REPORT 03. Alcohol Use Among Community College Students

Transcription

1 REPORT 03 Alcohol Use Among Community College Students Selected Findings from the Ventura County Community College District Student Survey january 2008 A Publication of Ventura County Behavioral Health Department Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services

2 The intent of this report is to provide useful information to a community partnership that will investigate and address these important issues. Using this Publication This is public information and is meant to be shared. Copy and distribute this information as appropriate. For electronic versions of this document or others please visit For more information, contact: Ventura County Behavioral Health Department Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services Kathleen Staples, Prevention Services Manager kathleen.staples@ventura.org Daniel Hicks, Prevention Services Program Administrator daniel.hicks@ventura.org or visit Suggested citation: Alcohol Use Among Community College Students, K. Donovan and J. Slay (Ventura, CA: Ventura County Behavioral Health Department Publication, 2008) Design: Idea Engineering

3 Alcohol Use Among Community College Students Selected Findings from the Ventura County Community College District Student Survey january 2008 A Publication of Ventura County Behavioral Health Department Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services Prepared by Dr. Kristen Donovan, Principal Consultant and Dr. Julie Slay, Data Manager

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5 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements... 3 INTRODUCTION... 4 The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Student Survey Initiative... 4 RELEVANT RESEARCH FINDINGS... 6 College Student Alcohol Use Alcohol Use and Related Problems Among Community College Students... 7 SURVEY DESIGN AND ADMINISTRATION... 8 Sampling Procedure Response Rate... 9 KEY FINDINGS Respondents Prevalence of Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Frequency of Drinking and Number of Drinks Consumed Average Weekly Use Problematic Use Alcohol Use Prevalence by Age Group Other Drug Use Contextual Factors Surrounding Student Drinking Setting City of Residence and Location of Wettest Event Distance of Event from Home/Campus Number and Relationship to Attendees (Continued on following page)

6 2 Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Table of Contents (continued) Key Findings: Contextual Factors Surrounding Student Drinking (continued) Type of Alcohol Consumed Co-occurring Circumstances Means of Obtaining Alcohol Mode of Transportation and Impaired Driving Perceptions Regarding Accessibility of Alcohol and Potential Legal Sanctions Consequences of Alcohol Use SPECIAL POPULATIONS Underage Drinkers Past 30-Day Use Average Weekly Use Number of Drinks Consumed Location of Wettest Event Co-occurring Circumstances Consequences of Alcohol Use Heavy/Frequent Drinkers Demographics Consequences of Use SUMMARY Recommendations Suggested Next Steps REFERENCES...35

7 Ventura County Behavioral Health EVALCORP Research & Consulting Alcohol & Drug Programs 3 Acknowledgements The Ventura County Behavioral Health Department wishes to express sincere appreciation to the many individuals who participated in this initiative and helped to make these findings possible. To begin, we wish to thank Dr. James Meznek, the Chancellor s Office of the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) and Dr. Carolyn Inouye, Director of Institutional Research, for recognizing the importance of local data to community-based prevention strategies. Special thanks are also due to the Presidents of each of our local campuses, Moorpark College, Oxnard College and Ventura College, for assisting with early phases of survey design and implementation. Through the cooperation of the VCCCD Administration and Staff, Ventura County prevention stakeholders have a better understanding of the settings and circumstances located off campus which shape alcohol-related risk factors for students and the larger community. We also thank the many local community college students who participated in the survey. We are grateful for their time and willingness to share information that is not only useful at the local level, but which may also contribute significantly to the wider field of alcohol research. Their views and experiences are helping to shape how local prevention efforts are carried out, and underscore the importance of including this understudied population in attempts to understand the complex issues of dangerous alcohol use among young adults. The Department appreciates the efforts of Dr. Gregory Robinson, Director of the Social Science Research Center and California State University Fullerton. Dr. Robinson was responsible for project design, survey methodology and data collection from start to finish. His team placed thousands of calls in order to obtain quality responses from hundreds of VCCCD students. Dr. Robinson also completed the first analyses and prepared initial findings for use by the Prevention Division of VCBH. Without his experience and innovation a survey of this kind would not have been possible. We also thank Dr. Lance Segars and Dr. John Clapp, Professors of Social Work at San Diego State University, and Ms. Barbara Ryan of the Silver Gate Group, for their expertise and valuable guidance in shaping the development of the survey, and for ongoing consultation as the instrument and methodology were refined. Finally, we thank Drs. Kristen Donovan and Julie Slay of Evalcorp for their tireless work in analyzing and preparing the current report, and for their thoroughness and care in presenting key findings. Their diligence in examining co-occurring circumstances of heavy alcohol use among young adults, combined with their synthesis of relevant local and national research, has yielded a first-of-its-kind report to inform prevention planning in Ventura County for years to come. Funding for This Research This research project was funded entirely by the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department s Alcohol and Drug Prevention Division. Although the support and involvement of the Ventura County Community College District was critical, no VCCCD funds were used to produce this report.

