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Harvard Study Confirms Link Between Alcohol Outlet Density and Drinking Among Students
BOSTON (March 3, 2003) – New findings from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS) confirm a strong correlation between frequent and risky drinking behavior among students and a high saturation of alcohol outlets—bars and liquor stores—within two miles of their campuses.
The study focused on alcohol outlet density at eight colleges participating in the American Medical Association’s, “A Matter of Degree” (AMOD) program—a national effort to reduce high-risk drinking on college campuses. The study is published in the first quarterly issue of the international journal Health and Place (Volume 9, Number 1), and was funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Findings were based on data collected from eight universities known for high rates of binge drinking. Researchers used listings of local alcohol licenses and electronic mapping tools to calculate neighborhood alcohol outlet density. Comparisons were made between outlet density and 1999 CAS reports of student drinking. The findings showed that in areas where alcohol density was highest students, drank more and had more drinking-related problems.
“Some colleges have a very tough time fighting unsafe and harmful drinking given the heavy concentration of alcohol outlets in their own backyards,” said Elissa Weitzman, Sc.D., lead author of the article. “An effect of high density may be greater competition among bars, so alcohol is accessible everywhere and is offered to young people at heavily discounted prices. We think this is what links density to unsafe student drinking.”
In this study, heavy drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks at an off-campus party in the past 30 days. Frequent drinking is defined as consuming alcohol on ten or more occasions during the past 30 days. Drinking-related problems are defined as drinkers who report problems associated with one’s own drinking habits.
The findings suggest practical solutions for college administrators, community officials and local law enforcement.
Rearchers point out that reducing the number of alcohol outlets may be an important component in preventing frequent and heavy drinking and its harmful effects. They urge college towns to address the role of outlet density in drinking through public discussion between local officials and business owners. For example, communities can actively debate restricting and supervising alcohol licensing to bars and liquor stores, and limiting promotions of alcohol to students.
Colleges can’t win the battle to reduce students’ risky drinking behavior by themselves. They need help from communities in limiting the number of bars and liquor stores near campuses,” said Henry Wechsler, Ph.D., co-author of the article and principal investigator of the CAS.
The research shows that alcohol licensing varied considerably from state to state. In addition, there were gaps found in the quality of license information from state and local licensing boards. Researchers say this presents yet another area of discussion for local officials.
“Some could argue that bars bring money into the community, but residents need to decide if the costs of frequent and heavy college drinking outweigh the benefits,” said Weitzman. “Community residents need to ask themselves if they are willing to accept a high saturation of bars in their town and the negative effects it will have on their quality of life.”
Co-authors of the article, “The Relationship of Alcohol Outlet Density to Heavy and Frequent Drinking and Drinking-Related Problems among College Students at Eight Universities,” include: Alison Folkman, M.P.H.; Kerry Lemieux Folkman, B.Sc.
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