Colleges respond to student binge drinking: reducing student demand or limiting access.
Administrators at 68% of 4-year colleges nationwide (N = 747) responded to a survey concerning the types of programs and policies they used in response to students' heavy drinking. Most schools conducted targeted alcohol education and invested in institutional prevention efforts; half conducted social norms campaigns; a sizeable minority restricted alcohol on campus. Schools that focused on demand reduction were less likely to ban alcohol use. One in 3 schools received funding for these programs from governmental agencies, and 1 in 5 from the alcohol industry. Such schools were more likely to conduct targeted alcohol education and social norms programs and were less likely to restrict alcohol use on campus or at college events. Colleges may want to reconsider prevention initiatives that focus exclusively on demand or supply. They may also want to examine the extent to which funding is the driving force shaping the direction of their alcohol initiatives.
Wechsler
Henry
H
Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115-6096, USA. hwechsle@hsph.harvard.edu
Seibring
Mark
M
Liu
I-Chao
IC
Ahl
Marilyn
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities