Increased risk of alcohol abuse among college students living on the US-Mexico border: implications for prevention.
Alcohol abuse is a serious problem for students on college campuses. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study to (1) compare measures of alcohol-risk behaviors among college students attending a university on the US-Mexico border with other students and (2) identify factors associated with risk behaviors among border students. They used a self-administered survey to collect data from 286 freshman and sophomore students. Rates of binge drinking were higher among study respondents than among respondents in a national survey of freshman and sophomore college students (46% vs 42% to 45%, respectively). Drinking in high school and drinking in Mexico were significantly associated with all outcomes (binge drinking, drinking and driving, and riding with a drinker). The findings underscore the need for targeted prevention programs among this high-risk population.
McKinnon
Sarah
S
University of Texas Houston School of Public Health, USA.
O'Rourke
Kathleen
K
Byrd
Theresa
T
D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities