title: A study of the relationship between protective behaviors and drinking consequences among undergraduate college students.
abstract: The authors identified the number, type, and frequency of protective behaviors that undergraduate college students who consume alcohol use to prevent alcohol-related consequences. Their hypothesis was that students who engage in more types of protective behaviors with greater frequency would be less likely to experience alcohol-related consequences. Participants consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1,355 undergraduates aged 18 years and older at a large public university. Students completed a mailed questionnaire on alcohol and health behaviors in spring 2002. The findings (after adjustment for covariates) indicated that self-protective behaviors are inversely associated with alcohol-related problems for women but not for men. The influences of gender and racial and ethnic differences are considered in relation to prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing alcohol-related consequences on college campuses.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor 48109, USA. jdelva@umich.edu
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delva
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Dianne F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilke
authors.forename: D Lynn
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students