Australian first-year university college residents’ alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms

Aim: The study sought to develop an understanding of Australian first-year university residential college students’ alcohol consumption, their experience of alcohol-related harms and their alcohol knowledge. Method: Students were surveyed during Orientation Week in 2015 (N = 84, men 36%) and again in 2017 (N = 97, men = 45%) using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to measure alcohol consumption, and purpose-designed measures of alcohol-related harms and alcohol knowledge. Results: The mean AUDIT score across the two cohorts was 10.79, placing these first-year college residents at much riskier consumption levels than their Australian undergraduate and international peers. Three-quarters were consuming alcohol at hazardous/harmful levels. They reported frequent occurrence of alcohol-related harms and, given the higher levels of drinking, these were for the most part more pronounced than in other studies: vomiting (73%), memory loss (55%), regretting their actions when drinking (41%), not having enough money because of money spent on alcohol (31%), doing something dangerous just for fun (29%), being injured (27%), poor performance at work (22%), poor physical health (21%), loss of consciousness (20%), and having sexual encounters they later regretted (19%). Poor knowledge of standard drink measures, particularly in relation to blood alcohol concentration, was also indicated. Conclusions: The study highlights the worrying occurrence of hazardous/harmful drinking in Australian first-year university residential college students and high levels of alcohol-related harms experienced by these residents. It also highlights poor alcohol knowledge and the need for early intervention prior to and within university college residences to minimise harm.