Exploring the distribution of alcohol violation-types in North Carolina between 2000 and 2011.

BACKGROUND: We used an exhaustive dataset of violations from the NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agency to analyze 12 years of alcohol-related violations in NC. METHODS: Descriptive statistics were used to explore distribution and epidemiology of alcohol citations, including distributions by demographic factors, month, day of the week, and time of day. RESULTS: Approximately 47,065 citations were issued by ALE during this time. The majority of the citations were issued to non-Hispanic (96%), white (89%), males (65%). The median age was 19 years old (range 18-94). The months with the most citations were August through October and April. Citations issued on Thursday through Sunday accounted for approximately 87% of all citations issued. The most common types of violations were underage possession of beer/wine (55.5%), providing beer/wine to someone underage (13.6%), and underage possession of liquor (8.8%). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to examine the epidemiology of alcohol-related violations over a large geographical area. Other states, provinces, and/or countries can use these findings to exam if their distribution alcohol-related violations are comparable with this study, and explore associations between such data and alcohol use behaviors.

Disordered gambling and co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders among college students: an examination of problem drinking, anxiety and depression.

We assessed the occurrence of co-morbid psychiatric disorders (i.e., problem drinking, anxiety, and depression) among college students who met the threshold for disordered gambling. The participants included a large sample of undergraduate students (n = 1,430) who were enrolled in an introductory health course at a large, southeastern university in Spring 2011 and completed an online assessment that included scales to assess disordered gambling, problem drinking, anxiety, and depression. We calculated screening scores, computed prevalence rates for each disorder, and calculated Pearson correlations and Chi square tests to examine correlations and co-morbid relationships between the four disorders. Analyses indicated that all disorders were significantly associated (p < .01) except for disordered gambling and anxiety. Because college students who experience disordered gambling (and other psychiatric disorders) are at increased risk of experiencing co-occurring disorders, it might be useful for college health professionals to concurrently screen and intervene for co-occurring disorders.

Challenges and recommendations to enforcement of alcohol policies on college campuses: an administrator's perspective.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine challenges and recommendations (identified by college administrators) to enforcing alcohol policies implemented at colleges in the southeastern United States. METHODS: Telephone interviews were conducted with 71 individuals at 21 institutions. RESULTS: Common challenges included inconsistent enforcement, mixed messages received by students, and students' attitudes toward alcohol use. The most common recommendations were ensuring a comprehensive approach, collaboration with members of the community, and enhanced alcohol education.

Alcoholic beverage preferences and associated drinking patterns and risk behaviors among high school youth.

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about the types of alcoholic beverages preferred by youth in the U.S. and the relationship between beverage preference and demographic and behavioral characteristics of these youth. PURPOSE: To determine the type of alcoholic beverages consumed by adolescent drinkers and how it varies by drinking patterns. METHODS: In 2010, an analysis was performed using 2007 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) conducted among public school students in eight states that included a question on the type of alcohol usually consumed. Analysis was restricted to the 7723 youth who reported consuming at least one drink of alcohol in the past 30 days. Beverage type preferences were analyzed by demographic factors, drinking patterns, and other health-risk behaviors. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the correlates of type-specific alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Liquor was the strongly preferred alcoholic beverage of choice (43.8%), followed by beer (19.2%) and malt beverages (17.4%), with a very low preference for wine (3.7%) or wine coolers (3.4%). A higher preference for liquor or beer was observed among older youth, among those with a riskier pattern of alcohol consumption (e.g., greater frequency of consumption, binge drinking, or drinking and driving), and among youth who engaged in other risk behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Riskier patterns of drinking and other health-risk behaviors are associated with an increased preference for hard liquor and beer. Improved surveillance of alcoholic beverage preferences among youth will enable a better understanding of the factors related to youth drinking, allowing the development of more effective interventions.

Alcohol assessment among college students using wireless mobile technology.

OBJECTIVE: This study used a two-group randomized design to assess the validity of measuring self-reported alcohol consumption among college students using the Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND), a daily diary assessment administered using wireless mobile devices. METHOD: A convenience sample of college students was recruited at a large, public university in the southeastern United States and randomized into two groups. A randomly assigned group of 86 students completed the daily HAND assessment during the 30-day study and a Timeline Followback (TLFB) at 30-day follow-up. A randomly assigned group of 82 students completed the paper-and-pencil Daily Social Diary (DSD) over the same study period. Data from the daily HAND assessment were compared with the TLFB completed at follow-up by participants who completed the HAND using 95% limits of agreement analysis. Furthermore, individual growth models were used to examine differences between the HAND and DSD by comparing the total drinks, drinking days, and drinks per drinking day captured by the two assessments over the study period. RESULTS: Results suggest that the HAND captured similar levels of alcohol use compared with the TLFB completed at follow-up by the same participants. In addition, comparisons of the two study groups suggest that, controlling for baseline alcohol use and demographics, the HAND assessment captured similar levels of total drinks, drinking days, and drinks per drinking day as the paper-and-pencil DSD. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings support the validity of wireless mobile devices as a daily assessment of alcohol use among college students.

