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In this commentary, we describe the use of a 5/4 drink summary
measure of heavy episodic alcohol consumption, or "binge" drinking,
in survey research and its usefulness for preventing negative alcohol-related
consequences. Data from 4 nationally representative surveys of more than 50,000
college students are utilized to examine the utility of this measure in comparison
with alternative cut-points. Our analysis demonstrates that while higher drink
threshold measures incrementally improve the ability to identify correctly students
who experience harms or who meet DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of alcohol abuse
and dependence, they capture only a small proportion of those college students
experiencing harms. We conclude that the selection of a measurement tool should
be consistent with the purpose for which it is to be used. The 5/4 measure of
binge drinking provides a valuable means for understanding and preventing alcohol-related
harms in a college population and can be utilized as a screen to identify students
who may need additional clinical assessment for intervention.
Key Words: Alcohol/Binge drinking; five/four measure; harms and secondhand effects
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