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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

Undergraduate student drinking and related harms at an Australian university: web-based survey of a large random sample

Authors: Jonathan Hallett, Peter M Howat, Bruce R Maycock, Alexandra McManus, Kypros Kypri, Satvinder S Dhaliwal

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

There is considerable interest in university student hazardous drinking among the media and policy makers. However there have been no population-based studies in Australia to date. We sought to estimate the prevalence and correlates of hazardous drinking and secondhand effects among undergraduates at a Western Australian university.

Method

We invited 13,000 randomly selected undergraduate students from a commuter university in Australia to participate in an online survey of university drinking. Responses were received from 7,237 students (56%), who served as participants in this study.

Results

Ninety percent had consumed alcohol in the last 12 months and 34% met criteria for hazardous drinking (AUDIT score ≥ 8 and greater than 6 standard drinks in one sitting in the previous month). Men and Australian/New Zealand residents had significantly increased odds (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.9-2.3; OR: 5.2; 95% CI: 4.4-6.2) of being categorised as dependent (AUDIT score 20 or over) than women and non-residents. In the previous 4 weeks, 13% of students had been insulted or humiliated and 6% had been pushed, hit or otherwise assaulted by others who were drinking. One percent of respondents had experienced sexual assault in this time period.

Conclusions

Half of men and over a third of women were drinking at hazardous levels and a relatively large proportion of students were negatively affected by their own and other students' drinking. There is a need for intervention to reduce hazardous drinking early in university participation.

Trial registration

ACTRN12608000104​358
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Undergraduate student drinking and related harms at an Australian university: web-based survey of a large random sample
Authors
Jonathan Hallett
Peter M Howat
Bruce R Maycock
Alexandra McManus
Kypros Kypri
Satvinder S Dhaliwal
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-37

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