Screening and Brief Interventions for Hazardous and Harmful Alcohol Use among University Students in South Africa: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for alcohol problems among university students in South Africa. The study design for this efficacy study is a randomized controlled trial with 6- and 12-month follow-ups to examine the effects of a brief alcohol intervention to reduce alcohol use by hazardous and harmful drinkers in a university setting. The unit of randomization is the individual university student identified as a hazardous or harmful drinker attending public recruitment venues in a university campus. University students were screened for alcohol problems, and those identified as hazardous or harmful drinkers were randomized into an experimental or control group. The experimental group received one brief counseling session on alcohol risk reduction, while the control group received a health education leaflet. Results indicate that of the 722 screened for alcohol and who agreed to participate in the trial 152 (21.1%) tested positive for the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) (score 8 or more). Among the 147 (96.7%) university students who also attended the 12-month follow-up session, the intervention effect on the AUDIT score was −1.5, which was statistically significant (P = 0.009). Further, the depression scores marginally significantly decreased over time across treatment groups, while other substance use (tobacco and cannabis use), self-rated health status and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) scores did not change over time across treatment groups. The study provides evidence of effective brief intervention by assistant nurses with hazardous and harmful drinkers in a university setting in South Africa. The short duration of the brief intervention makes it a realistic candidate for use in a university setting.

Romanian young people’s drinking habits

“…Different number of drinks appears for this limit in the scientific literature, usually ranging from 4 to 6 standard drinks at one occasion [1,8,9]. The preloading is an event preceding a party, when the young adults get together at someone's home and consume alcohol [6,[10][11][12][13].…”

Patterns and Prevalence of Alcohol Use among University of Utopia Students in South Africa

“…Alcohol use in South Africa is among the highest in the whole of Africa (Pengpid, Peltzer, van der Heever and Skaal, 2013). Its use is also rife among the adolescents and it is becoming an alarming public health problem (Setlalentoa, Pisa, Thekiso, Ryke andDu Loots 2010, Ghuman, Meyer-Weitz andKnight, 2012).…”

“…There are however, some few studies that have tried to look at the issue of alcohol use at South African universities. Some of the studies that have been conducted are studies by Young and de Klerk (2008), Young and Mayson (2010) and Pengpid et al (2013). Young and de Klerk (2008) focused on the patterns of alcohol usage in one of the Universities in an urban area in South Africa.…”

Predictors of Drinking Behaviour Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A New Psychosocial Control Perspective

“…The AUDIT comprises three subscales measuring quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, possible alcohol dependence, and problems resulting from alcohol use. Total AUDIT scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores reflecting a greater likelihood of hazardous or harmful drinking and possible dependence; a cut-off score of 8 or higher is generally recommended as a classification for hazardous or harmful drinkers (Babor, Higgins-Biddle, Saunders, & Monteiro, 2001;Pengpid, Peltzer, van der Heever, & Skaal, 2013). The AUDIT is useful for assessing hazardous and problematic forms of drinking among adolescents (Rumpf, Wohlert, Frever-Adam, Grothues, & Bischof, 2013) and university students (Kypri et al, 2005).…”

“…For the current sample, approximately 3.4% of 13 to 14 year olds, 11.9% of 15 to 17 year olds, 39.5% of 18 to 20 year olds, and 36.4% of 21 to 24 year olds were classified as hazardous or harmful drinkers as determined by an 8 or higher cut-off score (Babor et al, 2001;Pengpid et al, 2013). Relative to scale mid-points, participants generally reported lower levels of problem drinking (as reflected by the AUDIT total score) and peer risk-taking behaviours, and higher levels of impulsivity, empathy, parent attachment, school connectedness, perceived seriousness of risk-taking behaviours, and sensation seeking.…”