8 4 Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Introduction In recent years, repeated calls to action have been made at local, state and national levels to prevent and reduce underage and binge drinking among young people (California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 2006; Governor s Prevention Advisory Council, California Alcohol and Drug Programs, 2004; National Academy of Sciences, 2003; Task Force of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 2002). Moreover, strategies to limit youth access to alcohol, along with related media, policies and community-level collaboration are needed to prevent underage alcohol consumption and reduce its associated negative consequences (National Academy of Sciences, 2003). In response to documented high rates of binge-level drinking among youth locally and a growing public concern over the impact of alcohol on the lives of young people in Ventura County, the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department s (VCBH) Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services established a county wide community partnership, Ventura County Limits, aimed at preventing and reducing underage and binge drinking through responsible alcohol polices and practices. Local colleges and universities, law enforcement, municipal government, parents, youth and young adults have participated in Ventura County Limits to effectively prevent alcohol-related harms and increase overall community safety. Consistent with an ongoing commitment to informed planning through data-driven prevention strategies, Ventura County Limits commissioned several studies to assess rates of binge and underage drinking and identify un met needs. A comprehensive county wide telephone survey was conducted with thousands of Ventura County residents to benchmark public sentiment regarding youth alcohol use. Analyses of Place of Last Drink (POLD) Surveys completed by over 9,000 Ventura County Drinking Driver Program participants have been used to better understand the settings and circumstances surrounding excessive drinking prior to DUI arrest. Likewise, the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Student Survey was conducted to gather data on an important population that relatively little is known about regarding alcohol use (i.e., community college students). While extensive research is available regarding drinking and its consequences among college students attending traditional four-year institutions, surprisingly little data exist regarding the prevalence of drinking among community college students (Coll, Shott, & Morris, 1999; Sheffield, Darkes, Del Boca, & Goldman, 2005). The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Student Survey Initiative The VCCCD Student Survey initiative took place during the fall semester of 2005 and was intended to determine the prevalence of alcohol use among community college students and explore student perceptions pertaining to alcohol. The study also was designed to examine the extent of binge and underage drinking within the community college student population. By focusing on the settings and circumstances in which community college student drinking occurred, it was believed that this initiative would not only prove useful to members of higher education and other stakeholders in Ventura County, but also would make a

9 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 5 significant contribution to the existing literature concerning youth alcohol use. The Social Science Research Center (SSRC) at California State University Fullerton was contracted by VCBH s Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services to design and carry out the survey. Serving more than 30,000 students each semester, VCCCD is the largest post-secondary institution in Ventura County. In fact, more than 80 percent of all undergraduate students attending college in Ventura County are enrolled at one of the District s three colleges (i.e., Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura). VCCCD offers general education courses for transfer to four-year institutions and occupational/vocational fields, continuing education, and other opportunities for skill development and life enrichment. Each individual college PREVENTION provides a wide range of general programs and services to students, as well as its own unique and specialty service offerings.

10 Ventura County Behavioral Health 6 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Relevant Research Findings Alcohol is frequently referred to as the nation s number one youth drug problem. Underage drinking has been deemed the nation s most costly and most neglected youth drug problem (National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, September 10, 2003 Report to Congress). In addition to contributing to many social, physical, psychological and interpersonal problems, alcohol is said to kill 6.5 times more young people than all other illicit drugs combined (Shepard, 2000). College Student Alcohol Use Excessive alcohol use among college students has been documented for decades (Maddox, 1970; Perkins & Berkowitz, 1986; Straus & Bacon, 1953; Wechsler, Davenport, Dowdall, Moeykens, & Castillo, 1994). Unfortunately, however, alcohol use among students often continues to result in very serious consequences for not only students, but also for college faculty, staff and surrounding community members. Despite many years of attention, the phenomenon of college students drinking to excess many of whom are under the legal drinking age remains a concern for many college administrators and faculty, as well as the governments of surrounding communities. Data from several national surveys indicate that about 4 out of 5 college students drink alcohol and that about half of college student drinkers engage in heavy episodic consumption. Recent concerns have, therefore, often focused on the practice of binge drinking, typically defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for men, and four or more drinks for women. According to the 5/4 binge drinking definition, more than 40 percent of college students report having engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past two weeks. It should be noted, however, that colleges vary widely in their binge drinking rates (i.e., from as low as 1 percent to more than 70 percent); thus, a study on one campus may not necessarily apply to others (Wechsler et al., 1994, 1998, 2000). Findings from one of the most comprehensive studies conducted on the subject to date revealed that college student drinking contributes to an estimated 1,700 deaths, 696,000 assaults, 599,000 injuries, and 97,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year (Hingson, Heeren, Zakocs, Kopstein, & Wechsler, 2005). Additionally, 25 percent of college students report academic consequences resulting from drinking such as low grades, missing class, falling behind, and doing poorly on exams or papers (Engs et al, 1996; Presley et al, 1996; Wechsler et al., 2002). More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol related health problem every year (Hingson et al., 2002). A reported 2.1 million students between the ages of drive under the influence of alcohol (Hingson et al., 2002) and more than 10 percent report that they have damaged property while drunk (Wechsler et al., 2002). Data from college administrators indicate that one-quarter to half of surveyed institutions of higher education have a moderate or major problem with alcohol-related property damage (Wechsler et al., 2002). A recent study of more than 700 colleges and universities revealed that 97 percent offer some type of general alcohol education or prevention program, and that 3 out of 4 had designated a person in charge of alcohol or other drug related issues on campus (Wechsler et al., 2000). Despite programmatic and other resources dedicated to the issue of student alcohol use, only a little more than half of the schools surveyed

