Title
Screening for High-Risk Drinking in a College Student Health Center: Characterizing Students Based on Quantity, Frequency, and Harms
Abbreviated Journal Title
J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs
Keywords
BINGE-DRINKING; SINGLE QUESTION; NATIONAL-SURVEY; HARVARD-SCHOOL; PRIMARY-CARE; ALCOHOL-USE; HEAVY; CONSEQUENCES; DRUNKENNESS; VALIDATION; Substance Abuse; Psychology
Abstract
Objective: This study examined characteristics of students who presented to a college health center and screened positive for the 5/4 definition of high-risk drinking (five or more drinks in a row for men, or four or more drinks in a row for women, on at least one occasion in the past 2 weeks) and analyzed the students' data according to their reporting of alcohol-related harms. Method: Secondary analysis of data obtained for an intervention study to reduce high-risk drinking in college students was used. Data on alcohol use and alcohol-related harms were obtained from Web-based Healthy Lifestyle Questionnaires and 30-day alcohol recall diaries (Timeline Followback calendar). Students (N = 363; 52% female) were classified as nonheavy, heavy, and heavy and frequent drinkers, based on their self-reported alcohol use. Alcohol-related harms were measured using the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index and eight additional items derived from the Drinker Inventory of Consequences-2L. Results: Students in the nonheavy, heavy, and heavy and frequent groups had mean Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index scores of 10, 14, and 23, respectively. The heavy-and-frequent drinking group comprised 20% of the sample but experienced 31% of the total harms. Conclusions: The 5/4 screening question accurately identified college students presenting to a college health center who were already experiencing significant alcohol-related harms. The addition of a frequency question (drinking 3 or more days per week) to the 5/4 screening question provided a simple method for identifying those students at highest risk and in greatest need of intervention, (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16, 34-44, 2009)
Journal Title
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
34
Last Page
44
WOS Identifier
ISSN
1937-1888
Recommended Citation
"Screening for High-Risk Drinking in a College Student Health Center: Characterizing Students Based on Quantity, Frequency, and Harms" (2009). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 2100.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/2100