Alcohol and Health by University of South Carolina Department of Student Life

Alcohol and Health

Objectives   Discuss the alcohol use patterns of college

students and overall trends in consumption.

  Explain the physiological and behavioral effects of

alcohol, including blood alcohol concentration, absorption, metabolism, physical and mental impairments, and immediate and long-term effects of alcohol consumption.

  Explain the symptoms and causes of alcoholism, its cost to society, effects on the family, and treatment options.

High-Risk Drinking and College Students   Alcohol consumption is the number one cause of

preventable death among undergraduate students.

  Alcohol exacerbates risk for suicide, automobile crashes, and falls.

  Customs and traditions encourage dangerous practices and patterns of alcohol use.

  Advertising and promotions target college students.   College students are more likely to drink recklessly.   Students are vulnerable to peer influence.   Administrators often deny a problem exists. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

Standard Drink

SOLO!

Poll the Audience Get out you cell phones!

Do all USC students drink?   92.6% of USC students think that the average USC student uses alcohol at least once a week

  40% of USC students report that they abstain from drinking alcohol after first six weeks on campus (AlcoholEdu)

  41% of U101 students in 2012 reported not drinking in the first semester (U101)

  66% of students reported that they successfully

refused an offer of alcohol and other drugs (CORE Data)

  Rates of drinking for men compared to women on campus are roughly the same

Alcohol Use Among SC Students   Findings from 2012 CORE Data   88.9% of student consumed alcohol within the past       

year 78.7% of students consumed alcohol in the past 30 days 77.2% of underage students consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days 57.0% reported binge drinking in the 2 weeks prior to being surveyed 46.5% reported some for of public misconduct as a result of drinking

Absorption and Metabolism   About 20% of absorption occurs in the stomach.   About 80% of absorption occurs in the small intestine.

  Factors that influence absorption           

Size Gender Rate of consumption Strength of the drink Drug use Food in stomach

Binge Drinking   4 or more drinks for a female within a two hour period

  5 or more drinks for a male within a two hour window

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)   Ratio of alcohol to total blood volume   The legal limit for BAC of 21+ is 0.08%   Both breath analysis (breathalyzer tests) and

urinalysis are used to determine whether an individual is legally intoxicated, but blood tests are more accurate.

  Learned behavioral tolerance—though BAC

may be quite high, the individual has learned to modify his behavior to appear sober.

Tolerance   A person’s sensitivity to alcohol   Everybody is born with an initial tolerance level that is genetically established, but it can change as a person drinks more or less   Every time a person drinks to intoxication, their tolerance level increases

Physical Impairments   Staggered walking

  Lowered breathing rate

  Slurred speech

  Lowered heart rate

  Decreased gross motor

  Impaired sensations

control

  Bladder functioning

  Temporary impotence

Mental Impairments   Decreased judgment

  Sleep disturbances   Lack of

concentration

  Slowed reaction time

  Decreased

reasoning skills

  Memory

The Psychological and Physical Effects Of Alcohol

Effects of Alcohol on the Body and Health

ÂŠ 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

Drinking and Driving   Thirty-two percent of all traffic fatalities in 2008 were alcohol related.

  In 2009, there were 10,839 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the United States.   This represents one alcohol-related fatality every 45 minutes.

  The likelihood of a driver being involved in a fatal crash rises significantly with a BAC of 0.05% and even more rapidly after 0.08%.

Percentage of Fatally Injured Drivers with BACs Greater Than 0.08%, by Driver Age, 1982-2009

ÂŠ 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

Alcohol Abuse and Dependence   Alcohol use becomes alcohol abuse when it interferes

with work, school, or social and family relationships or when it entails law violations, including DUI.

  Alcohol dependence occurs when alcohol use is so severe that stopping alcohol results in withdrawal symptoms.

  Identifying a person with Alcohol Dependency   Craving, loss of control, tolerance, psychological dependence, and withdrawal symptoms must be present to qualify a drinker as an addict.   About 15% of people in the United States are problem drinkers.   One study shows that 19% of college students meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Causes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism   Biological and Family Factors   Higher rates of alcoholism occur among children of alcoholics.   Scientists have not identified an alcoholism gene.

  Social and Cultural Factors   Family attitudes   Attitudes of peers/social groups

Variables affecting Biological Risk   Parent, grandparent or other blood relative with alcoholism

  Multiple blood relatives with alcoholism   Alcohol dependence developed fairly rapidly in relatives   The individual has an unusually high initial tolerance to alcohol

  An early initial experience with alcohol   The ability to drink in higher quantities than you were when you first began

Alcohol and Prescription Drug Abuse   Young adults aged 18 to 24 are at most risk for concurrent or simultaneous abuse of both alcohol and drugs.

  Alcohol and prescription drugs taken together can cause       

Alcohol poisoning Unconsciousness Respiratory depression Death

  Opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and sleeping aids are most often combined with alcohol.

National Statistics •  25% of students report having academic problems due to excessive alcohol use

•  Drinking by college students (ages 18-24) contributes to: –  1,700 deaths –  599,000 injuries –  97,000 sexual assault cases

EACH YEAR! Information available from NIAAA National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Costs to Society   Alcohol-related societal costs are estimated to

be over $185 billion when health insurance, criminal justice costs, treatment costs, and lost productivity are factored in.

  Alcoholism is directly or indirectly responsible

for over 25% of the nation's medical expenses and lost earnings.

  Underage drinking costs $61.9 billion annually.   Costs include violence, drunk driving, high-risk sex, property crime, and addiction treatment.

Treatment & Relapse   Treatment Options Include:   Private Facilities   Group/Individual Therapy

  Success rates vary but over half of alcoholics

relapse within the first 3 months of treatment.   Treatment requires more than drinking cessation.   There must be a guard against relapse.   Identifying situations that could result in relapse, such as

becoming angry, frustrated, being around drinkers, being pressured to drink, must be identified.   Joining a support group helps.   Effective recovery programs help addicts create self-esteem and resume personal growth. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

5 Guidelines for Intervening   Make Clear Statements   Use the First Person “I”   Be Non-Judgmental & Non-Threatening   Give a Reason for Your Actions   Be Pleasant & Use Non-Confrontational Strategies

Resources in the Carolina Community BIT Referral System   Behavioral Intervention Team   http://www.housing.sc.edu/bit/

SAPE Oﬃce   (803) 777-‐3933

USC PD   (803) 777-‐4215

Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention & Prevention   (803) 777-‐8248

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)   (803)254-‐5301

Counseling Center   (803) 777-‐5223

Questions?

Thank You! For further information, please contact: Krishma Naik SAPE Program Coordinator (803) 777-5781 knaik@mailbox.sc.edu