11 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 7 reported measuring the extent of student drinking on their own campuses. Of those that did assess students drinking behaviors and its associated secondary effects, only 1 in 5 schools incorporated the data into the design of prevention or awareness campaigns. While research alone will not solve the issue of excessive drinking among young people, it can point the way to effective solutions. Alcohol Use and Related Problems Among Community College Students The body of existing research on the prevalence of binge drinking and alcohol related problems at traditional four-year institutions is substantial. Less is known about alcohol consumption and related issues among community college students, who account for an estimated 44 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. (Coll et al., 1999; Presley, Meilman, & Lyerla, 1993; Sheffield et al., 2005). Although only a select few research studies have specifically investigated alcohol-related problems and drinking patterns among community college students, those that have suggest that community college students often experience some of the same problems that their traditional college student counterparts report and may experience particular problems at even greater rates (Coll et al., 1999; Sheffield et al., 2005). Nevertheless, given the fact that there are often differences between community colleges and more traditional four-year institutions (e.g., student body composition and campus environment), the types of interventions and policies that will be most effective and responsive to the needs of students attending a community college may be different based on the unique needs of the community college campus. The few published studies that have investigated patterns of drinking and alcohol-related problems among community college students are reporting similar prevalence rates, problem behaviors, and consequences as a result of drinking alcohol compared to traditional college students. For instance, one study found that 85 percent of community college students reported consuming alcohol during the past year compared with 90 percent of those attending four-year colleges (Coll et al., 1999). Over 30 percent of community college students reported driving after drinking, 19 percent reported being involved in a physical fight, and 15 percent reported missing class due to their use of alcohol (Coll et al., 1999). Additionally, community college students reported greater frequencies of hangovers (61% vs. 57%) and receiving criticism for their drinking (20% vs. 12%) compared with national data on four-year college students. Despite similar rates of drinking and problems associated with alcohol use, there is some growing evidence that rates of binge drinking are somewhat lower among community college students. Sheffield et al. (2005) found that 25 percent of community college students in their sample reported binge drinking, noting that this was lower than the range of national estimates for traditional four-year college (i.e., 34% to 47%). Another study found rates of binge drinking ranged from 16 to 20 percent for a sample of community college students, depending on the type of alcohol being consumed (Coll et al., 1999). Worth noting is that none of the recently published studies reported consumption rates or data regarding consequences of drinking specific to community college students.

12 8 Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Survey Design and Administration During the survey design process, SSRC Director Dr. Gregory Robinson consulted with a number of recognized experts in the field of prevention, VCCCD personnel, and staff from the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department s Alcohol & Drug Programs Prevention Services, and AOD Prevention Division. Following several rounds of review and elimination of items deemed least useful for the current study, the final version of the survey consisted of up to 106 items that would capture information relative to: student demographic information; prevalence of alcohol and other drug use; perceptions regarding the availability of alcohol to youth; actual and perceived consequences stemming from alcohol use; and settings and circumstances surrounding community college student drinking. The VCCCD Student Survey was initially developed as a self-administered paper and pencil instrument that would produce results comparable to the widely used Southern Illinois University Core Institute Alcohol and Drug Survey. 1 However, during the survey development process, the decision was made to conduct the survey via experienced SSRC interviewers at the Center s Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) facility, rather than through self-administered paper and pencil surveys. Sampling Procedure A database containing contact information for a random sample of 4,287 students currently enrolled at one or more of the VCCCD campuses was provided to SSRC by VCCCD. In addition to current telephone contact information, the sample data contained students age, gender, race/ethnicity, and campus attended. Students under the age of 18 and those without an available telephone number were excluded from the sampling frame. A non-proportional stratified sampling procedure was used to produce about 400 completed interviews with randomly selected students between 18 and 25 years of age at Ventura and Moorpark Colleges and about 350 at Oxnard College. About 100 students 26 years of age or older were randomly selected at each college. 2 Demographic information and current enrollment status were confirmed by SSRC telephone interviewers during survey administration.

