Objective-The authors compared the prevalence and pattern of substance use in undergraduate student athletes and nonathletes from 2005-2006. Participants-Authors collected data from male (n = 418) and female (n = 475) student athletes and nonathletes from [2005][2006].
Methods-The authors administered self-report questionnaires to assess prevalence, quantity, and frequency of alcohol and drug use, and to determine patterns of student athletes' alcohol and drug use during their athletic season versus out of season.Results-Male student athletes were at high risk for heavy drinking and performance-enhancing drug use. Considerable in-season versus out-of-season substance use fluctuations were identified in male and female student athletes.Conclusions-Additional, and possibly alternative, factors are involved in a student athlete's decision-making process regarding drug and alcohol use, which suggests that the development of prevention programs that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of the college student athlete may be beneficial.
Keywordsalcohol; athletics; college students; other drugs; performance-enhancing drugs; sex The use of alcohol and drugs by students is one of the most serious problems facing colleges today. Student athletes may be particularly at risk for substance use-related problems in the college setting due to their unique social environments, the increased physical demands of athletics, and the heightened stress and time constraints placed upon them by fulfilling the dual role of athlete and student. 1,2 Therefore, the college experience of student athletes may be distinct from nonathletes, 2 which raises the question of whether substance use interventions geared toward the general student body are equally effective for college student athletes. 1 In this study, we assessed the prevalence, quantity, and frequency of alcohol and drug use by male and female undergraduate student athletes and nonathletes. We also evaluated patterns of use, such as student athletes' alcohol and drug use during their athletic season versus out of season. Comprehensively assessing the prevalence and patterns of substance use in male and female student athletes and how it differs from nonathletes of the same sex may inform the development of prevention interventions that focus on the specific needs of student athletes.For comments and further information, address correspondence to Dr Helene R. White, Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA (hewhite@rutgers.edu).
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NIH-PA Author ManuscriptIn the United States, the rates of heavy drinking, tobacco use, and illicit substance use peak between ages 18 and 25 years. 3 This age range coincides with a period of major transition out of high school and, for many, into college. In the college setting, frequent and heavy drinking is common. Using data collected from 5 national surveys, O'Malley and Johnston 4 estimat...
