An exploration of student perceptions and practices by ethnicity regarding alcohol-free Late-Night entertainment

American Journal of Health Studies, Spring-Summer, 2003 by Dolores W. Maney, Jean-Pierre Laurenceau-Medina, Sharon Mortensen, Joseph J. Vasey, Betty Moore, Sarah C. Gates

Abstract: Penn State's alcohol-free LateNight entertainment program was chosen by the U. S. Department of Education as a model prevention program. One purpose of the 1999 program evaluation was to assess ethnic minority and non-minority participants' (a) participation, (b) belief that participating results in less drinking for oneself and others, and (c) perceived social identity. Results showed that ethnic minority respondents were significantly (p < .05) more inclined to participate than non-minority respondents. No significant differences were noted, however, regarding perceptions that participation results in less alcohol use for self (p < .69) or others (p < .59). Non-minority respondents also did not differ significantly (p < .62) in social identity from minority respondents. Social and cultural considerations for prevention programming are discussed.

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While many institutions of higher education increasingly rely on environmental management, or environmental prevention, approaches to improve the fives of students and community members, high-risk drinking and subsequent problems remain a serious threat to the health and human development of college students (Engs, Hanson, & Diebold, 1996; Migneault, Velicer, Prochaska, & Stevenson, 1999; Page, Scanlan, & Gilbert, 1999; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1997; Wechsler, Davenport, Dowdall, Moeykens, & Costillo, 1994; Wechsler, et al., 1994; Wechsler, Dowdall, Maenner, Glendhill-Hoy, & Lee, 1998; Wechsler, Dowdall, Davenport, & DeJong, 1999). A guiding principle of Healthy People 2010, the health promotion and disease prevention agenda for Americans, is to improve the health of individuals, families, and community members using systematic, comprehensive, organizational, and policy approaches (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000). Environmental prevention is one example of efforts by institutions of higher education to embrace this national goal. The LateNight Penn State alcohol-free alternative activity program, which is the basis of this research, coincides with the organizational approach for reducing alcohol abuse and related problems among its University students.

The patterns for high-risk drinking, or "binge drinking," among college students are defined by national alcohol abuse prevention experts as drinking four or five or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting within the past two weeks (Wechsler & Isaac, 1992; Wechsler, Davenport, Dowdall, Moeykens, & Castillo, 1994; Wechsler, Dowdall, Davenport, & DeJong, 1999). Consequently, many institutions of higher education weigh the social economy of instituting environmental prevention strategies, such as providing alcohol-free options, to offset their students' high-risk drinking practices. As noted by DeJong, et al. (1998), school policymakers cannot expect students to say "no" to alcohol misuse if the environment says "yes." It is expected that alcohol-free entertainment will curb the appeal to say "yes" to binge-drinking behaviors because enjoyable alcohol-free activities could positively alter the normative beliefs about what constitutes "fun" within the college student environment. The value of college-based alcohol-free options to individuals, communities, and societies is great (DeJong, 1997), especially with regard to opportunities for participation in positive social interactions outside the context of alcohol. Zimmerman (1997) supports environmental prevention strategies, stating, "student behavior is influenced by policy decisions affecting the availability of alcohol and other drugs on- and off-campus, the level of enforcement of regulations and laws, and the availability and attractiveness of alcohol-free social and recreational opportunities" (p. 1).

The purpose of the study was to assess the alcohol-related perceptions and practices of students who attend the LateNight entertainment program. A brief review of literature describing the drinking prevalence and patterns of both ethnic minority and non-minority adults, including college students, is shown below.

The drinking patterns among adult Americans have been documented by federal health agencies to vary based on race or ethnicity. In 1997, the USDHHS reported that within the general population of adults age 18 and older, Whites (65.9%) and Hispanics (66.9%) were more likely to be current drinkers, while fewer African Americans (61.6%) reported current drinking. Among respondents reporting weekly drinking, again, the prevalence of alcohol use among Whites (30.2%) and Hispanics (26.5%) was higher than African Americans (25.8%). The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (1999) "Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System" survey also revealed alcohol-use patterns that were fairly consistent with the USDHHS estimates shown above. For example, for those who reported drinking at least once within the past month, a greater proportion were Whites (56.3%) and Hispanics (49.7%), while African Americans reported the lowest (44.7%) alcohol use. When asked about high-risk drinking (i.e., defined by the CDC as consuming five or more drinks on any one occasion during the past month), however, the racial differences (1999) varied somewhat. For example, Hispanics (7.1%) and Other racial groups (7.2%) reported a higher prevalence of high-risk drinking than did Whites (6.7%). Regardless, the CDC found that African Americans (4.9%) reported the lowest prevalence of high-risk drinking overall.