Jennifer L. Cremeens

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.

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).

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.

The feasibility of assessing alcohol use among college students using wireless mobile devices: Implications for health education and behavioural research

Objective: This study examined the feasibility of using wireless mobile devices (MDs) to collect daily alcohol information among college students, in particular examining feasibility in the context of costs associated with the use of wireless MDs. This study reports on practical aspects of using MDs to collect alcohol data, including compliance, technical success, user preferences for completing MD-based assessments, and cost. Setting: The study took place at a large, public university in the south-eastern United States. Design: A two-group, randomized design was used. A daily assessment of alcohol use administered using wireless MDs was completed by a group of college students (n=86) for 30 days and compared to a paper-based (PB) daily assessment of alcohol use completed by a second group of college students (n=83) over the same time period. Results: Completion rates for the MD assessment (85.8 per cent) were comparable to the PB assessment (97.6 per cent) given the differences in mode of administration. Participants found the MDs easy to use (83.7 per cent), easy to read (94.2 per cent), and on average liked completing the daily MD assessment (M 4.47, SD 1.16) significantly more than respondents liked completing the PB assessment (M 3.88, SD 1.08; t [164] 3.84, p < 0.001). Few participants in the MD group reported that they were uncomfortable (9.3 per cent) or nervous (2.3 per cent) completing daily assessments using the MDs. Conclusion: Results indicate that the feasibility of using MDs for data collection may be influenced by user preferences and should be tested on different health behaviours in more diverse populations.

Drinking behaviour, protective behavioural strategies and school performance of college students

Aims: Concepts that may be effective in alleviating negative alcohol-related consequences among college students are protective behavioural strategies (PBSs), such as alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Our study used an innovative hypothesis-testing statistical technique (structural equation modelling, SEM) to examine the relationship of PBSs, drinking behaviour and school performance among college student drinkers. Methods: We used confirmatory factor analysis and SEM to explore the relationship between drinking behaviour, PBSs and school performance among a sample of college students (N = 371) who reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. Findings: Results indicated that PBSs were positively associated with school performance and drinking behaviour mediated the relationship. Based on the combinatory rules for standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) and comparative fit index (CFI), this model represented a good fit to the data (χ2 = 34.4, df = 17, SRMR = 0.03 and CFI = 0.98). Conclusions: Our study extends the line of research examining the relationship between drinking behaviour, including PBSs, and academic performance of college students by showing the usefulness of an innovative hypothesis-testing statistical technique – SEM. Researchers might want to consider utilizing SEM when examining such relationships in the future. In addition, based on the results of our analyses, colleges and universities with an interest in the academic performance of their students may want to consider implementing and promoting programmes that concern increasing the awareness of PBSs.

Challenges and Recommendations to Enforcement of Alcohol Policies on College Campuses: An Administrator’s Perspective.

Abstract 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.

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.

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.