Title

Screening for High-Risk Drinking in a College Student Health Center: Characterizing Students Based on Quantity, Frequency, and Harms

Authors

Authors

J. F. Schaus; M. L. Sole; T. P. McCoy; N. Mullett; J. Bolden; J. Sivasithamparam;M. C. O'Brien

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

WOS:000267842300005

ISSN

1937-1888

Share

COinS