HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gfroerer, J C Articles by Wright, D A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gfroerer, J C Articles by Wright, D A

Substance use in the US college-age population: differences according to educational status and living arrangement.

J C Gfroerer, J C Greenblatt and D A Wright

Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Md 20857, USA.

OBJECTIVES: Substance use in the college-age population is an important public health and educational concern. This study compared rates of use among college students and nonstudents, including high school dropouts, from a single data source representative of the nation. METHODS: Rates of use were estimated from the combined National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse from 1991 to 1993. Logistic regression models were used to test the effects of educational status and living arrangement. RESULTS: Educational status and living arrangement were found to be significant predictors of substance use. Rates of illicit drug and cigarette use were highest among high school dropouts, while current and heavy alcohol use were highest among college students who did not live with their parents. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variation in substance use patterns within the college-age population suggests that overall rates of use for young adults should not be used to characterize specific subgroups of young adults. These data from a single source will thus help planners more clearly distinguish the service needs of the diverse subgroups within this population.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Blanco, M. Okuda, C. Wright, D. S. Hasin, B. F. Grant, S.-M. Liu, and M. Olfson Mental Health of College Students and Their Non-College-Attending Peers: Results From the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions Arch Gen Psychiatry, December 1, 2008; 65(12): 1429 - 1437. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Audrain-McGovern, C. Hughes Halbert, D. Rodriguez, L. H. Epstein, and K. P. Tercyak Predictors of Participation in a Smoking Cessation Program among Young Adult Smokers Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., March 1, 2007; 16(3): 617 - 619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L.-T. Wu, D. J. Pilowsky, W. E. Schlenger, and D. Hasin Alcohol Use Disorders and the Use of Treatment Services Among College-Age Young Adults Psychiatr Serv, February 1, 2007; 58(2): 192 - 200. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L.-T. Wu and C. Ringwalt Use of Substance Abuse Services by Young Uninsured American Adults Psychiatr Serv, August 1, 2005; 56(8): 946 - 953. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. O'Hare and M. V. Sherrer Assessment of Youthful Problem Drinkers: Validating the Drinking Context Scale (DCS-9) with Freshman First Offenders Research on Social Work Practice, March 1, 2005; 15(2): 110 - 117. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. S. Slutske Alcohol Use Disorders Among US College Students and Their Non-College-Attending Peers Arch Gen Psychiatry, March 1, 2005; 62(3): 321 - 327. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Kypri, J. D. Langley, R. McGee, J. B. Saunders, and S. Williams HIGH PREVALENCE, PERSISTENT HAZARDOUS DRINKING AMONG NEW ZEALAND TERTIARY STUDENTS Alcohol Alcohol., September 1, 2002; 37(5): 457 - 464. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Sharmer Evaluation of Alcohol Education Programs on Attitude, Knowledge, and Self-Reported Behavior of College Students Eval Health Prof, September 1, 2001; 24(3): 336 - 357. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. S. Baer, D. R. Kivlahan, A. W. Blume, P. McKnight, and G. A. Marlatt Brief Intervention for Heavy-Drinking College Students: 4-Year Follow-Up and Natural History Am J Public Health, August 1, 2001; 91(8): 1310 - 1316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Druss and H. Pincus Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts in General Medical Illnesses Arch Intern Med, May 22, 2000; 160(10): 1522 - 1526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. A. Vega, E. Alderete, B. Kolody, and S. Aguilar-Gaxiola Adulthood Sequela of Adolescent Heavy Drinking among Mexican Americans Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, May 1, 2000; 22(2): 254 - 266. [Abstract] [PDF]