This information was on responses from the Texas Survey on Substance Use Among College Students 2013. Information is to help identify what the usage and perceptions are of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs amount college students. Information on tobacco-free college campuses is also included.
social pharmacy d-pharm 1st year by Pragati K. Mahajan
Texas Survey of Substance use Among College Students 2013
1. TEXAS SURVEY OF
SUBSTANCE USE AMONG
COLLEGE STUDENTS
September 4, 2013
August 31, 2015
Produced by PPRI, Texas A&M
1997
2005
2013
2015
2. 79 Schools Invited
49 Participated
16
8
Even Years TSS
Odd Years Universities/Colleges
13
62% Participated
3. COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY BARRIER
FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
Old interpretation of FERPA in which they did not consider email addresses a
Directory Information and were therefore not required to provide them in
response to Public Information Request.
New – Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory information”, such as
name, address, phone, DOB, Place, honors, awards, and attendance. However,
schools must tell parents about directory information and allow parents and
students reasonable time to opt out of disclosing directory information.
75% Participation
2013
4. HOW WAS THE SURVEY ADMINISTERED
Campuses made email addresses available.
Conducted entirely online.
Students received an email with a link to take survey with
reminders.
Window was open for about 5 weeks in Spring of 2015.
200 Questions about Alcohol, Tobacco, Rx and Illicit drug use.
5. DESIRED POPULATION
Enrolled in at least 5 hours.
Between the ages of 18 and 26.
Students who did not meet these requirements were
excluded.
Just under 320,000 surveys were sent out. After
removing incomplete responses and ineligible, about
11,300 complete survey were used.
6. THE FINDINGS
Patterns of licit and illicit
Substances
Demographics associated with
Substance Use
Consequences of Substance Use
How Substance Abuse has Changed
Since the 2005 Survey
7. Lamar University Yes The University of Texas at El Paso Yes
Sam Houston University Yes The University of Texas at San Antonio Yes
Stephen F. Austin State University Yes The University of Texas, Pan American Yes
Texas A&M University Yes University of Houston Yes
Texas A&M University - Commerce Yes University of Houston, Downtown Yes
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Yes University of North Texas Yes
Texas Women's University Yes Baylor University No
The University of Texas at Arlington Yes Southern Methodist University No
The University of Texas at Austin Yes Tarleton State University No
The University of Texas at Dallas Yes Texas State University No
Texas Tech University No
Large 4 Year Universities - 2015
8. SMALL 4 YEAR UNIVERSITIES 2015
Prairie View A&M University Yes Concordia University No
Southwestern Adventist University University YesDallas Baptist University No
Sul Ross State University Yes Jarvis Christian College No
Texas A&M International University Yes LeTourneau University No
Texas A&M University - San Antonio Yes McMurry University No
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin YesRice University No
University of Houston - Clear Lake Yes St. Mary's University of San Antonio No
West Texas A&M University Yes University of St. Thomas No
Abilene Christian University No University of Incarnate Word of San Antonio No
College of St. Thomas Moore No Wiley College No
9. LARGE 2 YEAR COLLEGES 2015
Alamo Community College District Yes North Central Texas Community College District Yes
Amarillo College Yes San Jacinto College Yes
Austin Community College Yes Texas State Technical Colleges Yes
Blinn College Yes Collin County Community College District No
Central Texas College District Yes Houston Community College System No
Dallas County Community College District YesNavarro College No
Del Mar College Yes South Texas College No
El Paso Community College District Yes Tarrant County College District No
Lone Star College System District Yes
10. SMALL 2 YEAR COLLEGES - 2015
Cisco College Yes Odessa College Yes
Frank Phillips College Yes Texarkana College Yes
Grayson County College Yes Trinity Valley Community College Yes
Hill College Yes Weatherford College Yes
Howard County Junior College District Yes Jacksonville College No
Lamar Institute of Technology Yes Laredo Community College No
Lamar State College-Orange Yes Paris Junior College No
Lee College Yes Ranger College No
Midland College Yes
11. TOBACCO PAST YEAR USE - UP
2013 35%
2015 43%
2015 Survey ask the ?
Remove the ?
31%
12. MARIJUANA YEARLY USE UP - 2015
2013 26%
2015 30%
Synthetic Marijuana -
Declined
Annual Usage
2013 3.4%
2015 1.1%
BUT
Because
Criminalization of Synthetic Marijuana may have slowed Usage.
13. ANNUAL USE OF STIMULANTS
DECREASED
2013 13%
2015 4%
Wording
Removing Ritalin
and Adderall from
the questionnaire
14. ANNUAL USE OF SEDATIVES
INCREASED
2013 3%
2015 7%
Wording adding
Ritalin and Xanax
to the
questionnaire
17. Respondents Describe Themselves in
Terms of Alcohol Use
53%
54%
Light Drinker
26% Moderate Drinker
16% Abstain Completely
4% Heavy Drinker
.5% Problem Drinker
18. Past 30
Days 2013 2015
Male 43% 41%
Females 38% 35%
5% 14%
10%
Binge
Drank at
least 6
Times in
past 30
Days
Binge Drinking
19. 2013 2015 Reason
11% 11% Fake ID
24% 22% Not Carded
ACCESS
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Restaurants Off Campus
Bars
Gas Stations Grocery
Stores
Obtain W/O being
Carded
Obtained by Others
Friend Over 21 Parent or Relative Under 21
24. Frequent Drug User Never Used Drugs
Slightly Higher
Heavy Drinker Light Drinker
B B+
Academics
No statistically significant difference!
25. Drug Use In College
Use More Decreased Use Stopped
18%
Decreased Use
45%
Stopped
18%
Use More
86%
26. 30% of
blacked
Out 4+ in
Academic
Year.
