New findings from Harvard binge-drinking study

The findings of the nationwide 1997 College Alcohol Study, conducted by Henry Wechsler and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health, closely match the changes seen at UW–Madison since Wechsler did his first national study in 1993.

Wechsler released the results of his 1997 study yesterday in Cambridge, Mass.

The new nationwide data show some increase in the percentage of students who abstain from drinking, a slight decrease in the percentage who binge drink, and increases in the intensity of drinking among students who drink (drinking for the purpose of getting drunk, for example).

The data also show a slight increase in the percentage of students experiencing negative secondary effects of drinking, such as suffering property damage, study and/or sleep interruptions, unwanted sexual advances, or taking care of a drunk friend or roommate.

“The bottom line is that the data, both nationally and locally, do not suggest huge changes in general, and, with only two points in time, it’s hard to determine a trend,” says Dr. Richard Keeling, University Health Services director. “If, however, we saw only the 1997 data, we would surely all agree that binge drinking is a critical public health problem for our campus.”

Keeling is a co-principal investigator with Aaron Brower, associate professor of Social Work, on The RWJ Project, a major six-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to reduce high-risk drinking at UW–Madison.

“We’re seeing progress,” says Rob Adsit, RWJ Project coordinator. “New partners now come to us asking how they can help. There’s growing faith in the ability of this project to effect major, sustainable change.”

Following is a summary of the study results for UW–Madison. (Please note: Some of the changes reported here may not be statistically significant.)

• From 1993 to 1997 there was an increase in the number of students who were “abstainers” (didn’t drink during the previous year) and a slight decrease in the number of students who were binge drinkers. These trends parallel national trends. Binge drinking is defined as five drinks or more in a row for men and four drinks or more in a row for women.
  • The percentage of students who were abstainers increased from 6 percent in 1993 to 9 percent in 1997.
  • The percentage of students who drank but did not binge increased slightly from 29 percent in 1993 to 32 percent in 1997.
  • The percentage of students who binge-drank one or more times during the two weeks prior to the survey decreased from 65 percent in 1993 to 59 percent in 1997.
  • In addition, 33 percent of students in 1997 reported that they binge drank in high school compared to 41 percent in 1993.
• The drinking styles of students who did drink increased in intensity from 1993 to 1997.
  • The percentage of UW–Madison students who drank on 10 or more occasions over a 30-day period increased from 17 percent in 1993 to 25 percent in 1997.
  • The percentage of students whose typical drinking pattern is to binge decreased slightly from 51 percent in 1993 to 49 percent in 1997.
  • The percentage of students who were drunk on three or more occasions during the month prior to the survey increased from 32 percent in 1993 to 39 percent in 1997.
  • The percentage of students who drink to get drunk increased from 55 percent in 1993 to 62 percent in 1997.
• There were slight increases in the problems associated with binge drinking. These increases parallel national trends.

  As a result of their own drinking in 1997,

  • 48 percent of UW–Madison students did something they regretted
  • 40 percent missed a class
  • 24 percent engaged in unplanned sexual activity
  • 23 percent drove after drinking

  As a result of other students’ binge drinking in 1997,

  • 66 percent of UW–Madison students had their studying or sleep interrupted
  • 60 percent had to take care of a drunken roommate or friend
  • 41 percent were insulted or humiliated
  • 29 percent experienced an unwanted sexual advance

  The university and surrounding communities are working to change the culture that supports high-risk drinking. The RWJ Project is beginning its second year of implementation. Current strategies include offering attractive alternatives to drinking, such as:

• connecting students to student organizations: An aggressive ad campaign promotes the variety of student organizations on campus. A database matches incoming first-year students to student organizations based on the student’s specific interests.
• more late night choices: New late-night basketball and volleyball leagues on Thursdays compete against a prime drinking time. The project also helps promote preexisting, late-night alcohol-free activities such as social events at the Wisconsin Union buildings.
• making connections outside of bars and parties: Project organizers helped launch a new Badger Herald personal ad section for students.
• promoting the strong tradition of student activism (UW-Madison has been ranked in the top five for the last two years in student activism, according to Mother Jones magazine) and volunteerism, as a counter to the UW’s party-school reputation.

Project organizers have also worked to forge collaborations between campus and community, meeting with groups such as the Tavern League, campus-area property owners and area high schools to identify common issues and discuss roles in changing the culture that supports high-risk drinking.

“The Chancellor continues to be particularly concerned about the secondary effects on students’ academic performance and physical and emotional well being,” said LaMarr Billups, special assistant to the chancellor for community relations. “This makes the efforts of The RWJ Project all the more important, especially in engaging students in designing and implementing solutions to decrease high-risk-drinking and its consequences.”