Suggests working during college may be problematic when college students work excessive # of hours, resulting in undesirable influences on health.

Excessive # of hours: 20 or more per week(Miller, Danner et al. 2008)

Working More Than 20 hrs/wk

College student sample: Southeastern US University.

Questionnaire

Age Range: 18-26 (Average Age: 20.2 yrs)

61% Female

91% Caucasian (Not Diverse)

27% in Fraternity or Sorority(Miller, Danner et al. 2008)

Study Results Students’ weekly work hours were divided into 3

categories Low (<10 hours) Medium (10-19 hours) High (≥20 hours)

Students who worked 20+ hrs/wk were 1.56 x more likely to be binge drinkers.

Binge drinking and lower academic performance were significantly associated with working 20+ hrs/wk

(Miller, Danner et al. 2008)

Study Results Researchers speculate that unhealthy

behaviors may be a response to the added stress of working excessive hours.

Study limitations: Cross-sectional (Could not determine

causality) Self-reported behaviors & demographics Response rate of <60%. Validity? Specific to student population at one

university in one geographic region so may not be generalizable.

(Miller, Danner et al. 2008)

Intervention programs

*Do intervention programs prevent binge drinking?

*Where do students go for information?

*Do campus’ without programs have the same issues with binge

drinking?

Where are the target areas for Binge Drinking Prevention:

College Characteristics

A number of environmental influences working in concert with other factors may affect students' alcohol consumption.

Schools where excessive alcohol use is more likely to occur include:

Schools where Greek systems dominate (i.e., fraternities, sororities)

Schools where athletic teams are prominent

Schools located in the Northeast

First-Year Students: The first 6 weeks of enrollment are

critical to first-year student success

*the potential exists for excessive alcohol consumption to interfere with successful adaptation to campus life.

* The transition to college is often so difficult to negotiate that about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year.

National Organizations assisting Universities with educating incoming students

*MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Drivers

*NIAAA-National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

*Trained Peer Counselors (require considerable amount of training)(2)

*While many Universities have counselors on hand to handle many situations, Binge drinking remains one of major concerns with incoming freshman students.

*Nationwide , Universities have mandatory Alcohol Awareness classes that must be taken by all incoming Freshman.

*Local Universities each set up their own form of intervention/education on drinking.

• This is a symbol used by UTSA.

• Just what is the meaning of this symbol?

*All incoming freshman and transfer students with less that 30 credits must enroll and take both parts within the allotted time.

*According to ASAP, failure to enroll or complete both parts can lead to a hold on your account.

SHADES Peer EducationSexual Health Alcohol and Drug Education for Students

Located in UTSA Health Services web page.

Discuss alcohol, drugs and sex

Dorms can schedule briefings in their dorms

* No evidence was found to justify an abundance of binge drinkers on campus would be increased without programs on campus.

As part of their prevention programs, US colleges and universities are required by law to make information about their alcohol policies available to students. Often the source of this information is the school's Web site.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Community establishments near and around campus serve or sell alcohol, which depend on the college clientele for their financial success. Accessibility of Alcohol in and around

campuses College students who reported that they

were exposed to wet environments were more likely to engage in binge drinking than were their peers without similar exposures(Weitzman, 2007).

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

PRICE OF BEER Discount pricing of alcohol in bars and stores,

and high densities of alcohol outlets in areas surrounding colleges are risk factors associated with college binge drinking. Alcohol consumption increases as establishments and alcohol outlets use various discounts and promotions to attract college students.

“College students are targeted with sales of large volumes of alcohol (such as 24- and 30-can cases of beer, kegs, and “party balls”), low sale prices, and frequent alcohol promotions at bars, liquor stores, and other retail outlets surrounding college campuses” (Meichum K., Wechsler, H., Greenberg, P., Hang, L., 2003)

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS CONT.

Daily drink specials and “happy hours” at local restaurants and bars, as well as reduced prices of beer in stores during sporting events and holidays. In a study that measured taking up binge drink in college; results showed, students who reported paying one dollar or less for a drink were considerably more likely to begin binge drinking than were students who reported paying more than a dollar per drink (Weitzman, 2007).

During one study it was found that “both heavy and light drinkers drank more than twice as much alcohol during simulated “happy hours” as they did during times without such promotions” (Meichum K., Wechsler, H., Greenberg, P., Hang, L., 2003).

Students will seek out the best drink specials and cheap alcohol that is most convenient and closest to them for the alcohol needs.

CONCLUSION As it has been in the past and still is today,

college drinking has become a culture, where these traditions have developed into beliefs and customs that are entrenched in every level of college students’ environments. Customs which have been handed down through generations of college drinkers and reinforce students’ expectations that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success. These traditions are embedded in all levels of students’ environments including college sports arenas, community, and carried over into alumni traditions. The risks and consequences of binge drinking on college students are monumental and must be addressed more thoroughly.

REFERENCESCollege Alcohol Study, (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2010, from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Home.html

Meichum K., Wechsler, H., Greenberg, P., Hang, L., (2003). The Marketing of Alcohol to College Students: The Role of Low Prices and Special Promotions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(8), 204-211. Retrived from, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/marketingalcohol/AlcoholPromotion.pdf

National Institutute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, (n.d.), Statistical Snapshot of College Drinking. Retrieved October, 28, 20101 from, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, (2007). What Colleges Need to Know Now An Update on College Drinking Research. NIH Publication No. 07–5010 Retrieved October 28, 2010 from, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov

Wechsler, H., Dowdall, G.W., Davenport, A., Castillo, S., (1995). Correlates of College Student Binge Drinking. American Journal of Public Health, 85(7), 921-926.

Weitzman, E.R., Toben, N.F., Wechsler, H., (2007). Taking Up Binge Drinking in College: The Influences of Person, Social Group, and Environment. Journal of Adolescent Health, 32:26–35. Retrieved October 28, 2010 from, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/uptake/uptake1.pdf

Vohs, C.J., Gable, R.K., Ward, C., Marte, R.L., Barresi, J., Slocumb, D., (2008). Anxiety and Depression as Comorbid Factors in Drinking Behaviors of Undergraduate College Students Attending an Urban Private University in the Northeastern United States. Paper presented at the Northeastern Educational Research Association Annual Conference. Retrieved from, http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/nera_2008/28

References LaBrie, J. W., A. Rodrigues, et al. (2007). "Early Alcohol Initiation Increases Risk Related to

Drinking Among College Students." Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse 17(2): 125-141.

Miller, K., F. Danner, et al. (2008). "Relationship of Work Hours With Selected Health Behaviors and Academic Progress Among a College Student Cohort." Journal of American College Health 56(6): 675-679.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: A Clinician’s Guide. NIH Pub. No. 05–3769. Bethesda, MD: the Institute, 2005.

Larimer, M.E.; Turner, A.P.; Anderson, B.K.; et al. Evaluating a brief alcohol intervention with fraternities. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 62:370–380, 2001www.factsontap.orgwww.niaaa.nih.gov: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholismwww.health.orgwww.nacoa.org : National Association of Children of Alcoholics

Vivian B. Faden is chief of the Epidemiology Branch, Division of Biometry and Epidemiology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland,

DeSimone, J. (2007). Fraternity membership and binge drinking. Journal of Health Economics, 26(5), 950-967. doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2007.01.003.

Glassman, T., Werch, C., Jobli, E., & Bian, H. (2007). Alcohol-Related Fan Behavior on College Football Game Day. Journal of American College Health, 56(3), 255-260. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database