13 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 9 Response Rate A total of 39,498 separate dial attempts were made to contact individuals comprising the sampling frame. As many as 30 call-back attempts were made in some instances to reach targeted survey participants. SSRC s estimated response rate for the VCCCD Student Survey is 70.12% and is a very acceptable outcome for a study of targeted respondents employing a questionnaire of this length. Over the course of about three and a half weeks, data were collected from RESPONSE 1,457 students 18 years of age or older who were enrolled at one of Ventura County s three community colleges. 1 Although the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Short and Long Form surveys have been available since 1989 and 1994 respectively, the Core Institute published the Community College Form in 2004 to capture data specific to community colleges. For more information, go to 2 Although the survey sample over-represented students 18 to 25 years of age and under-represented students 26 years of age and older, the sample was designed in this manner to produce results useful for targeted prevention efforts aimed at addressing underage and binge drinking among youth and youth adults.

14 10 Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Key Findings Respondents A total of 1,457 students from three community colleges in Ventura County Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura completed the VCCCD student telephone survey. Just over half of all respondents were female (51.6%), which is just slightly less than the percentage of females enrolled in the District s three colleges (55.8%). The age of students completing the survey ranged from 18 to 55, with an average age of 23 years old. The largest age group consisted of students 18 to 20 (53.2%), followed by those 21 to 25 (26.3%) and those 26 and older (20.5%). Again, although respondents under the age of 25 are over-represented in the survey, the sampling process was designed specifically to capture alcohol-related behaviors and perceptions primarily among youth and young adults. Table 1 depicts the distribution of respondents by college and age group. table 1 Age Group of Respondents by College Age Group College Moorpark Oxnard Ventura Total Sample 18 to (80.1%) 343 (76.9%) 406 (79.9%) 1,152 (79.1%) (19.9%) 103 (23.1%) 102 (20.1%) 305 (20.9%) Total 503 (34.5%) 446 (30.6%) 508 (34.9%) 1,457 (100.0%)

15 Ventura County Behavioral Health EVALCORP Research & Consulting Alcohol & Drug Programs 11 The distribution of race/ethnicity among survey respondents was roughly equivalent to the distribution of the entire VCCCD student population; however Caucasian/White and Asian students were somewhat underrepresented, and Hispanic/Latino students were slightly over-represented in the sample (see Table 2). table 2 Race/Ethnicity of Survey Respondents Caucasian or White Hispanic or Latino Asian Black or African American Other Total Survey Sample 43.3% 40.1% 6.1% 3.3% 7.2% 100.0% Fall 2005 Enrollment Data 50.1% 35.4% 9.1% 2.8% 2.6% 100.0% Most of the students surveyed had never been married (81.5%), over three-quarters (76.8%) worked 40 hours per week or more while attending school, and a majority (70.1%) planned to eventually transfer to a four-year institution. Prevalence of Alcohol Use Of all VCCCD students responding to the survey, approximately half (49.6%) had consumed alcohol during the past 30 days. More than one-quarter (26.2%) reported binge drinking during the past 30 days and almost 1 in 5 (19.1%) indicated that they had been binge drinking within the past two weeks. Binge Drinking Of those who reported drinking alcohol within the last 30 days, 53.6% met criteria for binge drinking on at least one day. When asked about the last two weeks, 72.9% of students who drink alcohol reported binge drinking at least once. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four (if female) or five (if male) drinks on one occasion.

16 Ventura County Behavioral Health 12 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Frequency of Drinking and Number of Drinks Consumed Those who indicated that they had consumed alcohol within the previous 30 days were asked about the number of days they drank and how much. Although the number of days reported ranged from 1 day to 30 days, the average number of days reported was six. When asked to report the most drinks consumed on any one day during the past 30 days, the average was 5.5 drinks; however, answers ranged from 1 drink to 40 drinks. Average Weekly Use Of those who reported drinking during the previous 30 days, the number of alcoholic beverages that students reported consuming in an average week ranged from 0 to 60 drinks. While the overall average number of drinks consumed was four, 11.7% of students indicated that they consumed 10 or more drinks during an average week. Problematic Use Four items comprising the CAGE Questionnaire were asked of VCCCD students. 3 The CAGE Questionnaire is a standardized instrument used to determine problematic drinking/dependence. Responding affirmatively to two or more of the four questions on the CAGE is considered to be clinically significant and suggests a problem with alcohol. Table 3 presents the percentage of students who responded positively to each of the items. table 3 Student Responses to CAGE Questionnaire Items Question Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking? Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover? Percent Responding Yes 18.2% 13.2% 9.9% 5.7% A total of 12.8 percent of VCCCD students met the criteria for problematic drinking/dependence; that is, they responded positively to two or more of the four CAGE items. A greater percentage of those meeting the problematic drinking/dependence criteria were 25 or younger (10.7%) compared with those 26 or older (2.1%). 3 Developed by Dr. John Ewing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The CAGE Questionnaire is an internationally used assessment instrument for identifying problem drinking and alcoholism. See J.A. Ewing (1984) Detecting Alcoholism: The CAGE Questionnaire JAMA 252:

17 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 13 Alcohol Use Prevalence by Age Group Analyses were run to explore differences in patterns of alcohol use by age group. Although detailed analyses of year old students (i.e., underage drinkers) are presented in a later section of the report, Table 4 presents an overview of significant differences observed among reported past 30 day consumption patterns. table 4 Reported Alcohol Use by Age Group (Past 30 Days) Age Group Used Alcohol Binge Drank Most Drinks in One Day (Average Number) 18 to % 25.1% to % 36.8% % 15.2% 3.7 All Students 49.7% 26.2% 5.5 Greater percentages of 21 to 25 year old students and those 26 and older reported drinking alcohol during the past 30 days compared with younger students. Still, 4 of 10 students (who were not of the legal drinking age) reported recent alcohol use. Moreover, underage students consumed the greatest average number of drinks (consumed on any one day during the past 30 days). Only 15.2 percent of students 26 and older met criteria for binge drinking compared with more than one third (36.8%) of students aged 21 to 25 and 1 in 4 underage students (25.1%). Other Drug Use Students also were asked to indicate whether they had used other drugs during the past 30 days. Although most (80% or more) reported that they had not used any other type of drugs, just under 20 percent reported having used tobacco, followed by marijuana (8.4%), and prescription or over-the-counter drugs (7.8%) for recreational purposes. The use of cocaine, club drugs (e.g., ecstasy or GHB), inhalants, methamphetamines/speed, or any other illegal drug was reported by less than 1 percent of respondents (see Figure 1).

18 Ventura County Behavioral Health 14 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting figure 1 Reported Use of Other Drugs During Past 30 Days Tobacco 19.5 Marijuana Prescription/OTC Cocaine Club drugs Other illegal drug Inhalants Methamphetamine/Speed Contextual Factors Surrounding Student Drinking Percent Setting In order to determine the settings and circumstances surrounding VCCCD student drinking behaviors, survey respondents were asked to discuss aspects of the occasion where they had consumed the most drinks during the past 30 days. The event where students reported consuming the greatest number of drinks during the past 30 days is referred to as their wettest event. figure 2 Settings of "Wettest" Events During Past 30 Days Private Residence Bar, Club or Restaurant 24.0% Outdoors 3.6% 1.7% 1.1% 69.6% Concert or Sports Event Hotel Room

19 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 15 As seen in Figure 2, the most common place in which students reported drinking the most was a private residence (69.6%). About one-quarter (24.0%) reported that their wettest event took place at a bar, club or restaurant. Outdoor locations (e.g., at a campground, park, beach or lake), a concert or sports event (e.g., in an arena or stadium), and hotel rooms were mentioned only by a small percentage of respondents. Of those who indicated that their wettest event was at a private residence, about 40 percent were drinking in their own residence and 60 percent reported drinking at someone else s place. More than 40 percent of those whose wettest event took place at a private residence said that they would describe the setting as a house party. Analyses were run to determine whether there were differences by age group relative to students wettest event (see Table 5). While 18 to 20 year olds were significantly more likely to drink at a private residence, 21 to 25 year olds were almost equally likely to drink at a private residence or bar/club or restaurant. 4 Most of those 26 years of age and older drank at a residence; however, about 1 in 4 had their wettest event in a bar/club or restaurant. table 5 Setting of Wettest Event by Age Group Age Group Private Residence Bar, Club, or Restaurant Outdoors Concert or Sports Event Hotel Room Total 18 to % 4.5% 4.9% 1.3% 1.6% 100.0% 21 to % 45.2% 1.9% 1.9% 0.8% 100.0% % 26.8% 4.0% 2.0% 0.7% 100.0% City of Residence and Location of Wettest Event The most commonly reported city of residence was Oxnard, as reported by about one-third (32.8%) of students. About 1 in 4 reported that their city of residence was either Ventura (15.2%) or Simi Valley (10.4%). Analyses run on the locations of licensed alcohol establishments within the county of Ventura also revealed that a majority of them are located in either Ventura (25.2%) or Oxnard (17.0%); given these facts, it is perhaps not surprising that these cities were some of the more commonly reported locations for students reported wettest events. 4 In this report, all noted statistically significant differences met a criteria of p <.05.