Reliability and validity of the alcohol consequences expectations scale.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the reliability and validity of a new measure of alcohol outcome expectations for college students, the Alcohol Consequences Expectations Scale (ACES). METHODS: College students (N=169) completed the ACES and several other measures. RESULTS: Results support the existence of 5 internally consistent subscales. Additionally, the ACES is associated with conceptually similar measures and self-reported drinking behavior. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the reliability of the ACES and its subscales and provides preliminary evidence of construct and criterion-related validity. Pending further investigation, this scale may be used to inform the development of alcohol abuse prevention programs on college campuses.

Assessment of source and type of alcohol consumed by high school students: analyses from four States.

PURPOSE: : This study provides population-based estimates of the source and type of alcohol usually consumed by high school students in 4 states and assessed their relationship to drinking patterns. METHODS: : Pooled data were used from 4 states (Arkansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming) that included questions from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey for high school students (total N = 13,504). Logistic regression models were used to determine whether the drinking pattern for these students was independently associated with alcohol source or usual type of beverage. RESULTS: : Overall, 29.7% of high school students in these 4 states drank in a binge pattern, 13.2% were current drinkers who did not binge drink, and 57.1% were nondrinkers. Approximately one-third of the high school students who reported current alcohol use in these 4 states obtained their alcohol by giving money to someone else to purchase it. Liquor was the usual type of alcohol consumed by 38.7% of students who drank, followed by beer (21.3%), and malt beverages (21.1%). Youth who drank in a binge pattern were 3 times more likely to give someone money to buy alcohol for them and 2 times more likely to consume either liquor or beer as their usual alcoholic beverage compared with current drinkers who did not binge drink. CONCLUSIONS: : These findings emphasize that when implementing evidence-based strategies to prevent underage drinking, such as enforcement of underage drinking laws and increasing alcohol excise taxes, attention should be paid to the source of and the usual type of alcohol consumed, and how these vary by drinking pattern.

Drinking likelihood, alcohol problems, and peer influence among first-year college students.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a predominant health concern on college campuses in the United States. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to examine the predictive values of demographic factors in relation to alcohol subscales (Drinking Context Scale, College Alcohol Problems Scale-revised, and Social Modeling Scale) with the outcome of number of drinking days in the past 30 days among a sample (n = 224) of first-year college students. The final model predicted 37.5% of the variability in drinking days in the past month. All variables, except for race, were significantly associated with the outcome (p < .05).

Self-reported consequences of intoxication among college students: implications for harm reduction approaches to high-risk drinking.

Although large scale national surveys provide extensive data about the nature and frequency of alcohol use among American college students, survey research on alcohol does not provide detailed information on the context of college alcohol consumption that may contribute to drinking-related negative consequences. This research sought to gather specific information on the contexts in which alcohol use occurs among college students through a series of focus groups. Participants described specific incidents of heavy drinking, alcohol consumption patterns, drinking locations and environments, co-drinkers, and associated consequences experienced from drinking. Results indicated that participants often experienced negative consequences from alcohol use if they consumed shots of hard liquor or if they participated in drinking games and/or "pre-gamed." In addition, negative consequences were more common during specific events/special occasions. An implication of these findings is the possibility of reducing negative alcohol-related consequences by tailoring health promotion/harm reduction efforts specifically toward excessive drinking of hard liquor and excessive "pre-gaming."

Alcohol assessment using wireless handheld computers: a pilot study.

The present study sought to test the feasibility of measuring quantity and frequency of self-reported alcohol consumption among college students using the Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND) by comparing results to a retrospective Timeline Followback (TLFB). A total of 40 undergraduate college students completed a HAND assessment during the two-week study period and completed a TLFB at follow-up. The HAND recorded similar levels of alcohol consumption compared to the TLFB. There were no significant differences in overall alcohol consumption, drinks per drinking day, or heavy drinking days between the two methods of assessment. Handheld computers may represent a useful tool for assessing daily alcohol use among college students.