A study of the relationship between protective behaviors and drinking consequences among undergraduate college students.
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.
Delva
Jorge
J
University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor 48109, USA. jdelva@umich.edu
Smith
Michael P
MP
Howell
Richard L
RL
Harrison
Dianne F
DF
Wilke
Dina
D
Jackson
D Lynn
DL
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