20 Ventura County Behavioral Health 16 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting When asked where the wettest event took place, the following cities in Ventura County were mentioned: Oxnard (20.3%); Ventura (17.1%); Thousand Oaks (7.2%); Simi Valley (7.2%); Camarillo (6.2%); Moorpark (3.7%); Port Hueneme (3.0%); Santa Paula (2.8%); Ojai (1.6%); or Fillmore (0.8%). The remaining 30 percent of students reported a wide range of cities/communities within the unincorporated areas of Ventura County or somewhere within a neighboring county such as Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or San Diego. Distance of Event from Home/Campus Students were asked to report the number of miles that their wettest event was from their home and from the campus they attended. The number of miles from home ranged from 0 to 300, with an overall average of 25 miles reported. Approximately 1 in 2 students (48.9%) reported that they had been drinking less than 10 miles from where they lived. Very few (1.2%) reported that they had been drinking on campus and the average distance from campus that students reported drinking was 23 miles. Number and Relationship to Attendees When asked how many people were present at their wettest event, the most frequent response was between 2 and 10 people in attendance (see Figure 3). About 30 percent of students reported 20 or more people at the event and almost 15 percent had been drinking at an event with 50 or more other people. Worth noting is that 4.9 percent of VCCCD students indicated that they had been drinking alone. Some (11.5%) reported being on a date at their wettest event. One-third of VCCCD students reported that there were underage drinkers present at their wettest event and 16.7% said that they were among total strangers on this occasion. figure 3 Number of Attendees at Wettest Event 60 Percent of Respondents Drank Alone 2 to to to to to to or more

21 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 17 Analyses also were conducted on those who reported a private residence was the location of their wettest event. Within this group of respondents, the average number of people present was 16.7 with a range of 1 to 200. Almost half (47.4%) of those who had been drinking at a private residence indicated that there were 10 or more people there with them. Type of Alcohol Consumed Among all students, the most common type of alcohol consumed was beer (58.1%), followed by cocktails/mixed drinks (31.3%), shots of liquor (26.5%), and wine (18.0%). However, it was found that the type of beverage consumed was associated with the age of the respondent (see Table 6). Younger students (18 to 25) were more likely to report drinking beer and/or liquor, while older students more often reported drinking wine. The greatest percentage of students who reported consuming cocktails were between 21 and 25 years of age. table 6 Type of Alcohol Consumed During Wettest Event by Age Group Shots of Age Group Beer Wine Liquor Cocktails 18 to % 11.8% 36.7% 25.6% 21 to % 14.3% 22.8% 40.5% % 34.7% 12.0% 27.3% All Students 58.1% 18.0% 26.5% 31.3% ALCOHOL

22 Ventura County Behavioral Health 18 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Co-occurring Circumstances Survey respondents were presented with a list of potentially co-occurring characteristics and asked to indicate all that applied to their recent wettest event. These circumstances suggest an increased likelihood of risk or potential harms stemming from alcohol use. As shown in Table 7, over 40 percent of students agreed that many people at their wettest event were high or intoxicated. Over 15 percent of respondents stated that people got sick and that illegal drugs were being used. More than 10 percent indicated that someone passed out. Fights and law enforcement breaking up the event, although reported by only a small percentage of students, also were reported to have taken place. Despite this, however, a vast majority reported the event was safe (90.2%) and that everyone there was under control (88.2%). table 7 Co-occurring Circumstances Co-occurring Circumstances Percent Characteristics suggesting a more risky event or potential harm stemming from alcohol use Many were high or intoxicated Event was BYOB One or more people got sick Others were playing drinking games Illegal drugs were being used Some were out of control Someone passed out Respondent was playing drinking games Drink specials/promotions were available There was a fight Police or Sheriff broke up event The event was safe for all participants Everyone there was under control Food was available 43.5% 23.7% 16.7% 16.7% 16.7% 13.2% 11.3% 10.9% 10.4% 3.6% 3.5% Characteristics suggesting a less risky event or potential harm stemming from alcohol use 90.2% 88.2% 76.2%

23 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 19 Approximately 9 out of 10 students reported that their recent wettest event was safe and under control despite reports of people being high or intoxicated, passing out, getting sick, fighting, and the police having to break up the event. Analyses were run to determine whether there were significant differences relative to these co-occurring drinking event characteristics based on the setting of the wettest event (i.e., private residence vs. a bar, club or restaurant). One notable finding was that a significantly greater number of respondents reported the use of illegal drugs at a private residence (19.6%) compared with those whose wettest event took place at an alcohol establishment (5.9%). Other than the use of illegal drugs, these events did not differ significantly based upon where the student had been drinking. Analyses also were run to determine differences relative to drinking event characteristics based on age group. Many notable findings were evidenced for underage drinkers which are presented in a later section of this report. Means of Obtaining Alcohol Almost half (47.3%) of all students reported that the alcohol consumed at their wettest event was purchased by themselves. Others stated that they obtained the alcohol by having someone else of legal age purchase it for them (27.4%) or that it was provided to them at no charge (25.3%). Two-thirds (66.7%) of all underage drinkers admitted that they gave money to someone they knew who was of legal age to purchase alcohol for them and 4.2 percent asked a stranger to purchase it for them. One in five underage students purchased the alcohol themselves, either with (9.1%) or without (12.7%) a fake ID. Mode of Transportation and Impaired Driving Students were asked about how they got home from their wettest event and whether they or someone they rode with had driven under the influence. The most common mode of getting home was by car, either with someone else (48.7%) or driving oneself (20.4%). Despite the high levels of drinking reported during students wettest events and the fact that almost 70 percent went home by car, only 4.3 percent of students reported that they or the person driving the vehicle they rode home in had been driving drunk.

