NCJ Number
208378
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 34 Issue: 3 Dated: 2004 Pages: 235-245
Editor(s)
James Robinson Ed.D.
Date Published
2004
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results from a questionnaire designed to obtain student opinions about the circumstances of their excessive alcohol consumption, specifically how they reacted to the experience of a medical emergency transport because of their drinking.
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption by young adult Americans is a major health and safety concern, specifically among college students. In 2002, a campus sponsored alcohol intervention was initiated to preserve the health and safety of students deemed by police or university staff to be at risk for an immediate alcohol overdose. The mandatory assessment program requires an emergency transport for a potential alcohol overdose. After the transport event, students are brought back into contact with the university. This report summarizes the feedback from first-year college students requiring an emergency transport to a local hospital because of their level of alcohol consumption. Students were tracked beginning in 2002. As of May 2003, 50 first year students (31 males and 29 females) who had been transported and who had gone through the mandatory assessment program completed a follow-up questionnaire. Students reporting on the first semester baseline survey and who ended up being transported did not perceive themselves as being at risk and were not heavy drinkers normally. The majority attributed the overdose event to bad decisionmaking. Overall, students going through the experience had major regrets and seemed to be able to accept responsibility for their actions. References