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Harvard Study
Confirms that Most College Students Drink Moderately
Findings from the
4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys (1993,
1997, 1999, and 2001) confirm that most students drink moderately, if
at all. The studies, conducted by Henry Weschler, PhD, consistently
reveal that about 3 out of 5 students are moderate drinkers or abstainers,
and that serious consequences as a result of alcohol consumption are
uncommon.
Harvard School
of Public Health Data 1993-2001: A Social Norms Perspective
| Moderation
is Common* |
1993
n = 15,282 |
1997
n = 14,428 |
1999
n = 13,954 |
2001
n = 10,904 |
Drinkers
(Percentage of students who drank alcohol in the last year.) |
83.6 |
80.3 |
79.8 |
80.7 |
Students
who drank moderately, if at all
(In the last two weeks, 0-3 for women, 0-4 for men.) |
56.1 |
56.8 |
55.5 |
55.6 |
| Serious
Consequences as a Result of Alcohol use are Rare** |
| Were not
hurt or injured |
92.3 |
90.4 |
90.4 |
90.0 |
| Did not
damage property |
92.3 |
90.2 |
91.6 |
91.4 |
| Did not
get into trouble with campus or local police |
96.2 |
94.9 |
95.5 |
94.8 |
| Did not
require medical treatment for an overdose |
99.6 |
99.6 |
99.4 |
99.4 |
| Did not
drive after drinking |
77.9 |
76.5 |
71.2 |
71.1 |
Source: "Trends
in College Binge Drinking During a Period of Increased Prevention Efforts:
Findings from 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study
Surveys: 1993-2001," by Henry Weschler, PhD, et. al. Journal of American
College Health, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp 203-217.
*Figures derived from Table 2 ("College Student Patterns of
Alcohol Use: 1993, 1997, 1999, and 2001") in the above-referenced article.
**Figures derived from Table 6 ("Alcohol-Related Problems Among
Students Who Drank Alcohol") in the above-referenced article. Note: Whereas
the Harvard analysis in Table 6 is "limited to only those students who
drank alcohol in the past year," the figures here represent all college
students in the study. |