24 Ventura County Behavioral Health 20 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting figure 4 Mode of Transportation to Wettest Event 60 Percent of students Riding in a car with someone else Driving a car Spent the night Walking, riding a bicycle or skateboarding Taking public transportation Perceptions Regarding the Accessibility of Alcohol and Potential Legal Sanctions More than 60 percent of students surveyed believed that it was very easy or somewhat easy for someone younger than 21 to obtain a fake ID, and 44.9 percent agreed that it was very easy or somewhat easy for youth to purchase alcohol at a store near where they lived (see Table 8). A significantly greater percentage of those 26 and older (68.3%) felt it was easy for underage persons to obtain a fake ID compared with younger students. Although not statistically significant, underage students (47.3%) were more likely to believe that it was easy for someone under 21 to purchase alcohol near where they lived. table 8 Perceived Ease of Access to Alcohol by Age Group Survey Question How easy is it for someone under 21 to obtain a fake ID if they want one? How easy is it for someone under 21 to purchase alcohol at stores near where you live? 61.8% 44.9% Very or Somewhat Easy All Students 18 to to % 47.3% 61.6% 42.7% 68.3% 40.9%

25 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 21 Many VCCCD students believed that the likelihood of an underage person being ticketed for trying to purchase alcohol was somewhat low. Only a little over one-third (36.3%) of all students felt it was likely that an underage person would be ticketed for asking a stranger to purchase alcohol for them and only half (49.9%) thought that it was likely that someone underage would get ticketed for attempting to purchase alcohol at a nearby store (see Table 9). table 9 Perceived Likelihood of Legal Sanctions by Age Group Survey Question How likely is it that an underage person would be ticketed for asking a stranger to purchase alcohol for them outside a store near where you live? How likely is it that an underage person would be ticketed for trying to purchase alcohol at a store near where you live? How likely is it that someone your age who was driving drunk would be arrested for a DUI? How likely is it that you would get hassled by law enforcement at a major house party near where you live? Very or Somewhat Likely All Students 18 to to % 35.3% 37.9% 37.6% 49.9% 47.4% 50.2% 57.3% 70.1% 67.9% 74.4% 70.9% 61.0% 64.2% 63.7% 48.2% A majority of all students (70.1%) felt that someone their own age would get arrested for a DUI if they had been driving drunk. When asked about the likelihood of being hassled by law enforcement at a major house party, over 60 percent of those 25 or younger felt that it was at least somewhat likely compared with just under half of older adults (48.2%). Although slight differences in perceptions were found by age group, none reached statistical significance, suggesting that perceptions about legal sanctions for alcohol use are relatively consistent among youth and adults. Consequences of Alcohol Use As part of the VCCCD Student Survey, respondents were asked to indicate which of a list of potential consequences happened to them as a result of their alcohol use during the past 12 months.

26 Ventura County Behavioral Health 22 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting figure 5 Percentage of VCCCD Students Reporting Negative Consequences as a Result of their Alcohol Use During the Past 12 Months Had a hangover 55.2 Became nauseous or vomited 37.9 Got into a verbal argument Was a passenger in a car with a drunk driver Had unprotected sex Drove under the influence Had unplanned sex Missed a class Got hurt or injured Performed poorly in school Got into a physical fight Damaged property Been in trouble with authorities Arrested for a DUI Was sexually assaulted Percent As seen in Figure 5, the most frequently reported consequences of alcohol use included the physiological effects commonly associated with drinking such as experiencing a hangover (55.2%) and becoming nauseous or vomiting (37.9%). More than 1 in 4 students reported having gotten into a verbal argument with someone as a result of drinking and 7.5 percent indicated that their alcohol use resulted in a physical fight. Almost 20 percent of students reported having unprotected or unplanned sex and a small percentage (1.3%) admitted that they had been sexually assaulted. Whereas 17.8 percent said that they had driven under the influence sometime during the past 12 months, only 1.5 percent indicated that they were arrested for a DUI. Academic consequences included missing a class (16.8%) and performing poorly in school (8.0%). Of all students who reported drinking during the past 12 months, 3 out of 4 experienced at least one or more negative consequences due to their alcohol use and 1 in 4 experienced four or more.

