NCJ Number
226939
Journal
Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 54-68
Date Published
April 2009
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the demographics, clinical characteristics, and drinking patterns of students presenting with alcohol intoxication at a university health service.
Abstract
Consistent with previous research, this study found an overrepresentation of freshman students admitted to university health services (UHS) for alcohol intoxication, suggesting a degree of drinking inexperience that leads to drinking too much too fast. As expected, there was no gender difference in the rate of admission for alcohol intoxication. However, drinking patterns differed significantly by gender with female students presenting for treatment after using significantly less alcohol than males. Study results indicate that routine referral by UHS in the setting of acute intoxication could provide an opportunity for education and intervention in the college population. Many of the students endorsed symptoms of anxiety or depression prior to their most recent drinking episode. A small number of students had been previously identified as having alcohol use problems, and 10 percent presented to UHS with intoxication more than once. Prior research has not generally addressed utilization of UHS among college students. The goals of this study of 100 students treated for alcohol intoxication at university student health services were to (1) examine characteristics of students treated at UHS following alcohol intoxication, and (2) explore the rate of compliance with the recommendation for seek further evaluation among students referred for followup. Table, figure, and references