December 9, 2008

Purdue survey: Alcohol, drug use decreases during grant period

"During the course of the U.S. Department of Education grant, we've seen positive signs that fewer students are participating in high-risk behaviors," said Tammy Loew, health advocacy coordinator in the Student Wellness Office. "We hope to take what we've learned from the two years of the grant, work with our campus and community partners, and continue to decrease these negative behaviors among students."

More than 7,300 students participated in the 2008 Spring Purdue Wellness Survey, which found decreases in the number of students drinking alcohol in the past year; binge drinking - drinking five or more drinks in one sitting - in the previous two weeks; smoking cigarettes; and using marijuana or most other illegal drugs during the past year.

The alcohol, tobacco and drug survey was funded from a $300,000 Department of Education grant that ran through the fall of 2008. Results of the spring 2008 survey were compared to data collected in 2006 and 2007.

The grant funded a program called Positive Educational Experiences for Purdue Students, which was designed to reduce high-risk drinking among first-year students. The six components of the grant included an intervention program in University Residences; a social marketing campaign called "Dude, don't be an idiot;" a video created for parents; alcohol-free activities at the Recreational Sports Center; and workshops and training sessions for campus and community partners.

The grant also included a faculty component, which awarded 14 mini-grants as well as a Reality Check publication with data, comments from Purdue administrators, information about addressing alcohol in the classroom and counseling resources available to students. It was sent to all faculty and academic advisers last week.

Among first-year students, 34.8 percent reported binge drinking in the previous two weeks, compared to 36.2 percent in 2007 and 41 percent in 2006. Among all undergraduates surveyed, 42.8 percent reported binge drinking, compared to 46.7 percent in 2007 and 48.3 percent in 2006.

Of all undergraduate students who responded, 75.6 percent reported consuming alcohol within the last year, down from 80 percent in 2006. Fifteen percent of Purdue undergraduates reported driving a vehicle while under the influence in the past 12 months, down from 17 percent in 2007 and 22 percent in the 2006 survey.

Marijuana use by students is down for all undergraduates who responded. Among undergraduates, 13.1 percent reported using marijuana during the past year, compared to 17.4 percent in 2007 and 25.4 percent in 2006.

The only category to show an increase over last year involved use of the prescription drug Adderall, a pharmaceutical used primarily to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Seven percent of undergraduates reported using Adderall within the last year, compared to 5.9 percent in 2007. Around 5.5 percent of first-year students reported using Adderall in the last year, compared to 4.5 percent in 2007.

Loew said students living in University Residences continue to report more positive behavior than students with other living arrangements. According to survey results, about 30.1 percent of students living on campus reported binge drinking during the previous two weeks compared to 41 percent of students living off campus and 77.7 percent of students living in fraternities and sororities.

In 2007, 30.9 percent of students living on campus, 43.1 percent of students living off campus and 77.9 percent of students living in fraternities and sororities reported binge drinking in the previous two weeks.

Kyle A. Pendleton, assistant dean of students, said that while the figures for binge drinking fall within the national fraternity and sorority averages found in other national data, Purdue has been engaged in a plan to change such behavior. The plan was developed in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention.

The plan involves reviewing social practices at all fraternity and sorority chapters and ongoing education and prevention efforts to effect positive change within the culture with an emphasis on social event reform and shared responsibilities between the fraternities and sororities.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources:   Tammy Loew, (765) 496-6780, tfloew@purdue.edu

Kyle A. Pendleton, (765) 494-1232, kpendlet@purdue.edu  

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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