A Study Reexamining Alcohol Use among University of Kansas Students / Edward J. Heck and Others.

This 1992 survey of alcohol use of university students conducted at the University of Kansas used identical sampling procedures and contained many of the same items as a previous survey conducted in 1988. A total of 493 questionnaires were returned. A total of 49 students or 9.9% claimed to not have had an alcoholic beverage or to have had one only once or twice in their life. Over 57% of students who reported using alcohol reported high school as the period of their onset of regular use of alcoholic beverages. Over 50% reported drinking less than once a week. Over 11% reported drinking seven or more drinks per occasion of typical drinking. In frequencies and percentages of consumption, 51.4% were categorized as light drinkers, 37.4% as moderate drinkers, and 11.3% as heavy drinkers. The two most mentioned negative effects of drinking were arguments with boy/girlfriend and indiscriminate sexual activity. Items from the CAGE screening test for alcoholism were used with feeling the need to cut down reported by 31.1% of the students. Students appeared to be acting more responsibly by drinking less than they did 4 years previous. Because of the inability of the CAGE to identify problem drinking, there is a strong need to develop a screen device for problem drinking to be used in college counseling offices. (ABL)

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