Citation

Schaus JF, Sole ML, McCoy TP, Mullett N, Bolden J, Sivasithamparam J, O'Brien MC. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs Suppl. 2009; (16): 34-44.

Affiliation

Health Services, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-3333, USA. jschaus@mail.ucf.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Alcohol Research Documentation, Publisher Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19538911

PMCID

PMC2701091

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.

Language: en