Mary Claire O'Brien

Caffeinated Cocktails: Energy Drink Consumption, High‐risk Drinking, and Alcohol‐related Consequences among College Students

OBJECTIVES The consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) is popular on college campuses in the United States. Limited research suggests that energy drink consumption lessens subjective intoxication in persons who also have consumed alcohol. This study examines the relationship between energy drink use, high-risk drinking behavior, and alcohol-related consequences. METHODS In Fall 2006, a Web-based survey was conducted in a stratified random sample of 4,271 college students from 10 universities in North Carolina. RESULTS A total of 697 students (24% of past 30-day drinkers) reported consuming AmED in the past 30 days. Students who were male, white, intramural athletes, fraternity or sorority members or pledges, and younger were significantly more likely to consume AmED. In multivariable analyses, consumption of AmED was associated with increased heavy episodic drinking (6.4 days vs. 3.4 days on average; p < 0.001) and twice as many episodes of weekly drunkenness (1.4 days/week vs. 0.73 days/week; p < 0.001). Students who reported consuming AmED had significantly higher prevalence of alcohol-related consequences, including being taken advantage of sexually, taking advantage of another sexually, riding with an intoxicated driver, being physically hurt or injured, and requiring medical treatment (p < 0.05). The effect of consuming AmED on driving while intoxicated depended on a students reported typical alcohol consumption (interaction p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS Almost one-quarter of college student current drinkers reported mixing alcohol with energy drinks. These students are at increased risk for alcohol-related consequences, even after adjusting for the amount of alcohol consumed. Further research is necessary to understand this association and to develop targeted interventions to reduce risk.

Tobacco Use by College Students: A Comparison of Daily and Nondaily Smokers

OBJECTIVES To explore demographics, contextual factors, and health risk behaviors associated with nondaily smoking by college students. METHODS In fall 2005, a random sample of 4100 students completed an online survey. RESULTS Of those surveyed, 29% reported current smoking; of that 29%, 70% were nondaily smokers. Compared to daily smokers, nondaily smokers were younger, African American (compared to white), had mothers with higher education, belonged to Greek organizations, and attended private (vs public) schools. Nondaily smokers were less likely to have used illicit drugs. CONCLUSIONS Nondaily and daily smokers differed on several demographic and contextual factors, but reported mostly similar health risk behaviors.

The use of prescription medications obtained from non-medical sources among immigrant Latinos in the rural southeastern U.S.

We explored the relationships between behavioral, socio-cultural, and psychological characteristics and the use of prescription medications obtained from non-medical sources among predominantly Spanish-speaking Latinos in the rural southeastern U.S. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to identify, recruit, and enroll immigrant Latinos to participate in an interviewer-administered assessment. A total of 164 respondents were interviewed in 2009. Average age was 34 years old, 64% of respondents were female, and nearly 85% reported being from Mexico. Unweighted and RDS-weighted prevalence estimates of any non-medical source of prescription medications were 22.6% and 15.1%, respectively. In multivariable modeling, respondents who perceived their documentation status as a barrier to health care and those with higher educational attainment were significantly more likely to report use of non-medical sources. Interventions are needed to increase knowledge of eligibility to sources of medical care and treatment and ensure culturally congruent services for immigrant communities in the U.S.

Screening and brief intervention for tobacco use by student health providers on college campuses.

Abstract Objective: This study assessed college students’ reports of tobacco screening and brief intervention by student health center providers. Participants: Participants were 3,800 students from 8 universities in North Carolina. Methods: Web-based survey of a stratified random sample of undergraduates. Results: Fifty-three percent reported ever visiting their student health center. Of those, 62% reported being screened for tobacco use. Logistic regression revealed screening was higher among females and smokers, compared to nonsmokers. Among students who were screened and who reported tobacco use, 50% reported being advised to quit or reduce use. Brief intervention was more likely among current daily smokers compared to current nondaily smokers, as well as at schools with higher smoking rates. Screening and brief intervention were more likely at schools with lower clinic caseloads. Conclusions: Results highlight the need to encourage college health providers to screen every patient at every visit and to provide brief intervention for tobacco users.

Alcohol-related injury among Greek-letter college students: Defining a target population for secondary prevention

Members of Greek-letter societies are the heaviest drinkers on college campuses, and experience more alcohol-related problems than their peers. This study reports the results of a web-based survey administered to stratified random samples of college students from 10 North Carolina universities. Greek-letter status was a significant independent risk factor for increased injury (both experienced and caused to others), even after adjusting for drinking behaviors. Prevention, screening, and intervention strategies are discussed in the context of these results.

How ready are colleges for an environmental approach that utilizes campus/community coalitions?

While there is optimism about an environmental management approach that utilizes campus-community coalitions to reduce levels of high-risk drinking, the readiness of schools to implement such an approach is unknown. We surveyed 100 colleges regarding their readiness based on eight factors: existence of a task force to address alcohol use on campus; the inclusion of the college/university President; inclusion of a community representative; frequent meetings; external funding to address alcohol use; previous environmental training; changes implemented as a result of environmental training; and a plan to institute environmental training in the future. Having an alcohol task force or coalition (57%) was associated with participation by the president and/or community representative on the task force, having extramural funding to address high-risk drinking, training in environmental management, implementation of changes after the training, plans for future training, school size, Greek organizations on campus, and being a state university.