Drinking at European universities? A review of students' alcohol use.
BACKGROUND
High volumes of alcohol consumption and risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) among university students have been shown to be associated with considerable harm to both those who consume alcohol and their fellow students. The vast majority of these studies are based on US and Canadian samples.


OBJECTIVE
The present article provides an overview of the characteristics of alcohol-consuming university students in Europe.


METHODS
65 relevant articles published within the last 20years using European student populations could be identified.


RESULTS
Sociodemographic, individual, social, and university-related characteristics associated with alcohol consumption patterns could be identified. Male students, in particular, tended to consume alcohol more often and in higher quantities, including RSOD. Students consumed alcohol chiefly during social gatherings and for social and enhancement motives. Those without family obligations and those living alone, with roommates or in areas with a high density of students were more likely to consume alcohol in higher quantities, and to engage in RSOD. Students tend to overestimate the extent of their fellow students' alcohol consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
Health promotion and prevention efforts which focus on these characteristics (i.e., gender, drinking motives, living conditions and social norms), and which have been successful and evaluated among university students in the US and Canada, may also be very promising for their European counterparts.
Wicki
Matthias
M
Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems (SIPA), Research Department, PO Box 870, CH 1001 Lausanne, Switzerland. mwicki@sfa-ispa.ch
Kuntsche
Emmanuel
E
Gmel
Gerhard
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult