Context: A 1999 national survey revealed that 40% of college students drank heavily, 5 or more drinks, on at least one occasion during the two preceding weeks. However, the magnitude of specific alcohol related health problems and deaths among college students has not been fully documented.
Objective: To estimate the numbers of 18-24 year old college students who are alcohol dependent and who experience alcohol related health problems, injuries and deaths.
Methods: We examined the Department of Education's college enrollment data, the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiology Study (NLAES), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National College Risk Behavior Survey, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Survey (CAS), a review of national coroner studies, and traffic and unintentional injury deaths reported in 1998 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and CDC. All respondents were age 18-24: 1119 college and 3997 non college respondents in the NLAES Survey, 3077 college students in the CDC Survey, 12,217 four-year full time college students in the CAS.
Results: We estimate 1200 college students 18 through 24 annually die from alcohol related motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injuries. Annually, over 500,000 are injured under the influence of alcohol and over 600,000 are hit or assaulted by another student who has been drinking. Over 850,000 college students currently meet DSM IV criteria for alcohol dependence.
Conclusions: There is an urgent need to expand prevention and treatment programs to reduce alcohol related harm among college students in the United States.
Learning Objectives: The data used in this analyses was obtained from: the Department of Education, the National Longidtudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Study, the Centers for Disease Control, the National college Risk Behavior Survey , the Harvard School of Public Health College
Keywords: Alcohol, College Students
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The data used in this analyses was obtained from: the Department of Education, the National Longidtudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Study, the Centers for Disease Control, the National college Risk Behavior Survey , the Harvard School of Public Health College
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.