27 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 23 Special Populations The following presents findings from analyses run on two subpopulations deemed worthy of special attention; namely underage drinkers and heavy/frequent drinkers. Underage Drinkers In order to explore whether there were any meaningful differences among underage vs. of age drinkers, analyses were run comparing 18 to 20 year old students with those 21 and older. A number of noteworthy differences were found between the two groups. Past 30-Day Use Despite the fact that it is illegal, 2 out of 5 students under the age of 21 reported using alcohol during the past 30 days. Although significantly more students of legal drinking age reported drinking at least once within the past 30 days, rates of binge drinking for underage (25.1%) and of age (27.4%) students were similar (see Figure 6). figure 6 Reported Use of Alcohol and Binge Drinking During the Past 30 Days % % % 27.4% 0 Percent who used alcohol at least once Percent who binge drank at least once 18 to and older

28 Ventura County Behavioral Health 24 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Average Weekly Use Though the difference was not statistically significant, it was interesting to note that underage students reported a higher number of drinks consumed in an average week (4.4 drinks) compared with students 21 and older (3.6). Number of Drinks Consumed When asked to report the most drinks consumed on any one day during the past 30 days, the average number of drinks consumed was significantly greater for underage students (6.3 drinks) than for those 21 and older (5.0 drinks) (see Figure 7). figure 7 Most Drinks Consumed on Any One Day During the Past 30 Days Number of drinks to and older Location of Wettest Event When asked about the occasion in which students had consumed the greatest number of drinks (i.e., their wettest event), underage drinkers were more likely to report doing so in a private residence (87.7%) compared with older students (55.9%) (see Figure 8). Students 21 or older were much more likely to have reported drinking at a bar/club or restaurant (38.3%). Although the percentages are rather low, almost twice as many underage students reported drinking either outdoors or in a hotel room compared with older students.

29 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 25 figure 8 Location of "Wettest" Event by Age Group Private residence Bar, club or restaurant Outdoors at a campground, park, beach or lake Event in an arena or stadium Hotel room Percent 18 to and older A significantly greater percentage of underage respondents (59.8%) reported the presence of other underage drinkers at their recent wettest event compared with those who were of age (13.4%). Also, more than half of underage students (52.0%) reported that they had been drinking at a house party compared with students 21 and older (35.4%).

30 Ventura County Behavioral Health 26 Alcohol & Drug Programs EVALCORP Research & Consulting Co-occurring Circumstances Underage students reported significantly more risky co-occurring circumstances at their recent wettest event compared with their of age counterparts. Depending on the circumstance, underage students were 2 to 4 times more likely to report its occurrence. Moreover, the percentage of underage students who responded that the circumstance had occurred was higher on 10 of the 11 items asked on the survey (see Table 10). The one item reported by a greater percentage of students 21 and older (i.e., drink specials/promotions were available) likely is due to the fact that a bar, club or restaurant was more often the location of their wettest event). table 10 Co-occurring Circumstances by Age Group 18 to Characteristics suggesting a more risky event and potential harms Many were high or intoxicated Event was BYOB One or more people got sick 55.6% 31.0% 22.8% 34.2% 18.4% 11.9% Others were playing drinking games Illegal drugs were being used Some were out of control Someone passed out Respondent was playing drinking games Drink specials/promotions were available There was a fight Police or Sheriff broke up event 29.4% 26.6% 18.6% 17.7% 18.2% 6.2% 4.2% 4.2% 7.0% 9.4% 9.3% 6.7% 5.2% 13.7% 3.2% 2.9% Characteristics suggesting a less risky event and potential harms The event was safe for all participants Everyone there was under control 91.9% 86.7% 89.2% 89.5% Despite significantly higher percentages of risky circumstances reported by underage students, no significant differences were found regarding their perceptions about how safe or under control the event was.

31 EVALCORP Research & Consulting Ventura County Behavioral Health Alcohol & Drug Programs 27 Consequences of Alcohol Use Significantly more underage students reported negative consequences stemming from alcohol. In fact, 4 out of 5 underage students experienced at least one negative consequence during the previous year as a direct result of their alcohol use compared with approximately two-thirds of students 21 and older. A number of significant differences were found relative to the specific alcohol-related consequences reported by underage vs. of age students. Those under the legal drinking age responded affirmatively more often than those students who were of age on 9 of 15 potential consequences assessed through the survey. As shown in Figure 9, many underage students experienced hangovers, became nauseous, or had arguments due to drinking. More than 1 in 3 rode with an impaired driver and 1 in 4 admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol. More than twice as many underage students reported getting hurt or injured than their of age counterparts. Twice as many underage students admitted to damaging property. Significant differences also were evidenced in the percentages of underage students who missed class or performed poorly in school as a direct result of alcohol use. figure 9 Percentage of VCCCD Students Reporting Negative Consequences as a Result of their Alcohol Use During the Past 12 Months by Age Group Percent of students Had a hangover Became nauseous or vomited 21.6 Got into a verbal arguement 20.9 Was a passenger in a car with a drunk driver Drove under the influence 23.6 Missed a class Got hurt or injured Performed poorly in school Damaged property 18 to and older