title: Drinking problems of nursing students.
abstract: A sample of 315 nursing students in yearly cohorts (1988-1992) completed the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). A simple and quick instrument with established reliability and validity, the MAST had a reliability coefficient of .78 with this sample. The MAST scores of the nursing students indicated that 21.5% had probable alcoholism or were alcoholic. Drinking problems among these nursing students were similar to those of other nursing students and college students in general. Implications for nurse educators include recognition that nursing students need continuing self-assessment and monitoring to avoid drinking problems as a student and future practitioner. Alcoholism self-screening is an excellent introduction to client assessment for drinking problems. Implications for future research include identifying correlates and determinants of problem drinking behaviors and ultimately developing and testing educational interventions to eliminate the problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612-7350, USA.
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diniz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires