Health behavior and college students: does Greek affiliation matter?

Personal and perceived public stigma toward students seeking help for alcohol use among undergraduate students in the southeastern United States

Objective: Stigma is a known barrier to seeking behavioral health support and treatment. This study assesses college students' stigma toward students seeking help for alcohol use. Participants: 237 students from a diverse major at a private university in the southeastern United States. Method: Respondents reported personal stigma and public stigma (i.e., the estimated prevalence of personal stigma among peers). We compared public stigma estimates with the prevalence of respondents' personal stigma. Logistic regression models were fit to estimate correlates of overestimating public stigma. Results: More than 70% overestimated public stigma. Estimates from regression models indicated that consuming alcohol 3+ days per week (aOR = 4.63; 95% CI 1.39-15.41; p = 0.012) and personal stigma (aOR = 14.06; 95% CI 3.64-54.36; p < 0.001) were associated with overestimating public stigma. Conclusions: Students overestimated public stigma toward students seeking help for alcohol use. Future research should assess whether correcting overestimates increases help-seeking for alcohol use.

The interaction between Greek affiliation and religiosity on problem drinking in college students

Objective: Greek affiliation is associated with increased problem drinking in college, while religiosity typically offers protective benefits. The current study examined the interaction between Greek status and religiosity-both public (e.g., religious attendance) and private (e.g., prayer frequency)-on problem drinking. Participants and Methods: Undergraduates (N = 477) completed an online survey battery in late spring 2019, at the end of their freshman year. Results: Analyses focused on prayer frequency were not significant; however, the two-way interaction between Greek affiliation and religious attendance was significant. There was no difference in problem drinking across Greek and non-Greek students when religious attendance was low. As frequency of religious attendance increased, Greek students engaged in increased problem drinking compared to non-Greek students. Conclusions: Greek involvement may undermine the protective authority of religious practices on problem drinking, in part through moral licensing, whereby morally sound behaviors (i.e., religious attendance) may justify past or future problem drinking.

Fraternity and sorority membership and risky sexual behavior

Objectives: To determine the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on condom use during sex. Methods: Utilizing data from The American College Health Association (ACHA) National College Health Assessment from 2016-2018, we estimated a linear probability, logistic, and instrumental variable model to determine the relationship between fraternity and sorority membership and the frequency of condom use during sex. Results: Compared to non-fraternity members, fraternity members experience an increase in sex without a condom for both oral sex (13.5%, 95% ci= 0.048, 0.221) and anal sex (28.5%, 95% ci= 0.174, 0.396). Compared to non-sorority members, sorority members are more likely to engage in oral sex without a condom. This result is not robust to single sorority members. Conclusions: Fraternity membership increases the probability of risky oral and anal sex. Policy Implications: The reduced use of condoms has implications on sexual health including an increased risk of contracting or spreading sexually transmitted infections.

Examining Emailed Feedback as Boosters After a College Drinking Intervention Among Fraternities and Sororities: Rationale and Protocol for a Remote Controlled Trial (Project Greek)

Background

College students involved in Greek life (ie, members of fraternities and sororities) tend to engage in more high-risk alcohol use and experience more negative consequences than those not involved in Greek life. Web-based alcohol interventions, such as Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO, have been successful in reducing alcohol use and consequences among the general college student population, but interventions targeting alcohol reduction among those involved in Greek life have had limited success. Booster emails including personalized feedback regarding descriptive norms and protective behavioral strategies have shown potential in increasing the effectiveness of web-based interventions among college drinkers. Studies are needed to determine the efficacy of these boosters among those involved in Greek life.

Objective

The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of booster emails sent to Greek life students who complete Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO. Specifically, we expect that participants who receive the booster emails will reduce their alcohol consumption and related problems (primary aim 1), reduce perceived peer drinking, and increase the number of protective behavioral strategies they use over time (primary aim 2) relative to those who do not receive boosters. Contingent upon finding the emailed booster efficacious and sufficient enrollment of members from each organization, an exploratory aim is to examine social mechanisms of change (ie, through selection vs socialization).

Methods

This study is a remote, controlled intervention trial following participants for up to 6 months. Participants must be aged at least 18 years, undergraduate students, and members of a participating fraternity or sorority. Eligible participants complete a web-based baseline survey to assess their alcohol consumption behaviors and beliefs, including norms and protective behavioral strategies, and information about their social networks. After completing the baseline survey, they participate in the web-based intervention. Follow-up surveys are sent 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. Those in the booster condition also receive emails containing personalized feedback at 2 weeks and 14 weeks after the intervention. Latent growth models and R-Simulation Investigation for Empirical Network Analysis will be used to analyze the data.

Results

As of September 2022, we have enrolled 18 participants from 2 fraternities and 2 sororities, and they have completed the baseline survey. Overall, 72% (13/18) of participants have completed the 1-month follow-up. Enrollment will continue through December 2022.

Conclusions

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of personalized feedback booster emails sent after an alcohol intervention among members of college Greek life. A secondary, exploratory aim is to provide information about social mechanisms of change (if possible). The current methodology targets whole network recruitment, with chapter presidents serving as gatekeepers and facilitators. Unique challenges of recruiting whole networks and working with campus administrators are discussed.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05107284; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05107284

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/42535

The behavioral economics of alcohol demand in Greek-affiliated college students

BACKGROUND

College students affiliated with fraternity and sorority, or "Greek" life represent a known high-risk group for alcohol consumption and related consequences, but little is known about demand for alcohol in this population. The current study examined behavioral economic demand for alcohol in a sample of Greek life-affiliated undergraduate students using the alcohol purchase task (APT) and a novel variation of the APT that included a fixed-price, nonalcoholic alternative (APT Choice).

METHODS

Participants (n = 229) completed the APT, APT Choice, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ). Group demand indices were calculated for the entire sample and then separately for participants who met or did not meet the legal drinking age (21+ or underage, respectively). Independent-sample t tests assessed whether there were any significant differences between the two age cohorts in the percent change in each behavioral economic index from the APT to APT Choice. Tests of correlation evaluated the construct validity of the demand indices from both hypothetical purchase tasks.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics on alcohol use in this Greek-affiliated sample revealed "hazardous" drinking scores, with AUDIT-C scores exceeding the threshold of alcohol misuse. These measures were significantly correlated with demand indices from both APT conditions, and demand was inversely related to price; however, demand for alcohol was reduced when a nonalcoholic alternative was available. Both age cohorts reported a reduction in BP₁ (highest price of nonzero consumption) and an increase in α (rate of change in elasticity), but these changes were significantly greater among underage participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Although Greek life-affiliated students demonstrate high demand for alcohol, the concurrent availability of a nonalcoholic alternative reduces alcohol demand, particularly for underage students. These findings suggest that nonalcoholic options may enhance the effectiveness of increasing alcohol prices to reduce alcohol consumption among students at higher risk for alcohol use.

Changes in college student alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Are perceived drinking norms still relevant?

With widespread concern for increased alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a pressing need to examine changes in young adults' alcohol use and to identify antecedents of increased use. We tested the hypothesis that self-reported changes in alcohol use during the pandemic (frequency, quantity, heavy episodic drinking) would relate to perceptions of peers' changes in alcohol use. In April of 2020, 507 college students self-reported changes in their alcohol use and perceived changes in use for typical students at their university (i.e., norms). Most students in our sample reported decreased alcohol use and perceived decreases in peers' alcohol use. Perceptions of peers' changes in alcohol use behavior strongly related to changes in students' own alcohol use. Findings provide strong support for norms-based strategies that can correct normative misperceptions by highlighting the fact that most college students are not in fact engaging in heavier alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building a Model to Predict Sexual Assault Victimization Frequency Among Undergraduate Women

Previous research has identified several factors, including sexual risk behaviors, alcohol consumption, sexual refusal assertiveness, impulse control difficulties, drinking to cope, and sex to cope, as being associated with sexual assault victimization. Data were collected from 465 adult, undergraduate women, and analyzed using structural equation modeling to determine how these variables related to one another. Results showed that together, these factors predicted 17.1% of the variance in victimization frequency. These findings may help future researchers better understand the etiology of sexual assault victimization on college campuses and prove crucial to the development of future intervention programs which reduce victimization.

Cigarette, waterpipe, and electronic cigarette use among college fraternity and sorority members and athletes in the United States

To examine the association between fraternity/sorority membership and athlete status with tobacco use by tobacco product type. Participants: Undergraduate college students who participated in the Spring 2017 National College Health Assessment-II Survey (n = 47,821). Methods: Prevalence of current (past-30 day) cigarette smoking, waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS), and e-cigarette (ECIG) use was examined. Logistic regressions examined associations between fraternity/sorority membership and participation in collegiate athletics with tobacco use. Results: Fraternity/sorority members had the highest current use rates for cigarettes, waterpipe tobacco, and ECIGs and were nearly twice as likely to report cigarette smoking, WTS, and ECIG use relative to non-fraternity/sorority members. Relative to non-varsity athletes, varsity athletes were less likely to report cigarette smoking and WTS, but not ECIG use. Conclusions: Fraternity/sorority members appear to be at risk for use of multiple tobacco products. Varsity athlete status may be protective for some tobacco products, but does not appear no for ECIG use. ECIGs may appeal to groups typically at low risk for other tobacco products.

The Health Behaviours of Students from Selected Countries-A Comparative Study

Health behaviour defined as any behaviour that may affect an individual's physical and mental health or any behaviour that an individual believes may affect their physical health. It is strongly related to their culture and plays a major role in shaping all health and illness-related behaviour. The purpose of the study was to compare and evaluate the lifestyles of students from multiple countries. The proposed work will determine the deficits in health behaviors undertaken by students. The survey was carried out from December 2016 to March 2017 comprising 532 students from Poland, Hungary, Turkey, and Greece. The sample was selected using the snowball method: a link to the online questionnaire was sent to students from the given countries via the Internet. For some participants, who did not have access to the online questionnaire, printed copies were used instead. As a method was used a diagnostic survey and the survey technique. The opinions of students were measured using the 5-level Likert scale with a neutral option. Students undertook health-promoting activities, but also list behaviours that did not contribute to strengthening their health. Students were shown to have the greatest problems with physical health behaviours and health prevention. There were noticeable differences in the lifestyle of students from different countries.

Selection and socialization accounts of the relation between fraternity membership and sexual aggression

OBJECTIVE

The current project aims to enhance our understanding of the well-established relation between fraternity membership and sexual aggression on college campuses. Most prior research has been cross-sectional and unable to distinguish selection and socialization accounts of the relation, and only one prior longitudinal study has simultaneously examined selection and socialization effects.

METHOD

Fraternity membership, sexual aggression, binge drinking, sociosexual attitudes and behaviors, and perceived peer sexual aggression were assessed for 772 male participants (n = 116 fraternity members) in a longitudinal survey study from the summer prior to college through Year 2 of college.

RESULTS

Longitudinal path analyses revealed three key findings. First, fraternity membership was prospectively correlated with sexual aggression in Years 1 and 2 of college (socialization effect), controlling for selection effects, when the two prospective paths were constrained to be equivalent. Second, more frequent binge drinking and sociosexual attitudes prior to college prospectively correlated with an increased likelihood of joining a fraternity (selection effect), and both selection variables indirectly correlated with future sexual aggression via fraternity membership. Third, fraternity membership was associated with increased binge drinking and perceived peer sexual aggression (socialization effects).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings identify critical targets for the prevention of sexually aggressive behavior that are linked to fraternity membership: Binge drinking and sociosexual attitudes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Social Norms vs. fear Appeals: Mixing Alcohol with Prescription Drugs - a Message Testing Study

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived effectiveness of a social norms message to a fear appeal message regarding prescription drug use and alcohol interactions among college students. Participants: Participants (n = 378) were college students enrolled at a large public Midwest university. Methods: Researchers used a cross-sectional research design to collect data from undergraduate college students. Messages were randomly assigned to one of two residence halls and were assessed using an electronic survey. Participants anonymously evaluated the messages based on their understanding, interest, creativity, believability, relevance, and usefulness using an online questionnaire. Results: Results from the General Linear Model analysis indicated a significant effect for the gender x message interaction, with females rating the fear appeal message higher than males. Significant effects were also found for the main effects of gender, message type, and Greek status. Conclusion: Overall, students preferred the fear appeal to the social norms message. Participants found the social norms message less believable than the fear appeal and indicated they understood the fear appeal better than the social norms message. However, social norm messages appeared to resonate better with abstainers than with regular alcohol users.

Adolescent Behavioral Characteristics Mediate Familial Effects on Alcohol Use and Problems in College-Bound Students

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest a broad spectrum of behaviors associated with drinking. Consequently, it is unclear whether patterns of familial risk for psychopathology are directly or indirectly related to patterns of alcohol use and problems in late adolescence or mediated by behavioral characteristics, such as temperament, mood.

OBJECTIVES

We examined direct and indirect effects of perceived family history of psychopathology on pre-collegiate alcohol use and problems via the Transmissible Liability Index (TLI).

METHODS

Participants (N = 302; 29.6% male) provided self-report data on age of onset of drinking, past 90-day frequency of alcohol use and problems (AUP), family history of internalizing and alcohol and illicit substance use, and TLI.

RESULTS

Approximately 21% of participants reported having at least one relative with a history of regular and/or problematic alcohol use, compared to 12% for illicit substance use, and -55% for internalizing problems. Higher TLI scores were associated with increased family history of substance use, alcohol use, and internalizing problems, as well as earlier age of onset of drinking. Family history of internalizing problems was the most robust indicator of AUP (β = 0.20 [95% CI = 0.04-0.36], P = .01). Path analyses suggested that the individual-level behaviors that comprise TLI mediate the effects of family history on age of initiation and regular alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Family history of internalizing, drinking, and illicit substance use reflect generalized risk for a broad set of behaviors associated with risk for alcohol initiation and use during the transition from high school to college.

Sorority Membership and Sexual Victimization: An Examination of Potential Mediators of the Association

This study examined putative mediators of the association between sorority membership and sexual victimization among 718 women who were enrolled in their first year of college. Data were collected through anonymous, self-report surveys that assessed sexual victimization in college, two hypothesized mediator variables (i.e., alcohol misuse and number of sexual partners), and four control variables (i.e., minority racial status, residence in a coed dorm, behavioral and psychological problems before college, and sexual victimization before college). Values for both sexual victimization variables were collapsed into one of three categories (i.e., no victimization, moderately severe victimization, severe victimization). Bivariate analyses revealed sorority members had higher levels of alcohol misuse, number of sexual partners, and severe sexual victimization in college than did nonmembers. Multivariate analyses showed number of sexual partners mediated the association between sorority membership and both types of sexual victimization in college, whereas alcohol misuse mediated the association between sorority membership and severe sexual victimization in college only. Implications of the findings for future research and prevention, along with limitations of the study, are discussed.

"College fields of study and substance use"

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have documented factors that are associated with substance use behaviors among college-aged individuals. However, relatively few studies have considered the heterogeneity of the college experience by field of study (i.e., college major) and how that educational context might affect students' health behaviors differently. Drawing from theories and prior research, this study investigates whether college majors are associated with different substance use behaviors, both during college and upon graduation.

METHODS

The study analyzed longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97 (N = 1031), specifically data on individuals who obtained a bachelor's degree, to examine the associations between college fields of study and trajectories of three substance use behaviors: smoking, heavy alcohol use, and marijuana use.

RESULTS

The results indicate that social science and business majors were associated with more substance use behaviors than arts and humanities and STEM majors. However, social science majors were associated with a faster decrease in substance use behaviors over time. Importantly, the differences we found in mean levels of substance use behaviors and trajectories were not explained by demographic characteristics, family SES background, childhood health conditions, and employment experience. Further analysis that examined college major and each substance use behavior individually suggests that the associations were stronger for heavy alcohol use and marijuana use. Moreover, we found the associations were more pronounced in men than women.

CONCLUSIONS

The study finds that not all college majors show the same level of engagement in substance use behaviors over time, and that the associations also vary by (1) the specific substance use behavior examined and (2) by gender. These findings suggest it is important to consider that the different learning and educational contexts that college majors provide may also be more or less supportive of certain health behaviors, such as substance use. Practical implications are discussed.

Is Greek affiliation a prescription for drug abuse? Examining misuse of prescription stimulants and downers in high school and college

Objective: Compared to nonaffiliated students, Greek students engage in higher rates of prescription drug abuse (PDA). We examined PDA among Greek students compared to non-Greek students, and whether PDA in high school predicted joining a Greek organization in college.Participants: From November to December 2014, 509 undergraduate students at a large, southeastern institution participated in an online survey.Methods: Stratified random sampling with academic classification as the strata; chi-square analyses were conducted to test study hypotheses.Results: Greek students were no more likely than non-Greek students to ever engage in overall PDA. However, Greek students were significantly more likely to report abuse of stimulants, but not downers, in college and in high school.Conclusions: Future research to examine individual types of prescription drugs abused in high school and their affiliation with PDA among Greek students, compared to non-Greek students, in college is warranted.

Examining the Role of Childhood Adversity on Excess Alcohol Intake and Tobacco Exposure among US College Students

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are often associated with substance use behaviors such as drinking excess alcohol and tobacco use. Resilience may protect individuals from engaging in these maladaptive behaviors following ACEs. Objectives: We examined the associations between ACEs and excessive alcohol consumption, and ACEs and tobacco intake and exposure among diverse college students, and whether resilience buffered this relationship. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in October 2018 with students at a large Southern university to assess ACEs, levels of resilience, and students' health behaviors. We used the Adverse Childhood Experiences - International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and the Brief Resilience Scale. Logistic regression modeled the relationship between ACEs and students' substance use behaviors. We adjusted for demographics, other health behaviors, and emotional health and we tested resilience as a possible buffer. Results: Participants (n = 568) were in their early twenties, almost three-fourths were female. We had a racially/ethnically diverse sample. Over two-thirds had experienced 1-4 ACEs. ACE exposure was not associated with excess alcohol consumption but exhibited a consistent dose-response relationship in unadjusted and adjusted models. Moderate ACEs increased the odds of tobacco exposure by 227% (OR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.17-9.11) in adjusted models. Resilience was unrelated to either behavior. Black respondents had significantly reduced odds for both substance use outcomes. Tobacco exposure and excess alcohol intake were comorbid behaviors. Conclusion: Childhood adversity was a significant predictor for tobacco exposure among diverse US college students. Resilience did not buffer this relationship. Age, gender, and race/ethnicity were differentially associated with substance use.

Effect of BMI and Perceived Importance of Health on the Health Behavior of College Students: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Both body mass index (BMI) and the perceived importance of health have received a lot of attention, but few studies have fully investigated the interaction of their effects on health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the effects of BMI and the perceived importance of health on health behaviors (patterns of eating, sleeping, and exercising) among college students in Taiwan.

METHODS

A survey was conducted with 334 students to assess their perception of the importance of health (using indicators) and their health behavior (using the Health Behaviors Scale). Respondent BMI was calculated from self-reported body weight and height. Descriptive statistical analysis, independent t test analysis, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and one-way ANOVA were conducted.

RESULTS

The results showed a significant difference between genders in health behaviors among college students (eating: t₃₃₂=2.17, P=.03; exercise: t₃₃₂=5.57, P<.001; sleep: t₃₃₂=2.58, P=.01). Moreover, there was an interaction between BMI and perception (of the importance of health) for exercise behaviors (F_2,328=3.50, P=.03), but not for eating behaviors (F_2,328=0.12, P=.89) or sleep behaviors (F_2,328=1.64, P=.20).

CONCLUSIONS

This study establishes, for the first time, the interaction of BMI and the perceived importance of health on health behaviors. The perception of health was found to have a significant effect on exercise behaviors. Thus, the perception of health plays a significant role in the exercise behaviors of college students in Taiwan. This finding provides researchers, policy makers, and practitioners with evidence, and consequently, opportunities for focusing on preventive actions. The findings suggest that increasing the importance of health in the perception of college students, should be the focus of efforts to help students exercise more regularly.

The Associations between Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health Behaviors among College Students

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations between individual factors, electronic health (eHealth) literacy, dietary behaviors, and exercise habits in college students, as well as the moderating effect of gender on the above target behaviors. Methods: A pen-and-paper questionnaire with a stratified sampling method was used to collect data, and at least 100 students from each stratum were determined to be used for the official sample in this study. Finally, 674 students completed the survey. Results and Conclusions: Chi-square test results demonstrated that genders had dissimilar dietary supplement use and subjective health status. Further analyses indicated females had a higher likelihood of taking dietary supplements and poorer subjective health statuses. The t-test results indicated that the functional eHealth literacy, dietary behaviors, and exercise habits of genders were different, and the mean scores showed that males had higher functional eHealth literacy, healthier dietary behaviors, and higher exercise involvement than females. Regression analyses showed that students who were male, took dietary supplements, placed the utmost importance on health, and had high critical eHealth literacy tended to possess healthy dietary behaviors. Students who were male and had good subjective health statuses tended to have higher exercise involvement. Specifically, the critical eHealth literacy changed dietary behaviors less effectively for women than for men, and the subjective health status changed exercise habits less effectively for women than for men. Therefore, when designing the diet and exercise intervention programs, gender-specific programs rather than generic programs should be given priority to develop.

Predicting Hand Washing and Sleep Hygiene Behaviors among College Students: Test of an Integrated Social-Cognition Model

Objective: Hand washing and sleep hygiene are two important health behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to identify the motivational and volitional antecedents of college students’ hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors based on an integrated model of behavior that combined social-cognition constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). Methods: Using a prospective design, college students (N = 1106) completed a survey assessing the motivational constructs of action self-efficacy, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behaviors of hand washing and sleep hygiene at Time 1. Demographic variables were also collected. One month later, at Time 2, college students (N = 524) self-reported on their volitional factors of maintenance self-efficacy, action planning, coping planning, and behaviors of hand washing and sleep hygiene. A further 2 months later, at Time 3, college students (N = 297) were asked to self-report on their hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors over the past month. Findings: Data were analyzed using variance-based structural equation modelling. Results showed significant direct effects of attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on intentions; significant direct effects of action self-efficacy on maintenance self-efficacy; and significant direct effects of maintenance self-efficacy on action planning and coping planning. Significant direct effects of intention on action planning (sleep hygiene only), and significant direct effects of intention, maintenance self-efficacy (hand washing only), action and coping planning on behavior were also observed. Action planning also moderated the intention–behavior relationship, but only for hand washing. There were also significant total indirect effects of action self-efficacy on behavior mediated by maintenance self-efficacy, action planning, and coping planning for both behaviors, and significant total indirect effects of subjective norm and perceived behavioral control on behavior mediated by intention for sleep hygiene. When past behavior was included in the integrated model predicting all the psychological variables and behavior, all of the structural relations were attenuated. Discussion: Current findings indicate that college students’ hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors are a function of both motivational and volitional factors. Findings also indicate that the TPB and HAPA pathways might differ for the two health behaviors. Implications of the current findings for future health interventions aimed at improving college students’ hand washing and sleep hygiene are discussed.

Electronic Health Literacy and Dietary Behaviors in Taiwanese College Students: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Given the recognized importance of preventing poor dietary behaviors during adolescence, we need a better understanding of college students' dietary behaviors. Studies have found that individual factors and electronic health (eHealth) literacy may affect one's dietary behaviors. However, few studies have fully investigated the effect of the three levels of eHealth literacy (functional, interactive, and critical) and the interactive effect of individual factors (eg, gender, monthly expenses, and frequency of cooking) and the three levels of eHealth literacy on the four aspects of dietary behaviors (consumer health, balanced diet, regular eating habits, and unhealthy food intake).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate whether individual differences and higher eHealth literacy are associated with more positive dietary behaviors and less unhealthy dietary intake.

METHODS

The eHealth Literacy Scale is a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy. The Dietary Behaviors Scale is a 14-item instrument developed to measure four aspects of dietary behaviors of college students. A questionnaire was administered to collect background information about participants' gender, monthly expenses, and frequency of cooking. A national sample of college students was surveyed, and 813 responses were obtained. We conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the association among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and dietary behaviors.

RESULTS

This study found that functional eHealth literacy was negatively related to unhealthy food intake (beta=-.11; P=.01), and interactive eHealth literacy was positively related to balanced diet (beta=.25; P<.001) and consumer health (beta=.15; P=.02). Moreover, critical eHealth literacy was positively related to consumer health (beta=.30; P<.001) and regular eating habits (beta=.20; P=.002). Finally, the interactive effect between gender and interactive eHealth literacy was negatively related to balanced diet (beta=-.22; P<.001). The interactive effect between monthly expenses and functional eHealth literacy was positively related to balanced diet (beta=.07; P=.03), although the interactive effect between monthly expenses and critical eHealth literacy was negatively related to balanced diet (beta=-.10; P=.047).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that Taiwanese college students with higher functional eHealth literacy were more likely to engage in fewer unhealthy food consumption practices. Those who had higher interactive and critical eHealth literacy were more likely to engage in positive dietary behaviors than those with functional eHealth literacy. Surprisingly, females with high interactive eHealth literacy were more likely to have a poor balanced diet. In contrast, students with higher monthly expenses and higher functional eHealth literacy were more likely to have a balanced diet. However, students with higher monthly expenses and higher critical eHealth literacy were less likely to maintain a balanced diet.

Relationship intentions, race, and gender: Student differences in condom use during hookups involving vaginal sex

Objective: To examine the relationship between race, gender, and pre-hookup relationship intentions and college students' participation in condomless vaginal sex. Participants: 3,315 Black and White college students who participated in the Online College Social Life Survey (OCSLS). Methods: Secondary data analysis of the OCSLS using Chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: The model revealed that students who did not want a relationship with their hookup partners and students unsure of their relationship intentions were more likely to use condoms during their last vaginal hookup. Further, White and Female students were less likely to have used condoms during their last vaginal hookup.Conclusions: White and female students, as well as students desiring romantic relationships with hookup partners may be at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to decreased condom use. However, more research is needed to explore the factors driving STI disparities facing Black students despite higher condom use.

HIV conspiracy theory beliefs mediates the connection between HIV testing attitudes and HIV prevention self-efficacy

Objective: High rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be found in states in both the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States. As infection rates increase, it is imperative to understand factors that improve HIV prevention. The current work explored whether HIV conspiracy beliefs influences the link between HIV testing attitudes and perceived prevention ability. Participants: Four samples were collected during Fall 2013 (N = 373), Spring 2014 (N = 231), Fall 2014 (N = 345), and Spring 2015 (N = 369) at a rural, Southeastern, Appalachian university. Methods: Participants in all samples completed an online survey. Results: Four studies showed that HIV conspiracy theory beliefs mediated the relationship between HIV testing attitudes and HIV prevention self-efficacy. Conclusions: HIV conspiracy theory beliefs at least partially explain the connection between testing attitudes and HIV prevention self-efficacy. Results have implications for the role of HIV testing attitudes, beliefs, and self-efficacy.

Substance Use Among College Students

U.S. college campuses have witnessed a national increase of cannabis, stimulant, and illicit drug use among students over the past decade. Substance use among college students is associated with numerous negative outcomes including lower academic performance, a higher probability of unemployment after graduation, and an increased risk of committing and experiencing sexual assault. Several risk factors for substance use are specific to this population, including an affiliation with Greek life, perception of high academic pressure, and peer pressure. Students with problematic substance use also face unique challenges in planning treatment, including aspects of confidentiality, financial constraints, and potential university oversight and involvement. This article highlights the prevalence of substance use on college campuses and describes some of the specific challenges and approaches to treatment in this population, including screening tests and interventions for specific substances used on college campuses and evidence-based substance use programming for college students.

College Education on Dietary Supplements May Promote Responsible Use In Young Adults

Dietary supplement (DS) use is increasing among college students. Early adulthood is a critical developmental stage when behavioral trends are established with potential health implications. Many studies have suggested a proper college education on DSs is needed, but no follow-up reports exist in the literature. The purpose of the study was to compare DS use in college students with and without a formal education on DSs. An anonymous survey was sent over electronic mailing lists of different social and professional student groups, including students in the health and wellness studies (HWS) minor (HM) at Binghamton University. A total of 308 students completed the study. A statistical framework using multivariate analyses was designed to assess pattern of use and identify variables of interest. Principal component analysis recognized five patterns collectively contributing to 66.75% of the variance. PC 1 characterized as tobacco use, PC 2 labeled as body weight, PC 3 categorized as exercise, PC 4 labeled as educated use, and PC 5 is considered Greek-life lifestyle. Participants were then partitioned into HM versus HWS nonminor (NM). Common factor analysis was performed to extract significant variables pertaining to each pattern. Results reflected driving forces common to both groups. However, new trends surfaced in HM. A regression analysis suggests that DS use in HM is based on knowledge, whereas NM use is specifically targeted toward certain lifestyles. In addition, HM are more likely to discontinue a DS with formal knowledge. Therefore, college education on DS may be promoting a healthy pattern of supplement use.

Understanding Sorority Women's Privacy Management About Condom Use

Sorority women are at risk for engaging in unsafe sexual behavior. Fortunately, the positive influence of peer communication about condom use can mitigate the risk these women face. To better understand this communication, this article investigates sorority women's communication about condom use through focus groups, using the lens of the theory of Communication Privacy Management. The results revealed the criteria for privacy rules sorority women use to negotiate privacy and engage in comfortable communication with other women in the sorority. The analysis also revealed an external privacy boundary; the women sought to maintain a good reputation for their social group, and followed explicit and implicit privacy management rules to do so. The implications for this study include better understanding of the personal and collective boundaries of privacy management, and improvements in sorority and college student sexual health programs.

Health-promoting behaviors in nursing students: is it related to self-efficacy for health practices and academic achievement?

Background Nursing students play a role in promotion of public health as health promoters and professional care providers. Therefore, health-promoting behaviors in nursing students and their self-efficacy for health practices are important in providing better services to patients and clients. With regard to the importance of these factors in the academic progress of students, this study was conducted to examine the level of health-promoting behaviors among nursing students and its relationship with self-efficacy for health practices and academic achievement. Methods This descriptive and correlational study was conducted on 217 nursing students of a large university of medical sciences in the south of Iran in 2016. Data were collected using the Persian version of the health promotion lifestyle profile (HPLP II), self-rated abilities for health practices scale (SRAHPS) and the grade point average of the students (levels A, B, C). Results The mean health-promoting behaviors (2.48 ± 0.35) and self-efficacy for health practices of the students (2.55 ± 0.62) were moderate. The mean score of the students' academic achievement was at level B (16.02 ± 1.85). The health-promoting behaviors were significantly correlated with self-efficacy for health practices (r = 0.623, p < 0.0001) and academic achievement (r = 0.285, p < 0.0001). Moreover, self-efficacy for health practices was significantly correlated with academic achievement (r = 0.282, p < 0.0001). Conclusion The correlation between the health-promoting behaviors and health self-efficacy with academic achievement can be a good basis in devising health and educational programs for students. In planning for promoting academic achievement and health-promoting behaviors of students, it is essential to pay special attention to enhancement of self-efficacy for health practices.

Daily-level Associations between Negative Mood, Perceived Stress, and College Drinking: Do Associations Differ by Sex and Fraternity/Sorority Affiliation?

BACKGROUND

Individuals experiencing elevated negative mood and stress may drink to self-medicate, yet daily-level evidence for these associations is mixed.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify daily associations between negative mood and perceived stress with alcohol use among high-risk college students and test whether these associations may vary by same-day versus next-day drinking, sex, and fraternity/sorority affiliation.

METHODS

Frequently drinking college students (n = 347) participated in a daily diary study, which included daily morning and evening assessments that occurred for two weeks in four consecutive academic quarters. Multilevel zero-inflated Poisson regressions were conducted to examine the effects of daily negative mood and perceived stress on same-day and next-day drinking.

RESULTS

Students with higher average negative mood and perceived stress across the sampled days reported a lower likelihood of drinking. Examination of daily-level associations showed that on days students experienced elevated negative mood and perceived stress, they were less likely to drink any alcohol the same day. However, days with elevated negative mood were associated with greater alcohol use the next day. Tests of cross-level interactions indicated that four daily-level associations between higher negative mood or perceived stress and reductions in drinking were found to be significant among females and students unaffiliated with fraternity/sorority only. Conclusions/Importance: Among high-risk college drinkers, negative mood and perceived stress were associated with decreased risk of drinking, particularly among females and students unaffiliated with fraternity/sorority. Daily elevations in negative mood may lead to drinking on a subsequent day and the reason for this lagged effect warrants future research.

Public health nursing and the issue of trust in campus sexual assault

Public Health Nurses are the largest group of public health practitioners in both local and state health departments across the United States. Essential for the delivery of health services in the community, Public Health Nurses frequently provide care for underserved and vulnerable populations. Among these populations are the victims of campus sexual assault, a growing problem on college and university campuses. Both nationally and internationally, sexual assault has been described as a public health and human rights concern. With the signing of the Senate Bill 967 in California, affirmative consent, known as "yes means yes," requires both parties in a sexual encounter to give voluntary and affirmative consent. Many colleges and universities across the country have adopted similar standards. However, students may choose not to seek health care after an assault at the Student Health Center, preferring to obtain care in community clinics or health departments. Students must be able to be safe on and off campus, and must be able to trust they will be heard by campus authorities and the health care community, and be treated with respect. Public health nurses need to be prepared to work with victims of campus sexual assault and have a solid foundation in the issues surrounding assault, and the needs of the student to trust their caregivers. This paper presents an overview of the vulnerability and risk factors in sexual assault, presents legislation on campus and institutional responsibility, and provides a foundation for Public Health Nurses working with victims of sexual assault.

Changing Trends in Nutritional Behavior among University Students in Greece, between 2006 and 2016

The objective of the present survey was to study the dietary behavior of university students residing away from the family home. In this context, we (a) compared their dietary habits in two time periods, namely 2006 and 2016; and (b) explored the possible impact of gender on the behavioral changes in nutritional choices. A total of four hundred and five university students (2006, n = 242; 2016, n = 163) participated in the study. Dietary assessment was carried out using a qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire, while data about demographic and lifestyle factors were also collected. Students' dietary habits have been modified in a generally desirable direction, as reflected, e.g., in the elevated consumption of several plant-based foods. Gender was also significantly associated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and changes in dietary attitudes. Possible reasons for the transition towards healthier and more balanced dietary habits could involve the budgetary constraints facing Greece in the last decade, as well as increasing nutritional awareness and other socio-cultural factors characterizing this target group. A deeper understanding of these relations would be crucial to foster nutritional education and further enhance the effectiveness of health promotion campaigns.

Post-High School Changes in Tobacco and Cannabis Use in the United States

BACKGROUND

The transition from high school into young adulthood is a critical developmental period with many young people going to college, moving residence, and entering the work force for the first time. The NEXT Generation Health Study (NEXT) is a nationally representative longitudinal study of adolescent health behaviors. Previous NEXT research has found that the post-high school environment is associated with changes in alcohol use.

OBJECTIVES

The current study investigated the impact of school status, residential status, and work status on cannabis and cigarette use among post-high school participants.

RESULTS

Living in a dorm/fraternity/sorority was associated with an increased prevalence in cannabis use while attending a 4-year college was associated with a decreased prevalence in cigarette use.

CONCLUSIONS

Some aspects of the post-high school environment are related to cannabis and cigarette use. Differences in the social circumstances of cigarette and cannabis use and recent campaigns in colleges to reduce smoking may explain some of these trends.

The association between multidimensional feminine norms, binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among young adult college women

Alcohol consumption among women has steadily increased over the past 30years, and women's drinking behavior is now similar to that of men's. The escalation of alcohol use among women highlights the critical need to examine gender issues and motivational factors that contribute to binge drinking and related problems within this population. Feminine norms or the socially constructed beliefs, messages and attitudes about what it means to be a woman may contribute to within-group differences in drinking patterns among women. The current study examined the relationship between multidimensional feminine norms and binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among 1910 college women. Participants completed a self-report measure of binge drinking, alcohol-related problems, conformity to feminine norms, alcohol expectancies and descriptive norms. Controlling for the covariates descriptive norms, positive alcohol expectancies, and sorority membership, adherence to feminine norms related to sexual fidelity and belief that one needs to be sweet and nice were negatively associated to binge drinking, while adhering to investment in appearance was positively associated to binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Distinct feminine norms also had a significant indirect effect on alcohol-related problems through binge drinking. This study significant contributes to the literature by elucidating the theoretically gender-relevant risk and protective aspects of feminine norms in relation to binge drinking and related problems, and provides important information that might be used in clinical and prevention efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm among a vulnerable group: college women.

Types and Factors Associated With Online Health Information Seeking Among College Men in Latino Fraternities: A Qualitative Study

Despite the fact that a large percentage of Americans go online to seek health information, literature pertaining to online health information (OHI) seeking among college men in Latino fraternities (CMLF) has been nonexistent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to (a) identify the types of OHI that CMLF seek and (b) to determine the factors motivating OHI seeking among CMLF. Four 1- to 1.5-hour focus groups were conducted in two public universities in Florida with 41 college-aged Latino males in an established Latino fraternity. E-mails were used to recruit fraternity members. Qualitative analysis of the focus group transcripts identified that CMLF search for a variety of OHI types including searches on symptoms, diagnoses, weight loss, and treatments for conditions or diseases among other types of OHI. Factors motivating OHI seeking included informational needs of others and concerns for others, worries due to lack of health insurance, preoccupations with health condition, concerns over physical appearance, and clarification through social media. CMLF may be elicited to serve as information conduits to increase access to health information on chronic diseases for older non-English-speaking Latino adults. Lack of health insurance along with other factors in this segment of the population have led to self-diagnosis and self-treatment of illness. Thus, empirical research and health promotion on the potential risks due to self-diagnosing and self-treatment of illness is warranted among CMLF.

Social influences on sorority and fraternity member smoking

OBJECTIVE

To understand how the Greek system uniquely influences smoking attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors among college students who belong to a social sorority or fraternity.

PARTICIPANTS

Active members of sororities (n = 16) and fraternities (n = 17) were interviewed between February 2013 and October 2015.

METHODS

In-depth interviews were conducted examining the social influences of the Greek system on member smoking. Transcribed interviews were coded and analyzed for themes.

RESULTS

Sorority and fraternity members experienced different social influences on smoking. Sorority stigmatization of smoking outside bars or parties caused sorority members to hide their smoking. Fraternity members had no social penalties for smoking and allowed smoking at the fraternity house. Fraternity members influenced both fraternity members and sorority members to smoke by sharing cigarettes and smoking at parties.

CONCLUSIONS

Sororities and fraternities have created social environments that both promote smoking and stigmatize it, presenting unique challenges in college student smoking prevention and cessation efforts.

Discounting of Condom-Protected Sex as a Measure of High Risk for Sexually Transmitted Infection Among College Students

The study examined sexual delay discounting, or the devaluation of condom-protected sex in the face of delay, as a risk factor for sexually transmitted infection (STI) among college students. Participants (143 females, 117 males) completed the sexual delay discounting task (Johnson & Bruner, 2012) and questionnaires of risky sexual behavior, risk perception, and knowledge. Participants exhibited steeper sexual delay discounting (above and beyond general likelihood of having unprotected sex) when partners were viewed as more desirable or less likely to have a STI, with males demonstrating greater sexual delay discounting than females across most conditions. Importantly, greater self-reported risky sexual behaviors were associated with higher rates of sexual delay discounting, but not with likelihood of using a condom in the absence of delay. These results provide support for considering sexual delay discounting, with particular emphasis on potential delays to condom use, as a risk factor for STI among college students.

The Use of Substances Other Than Nicotine in Electronic Cigarettes Among College Students

INTRODUCTION

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have grown in popularity, especially among youth and young adults. Although e-cigarettes were originally intended to vaporize a liquid mixture containing nicotine, there appears to be an increasing trend in other substance use in e-cigarettes (OSUE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional data from 1542 undergraduate college student e-cigarette users from a large Midwestern university were collected via online survey to assess prevalence of e-cigarette use, reasons for use, perceived harm, and prevalence and predictors of OSUE.

RESULTS

Nearly 7% (6.94%) reported using an e-cigarette to vaporize and inhale a substance other than nicotine. Current tobacco cigarette smokers were significantly more likely to report OSUE (51.0%) as compared with never (33.7%) and former (15.4%) smokers. Among respondents reporting OSUE, the primary reason for e-cigarette use was "safer than cigarettes" (21.7%), followed by "experimentation" (18.9%) and "friends use" (17.0%). Most (77.9%) reported using cannabis or some derivative of cannabis in an e-cigarette. Binomial logistic regression found that women were less likely to report OSUE by a factor of 0.60, former tobacco cigarette smokers as compared with never smokers were more likely to report OSUE by a factor of 1.87, and e-cigarette users who reported using e-cigarettes for "cool or trendy" reasons were more likely to report OSUE by a factor of 2.89.

DISCUSSION

Little is known regarding the health effects of cannabis and cannabis derivatives delivered through e-cigarettes. Concern may also be warranted regarding the potential dangers of this young population using substances more dangerous than cannabis in e-cigarettes. Knowledge is limited regarding the public health impact of vaping cannabis or other illicit substances among college student populations. This study stresses the need for continued research regarding the vaping of cannabis and other illicit substances among college students.

An examination of college student wellness: A research and liberal arts perspective

Promoting wellness within academia reduces disease frequency and enhances overall health. This study examined wellness factors among undergraduate students attending a research university (n = 85) or a small liberal arts college (n = 126). Participants were administered surveys which measured physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and occupational wellness. Significant institutional differences emerged on measures of physical and social wellness. When collapsed across academic institutions, students who were gainfully employed reported greater self-efficacy compared with unemployed students. Gender differences emerged on measures of physical and social well-being. Our findings support the need for targeted interventions that facilitate enhanced college student development and well-being.

Binge drinking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions

OBJECTIVE

Binge drinking (also called heavy episodic drinking, risky single-occasion drinking etc.) is a major public health problem. This paper provides an overview of recently published evidence concerning the definition and measurement, prevalence rates, health impact, demographic and psychosocial correlates of, and interventions for, binge drinking.

DESIGN

Narrative review.

RESULTS

Mostly occurring among young people at weekends, binge drinking increases the risk of both acute (e.g. injuries) and long-term negative consequences (e.g. alcohol disorders). Binge drinkers tend to be extrovert, impulsive and sensation-seeking. Stress, anxiety, traumatic events and depression are also related to binge drinking. Both alcohol-related behaviour of parents and general parenting (e.g. parenting styles, monitoring) are also important. Other major risk factors for binge drinking are frequently spending time with friends who drink, and the drinking norms observed in the wider social environment (e.g. school, community, culture). Emergency departments, birthday parties, fraternities and the workplace serve as settings for interventions; these are increasingly delivered via digital and mobile technology. There is evidence of small-sized effects across approaches (brief interventions, personalised normative feedback, protective behavioural strategies etc.) and populations.

CONCLUSION

A more consistent terminology, investigating multi-level influences and identifying the most effective intervention components are challenges for future research.

Passion for Academics and Problematic Health Behaviors

According to the Dualistic Model of Passion (39), passion entails valuing, liking, and spending time on an activity. The Dualistic Model also posits two types of passion for activities: harmonious passion (individual voluntarily engages in the activity) and obsessive passion (individual is compelled to engage in the activity). The purpose of the present study was to examine the possible links between college students' passion for academic activities and problematic health behaviors including smoking, excessive drinking, exercise addiction, disordered eating, and sleepiness, which is a possible indicator of sleep deprivation. Participants (n = 502) completed a survey gauging passion type and health behaviors. Regression analyses revealed obsessive passion for academic activities was positively associated with scores on measures of excessive drinking (β = .15, p= .008), exercise addiction (β = .19, p<.001), and disordered eating (β = .17, p < .001) but was not associated with sleep deprivation (β = .07, p = .15). Harmonious passion for academic activities, in contrast, was negatively associated with excessive drinking behavior (β = -.16, p = .002) and sleep deprivation (β = -.13, p = .007) but was not associated with exercise addiction (β = .002, p = .97) and disordered eating (β = -.04, p = .37). These findings provide further support for the Dualistic Model of Passion. Students who are obsessively passionate about their academic activities are more likely to engage in poor health behaviors and, in turn, may experience greater negative outcomes than students who are harmoniously passionate about their academics.

The Effect of Pender's Health Promotion Model in Improving the Nutritional Behavior of Overweight and Obese Women

BACKGROUND

Changes in lifestyle and eating habits have put women at risk of obesity and overweight more than ever. This aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Pender's Health Promotion Model (HPM) to improve the nutritional behavior of overweight and obese women admitted to Fatemiyeh Hospital clinics in Hamadan, west Iran in 2015.

METHODS

In this quasi-experimental study, 108 eligible women were selected and randomly assigned to two groups: one experimental and one control. Data were gathered using three questionnaires: demographics, Pender's HPM constructs, and nutritional behavior. The questionnaires were filled out by both groups as pre-test and two months later. A Pender's HPM-based intervention was conducted for the experimental group. The data were analyzed by paired and independent t-tests, ANCOVA, and Spearmans' correlation coefficient in SPSS/16. The level of significance was considered to be <0.05.

RESULTS

The mean score of nutritional behavior was 41.75±3.28 and 42.36±3.69 before the intervention and 79.09±5.27 and 49.72±9.49 after it in the experimental and control groups, respectively. The difference was significant only between before and after the intervention in the experimental group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the mean scores of the following variables were significantly different between before and after the intervention in the experimental group: nutritional behavior, perceived benefits, perceived self-efficacy, commitment to action, interpersonal and situational influences, behavior-related affect, and perceived barriers (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results showed that Pender's HPM-based training improved nutritional behavior and some constructs of the model. Therefore, this educative model can be used by healthcare providers to improve the nutritional and other health promoting behaviors.

Paradox and privilege: A 55-year follow-up of the mortality of Yale College graduates

Objective

Two hypotheses were tested: 1. People from privileged backgrounds had better survival than those from less privileged backgrounds. 2. The advantages of privilege were vitiated by fraternity membership.

Methods

A 55-year retrospective cohort study of survival since 1960 of 945 graduates of Yale College followed to 2015.

Results

The survival of graduates of private secondary schools (the privileged group) did not differ from that of public school graduates. However, graduates of private secondary schools who had not joined a fraternity in college had significantly better survival than private school graduates who had joined fraternities and than public school graduates, whether fraternity members or not.

Conclusions

The benefits of a privileged background in respect of survival were undermined by fraternity membership. It is suggested that both self-selection and substance mis-use may have contributed to the survival difference.

•

Membership in college fraternities is associated with an increased risk of death.

•

Privileged background is not associated with reduced risk of death.

•

Privileged background and not being in a fraternity had the lowest mortality.

•

The advantage of privilege may be undermined by fraternity membership.

Asian American and White College Students' Heavy Episodic Drinking Behaviors and Alcohol-Related Problems

BACKGROUND

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-related problems appears to be a growing problem among young adult Asian Americans. One promising factor that helps explain within-group differences among Asian American includes nativity. Nativity refers to whether an individual was born in (i.e., second generation or higher) or outside (i.e., first generation) of the United States. Despite this theoretically promising variable, there has been a paucity of literature examining comparing drinking patterns between first and second generation Asians Americans and White college men.

OBJECTIVES

The current study examined the relationship between HED and alcohol-related problems among first- and second-generation Asian American, and White college male students. Interaction between race and the variables in HED and alcohol-related problems models were also investigated.

METHOD

A total of 630 men were recruited of which 489 were Asian American men (407 second generation and 82 first generation) and 148 White students attending a public university in southern California (USA) were recruited.

RESULTS

Results revealed no differences in HED rates between second-generation Asian American and White male college students; however, White students reported higher rates of HED compared to first-generation Asian Americans. No differences in alcohol-related problems were found between all three groups. There were no significant interactions between racial groups, drinking to cope, Greek/fraternity status, and descriptive norms on the alcohol outcomes. Conclusion/importance: Second-generation Asian American young adult men reported similar HED and rates of alcohol-related problems as White men. The present findings suggest that alcohol-related problems among Asian American men are a larger public health concern than previously believed.

Impact of Prescribed Exercise on Physical Activity Compensation in Young Adults

Liguori, G, Schuna, JM Jr, Tucker, J, and Fountaine, CM. Impact of prescribed exercise on physical activity compensation in young adults. J Strength Cond Res 31(2): 503-508, 2017-Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets present a unique subpopulation because they are required to participate in regular physical activity (PA). This study describes PA patterns of cadets and attempts to identify evidence of nonexercise PA compensation (activitystat) as a result of prescribed PA (pPA) by comparing differences between training and nontraining days for (a) autonomous PA among cadets and (b) PA between cadets and noncadets. Participants included 84 university students (33 cadets and 51 noncadets) who each wore an accelerometer for 5 consecutive days to estimate moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A 2×2 mixed model analysis of variance was used to examine within- and between-group differences in MVPA on training and nontraining days. This analysis was repeated after removing the cadet's pPA. Cadets had lower-body fat than noncadets (p = 0.044), but all other characteristics were similar. Overall, moderate PA (MPA) and vigorous PA (VPA) were significantly greater among cadets (p = 0.048 and p < 0.001), because of greater weekend MPA (p = 0.021) and greater weekday VPA (p < 0.001). Cadets accumulated more MVPA on training days than nontraining days (p < 0.001) and accumulated more MVPA than noncadets on training days (p = 0.004). However, after accounting for pPA, cadet MVPA did not differ between training and nontraining days (within 1.2Â ± 18.4 min·d) and was similar between cadets and noncadets (within 1.5Â ± 5.9 min·d). These results suggest that cadets were significantly more active than noncadets due mainly to pPA. When controlling for pPA, cadets were similarly active across all days, and were as active as noncadets, indicating no evidence of activitystat in this population.

Alcohol Interventions for Greek Letter Organizations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 1987 to 2014

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis examines the efficacy of interventions to reduce alcohol consumption and related problems among college student members of Greek letter organizations.

METHOD

Studies were identified through electronic bibliographic database searches and reviews of reference sections of relevant articles, and studies were included if the study evaluated (a) an individual-level alcohol intervention, (b) sampled fraternity or sorority members, and (c) measured alcohol consumption or problems. Included were 15 studies with 21 separate interventions (n = 6,026; 18% women). Independent raters coded sample, design, methodological features, and intervention content. Between- and within-group weighted mean effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models. Potential moderators, determined a priori, examined variability in effect sizes.

RESULTS

Interventions targeting fraternity or sorority members were not successful in reducing alcohol consumption and related problems relative to controls; however, participants in these interventions did reduce the quantity consumed on specific occasions and the frequency of drinking days from pre- to post-test. Interventions that addressed alcohol expectancies were associated with less alcohol consumption on specific occasions. Interventions that provided moderation strategies and skills-training, identified high-risk situations, or encouraged setting goals were associated with less reduction in the frequency of heavy drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

Extant alcohol interventions show limited efficacy in reducing consumption and problems among fraternity and sorority members. More robust interventions are needed for use with student members of Greek letter organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record

Premeditation and Sensation Seeking Moderate the Reasoned Action and Social Reaction Pathways in the Prototype/Willingness Model of Alcohol Use

BACKGROUND

Drinking can occur because of expectations to drink (reasoned pathway) or because of willingness to drink under certain circumstances (reactive pathway). These pathways are thought to be influenced by different cognitions such as alcohol-related attitudes, norms, or drinking prototypes (Gerrard et al., 2008). Impulsive traits reflect individual differences in the influence of reasoned or reactive factors, however little research has investigated whether impulsivity moderates the effects of cognitive factors predicting alcohol use.

OBJECTIVES

We tested whether differences in three impulsivity traits (premeditation, sensation seeking and negative urgency) moderated associations of reasoned (risk/disapproval attitudes and social norms) and reactive (prototype) pathway variables on expectation/willingness to drink and recent alcohol use.

METHODS

We collected data from n = 409 college students; the sample was 67% female, 43% Asian American, with Mdnage = 19. Hypotheses were tested using multiple regression.

RESULTS

Premeditation and sensation seeking moderated reasoned variable effects on expectation and drinking. Among those low on premeditation, risk attitudes were most associated with drinking expectation, with alcohol prototypes most related to recent drinking. These effects declined at higher premeditation levels. Among those high on sensation seeking, risk attitudes were most associated with expectation and drinking, declining at lower sensation seeking levels. There was little evidence of moderation predicting drinking willingness.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE

Findings imply personality differences may explain association strength between reasoned but not reactive risk behavior pathways with alcohol outcomes. They have ramifications for personalized prevention programs to reduce drinking through cognition change, as alcohol-related cognition influence may differ depending on personality characteristics.

Psychosocial factors and physical activity as predictors of fruit and vegetable intake in college students

Objective: To analyze whether psychosocial factors and physical activity are predictors of fruit and vegetable intake in young adults attending college. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a representative sample of students from a public university in the Brazilian Northeast (n=717). Fruit and vegetable intake was measured by a Food Frequency Questionnaire containing 21 items. The psychosocial factors for behavior change, measured by a questionnaire, were: behavior change strategy, self-efficacy, perceived barriers and facilitators in decision making, and social support. The level of physical activity was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was the intake prediction model using a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). Results: The median fruit and vegetable intake was 2.0 servings/day. In adjusted analysis, behavior change strategy (R²=0.31), self-efficacy (R²=0.03), friends' support (R²=0.02), and physical activity (R²=0.03) explained 39% of the fruit and vegetable intake variance in men. Behavior change strategy (R²=0.03), self-efficacy (R²=0.13), perceived barriers (R²=0.08), and physical activity (R²=0.02) explained 26% of the fruit and vegetable intake variance in women. Fruit and vegetable intake would increase by one serving for every extra 35 and 47 minutes of physical activity men and women, respectively, practice a day. Conclusion: The main predictors of fruit and vegetable intake are behavior change strategies, self-efficacy, and physical activity.