Nearly ½
reported
alcohol
caused
arguments
with friends /
roommates.
Heavy Drinkers Reported
56%engaged in
unplanned Sex at least
once in the Academic
School Year.
27. UNPLANNED AND UNPROTECTED SEX IS NOT
STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE.
Alcohol
Unplanned Sex
• 56% Heavy Drinkers
• 25% Moderate Drinkers
Unprotected Sex
• 47% Heavy Drinkers
• 20% Moderate Drinkers
• 7% Light Drinkers
Drugs
Unplanned Sex
• 13% Drug Users (past 30 days).
Unprotected Sex
• 10% Drug Users
28. RATES FOR ALCOHOL USE ARE MUCH
HIGHER FOR HARM
Alcohol
Needing Medical Treatment
• 1% Drinkers
Injury to Themselves
• 10% Drinkers
Drugs
Needing Medical Treatment
• 2% Drug Users
Injury to Themselves
• 4% Drug Users
29. REASONS THAT STUDENTS QUIT DRINKING OR
REDUCED CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL
Drink and Drive
Habits were too Expensive
Didn’t Like how it Made
me Feel
46% Quit or Reduce Consumption
30. Perception of Danger
For every drug except marijuana, at least 80% of
respondents said that the drug was somewhat or very
dangerous.
47% of respondents said that marijuana was
somewhat or very dangerous.
The drug students perceived as most dangerous was
heroin, followed by cocaine or crack.
Very Dangerous Somewhat Dangerous Not Very Dangerous Not at All Dangerous
33. Students Estimated about
64% of the Student Body
Drinks Alcohol at least
Once per Month.
Fairly Close Estimate
Perception:
Is Drinking a Problem on Campus?
The Actual Percent
of Student who
Reported Drinking
in the Preceding
Month was 61%
34. Disconnect Between How Students Perceive their Own
Alcohol Usage and How their Peers Perceive it!
4% Identified
Themselves as
Heavy or Problem
Drinkers
VS
23% Identified Their
Peers were either
Heavy or Problem
Drinkers
35. PERCEPTION
% Agree with the Statement
29% “Students admire non-drinkers”
15% “It’s important to show how much you can
drink”
22% “You can’t make it socially without drinking”
25% “Drinking is an important part of the college
experience”
62% of Students Believe Drinking is Important.
36. Student were Poorly Informed about their
School’s Policies Toward Alcohol Use
Students Did Not Know:
43% School Policy
Concerning Alcohol.
65% Drug
and Alcohol
Abuse Prevention
Program
78% - Peer Education Programs for
Alcohol/Drug Use
30% - Not Received any
Information
37. Student Awareness of Campus Programs has
Deteriorated
2005 2013
50% 65%
Students were asked if their campus had a drug
and alcohol program
Did Not Know
38. Student Support or Opposition to Possible Poli
Regarding Alcohol and Drug Use
66% - NO 72%
56% -
Banning
Advertising
79% -
Support
Fine
45% Support
Denying
39. SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Alcohol & Drug Use (Higher)
• Depressed
• Hopeless
• Worthless
• Heavy Drinkers on Average are more
likely to feel depressed.
Drug Users and Non-Drug
Users
• Hopelessness
• Nervousness
• Worthlessness (1.5%)
• Depression (5%)
• Drug users report being depressed a
little or some of the time about 5%
more often than non drug users.
40. Drunk Driving
2005 2013
29% 25% Drove After Drinking
11% 9% Binge Drank and Drove
21% - Rode
in the car
50% Served
5% Accident
involving
Alcohol
60%
Reported as
being the
one
intoxicated
41. CONCLUSION
Alcohol, Tobacco and Drunk Driving have Declined, while Marijuana use has
increased, easily available and drug of choice for college students.
Unclear if Colleges have played a role in these changes.
Students continue to have poor awareness of campus programs.
Underage drinking continues to be prevalent as well as easy access.
Restaurants are notorious offenders of serving alcohol to underage
drinkers…..and Students recognize it as an easy target.
Must recognize that mental health plays a part in alcohol and drug
abuse.
44. SAN ANTONIO CAMPUSES
Indoor Smoking Ban Smoke-free Campus Tobacco-free Campus
Trinity University
Our Lady of the Lake
University
University of the Incarnate
Word
St. Mary’s University
Texas A&M University at
San Antonio
University of Texas at
San Antonio
Alamo Colleges
45. CPRIT GRANTS AT UTSA
• Complete ban as of 2014
• Self-policed
• $1.5 million in research grants
received
46. ALAMO COLLEGES
• All campuses tobacco-free
• ACPD assesses fines of $10-$20
• Environmental changes over time
Notas del editor
The 2013 Texas Survey of Substance Use Among College Students was built on similar surveys conducted in 1997, 2005 and 2013. If the pattern continues the next survey will be in 2021 (8 years apart).
The survey assess the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use on college campuses.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), contract with Texas A & M University’s Public Policy Research Institute to survey School, Colleges and Universities.
60 schools were invited to participate. Fourty-five participated of which 12 were small 4 year universities, 10 large 4 year universities and 23 two year colleges across Texas.
Although 75% of Texas Schools participated in the survey, FERPA was a barrier for participation. One college did not consider email addresses a Directory Information and were therefore not required to provide them in response to Public Information Request.
New – Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory information”, such as name, address, phone, DOB, Place, honors, awards, and attendance. However, schools must tell parents about directory information and allow parents and students reasonable time to opt out of disclosing directory information.
The report outlines patterns of licit and illicit substance , behavior, demographics, perception and consequences of substance use, as well as how substance abuse has changed over time.
Value smaller than 0.1 are displayed as 0.
Top 5 substances used are Alcohol, Tobacco Marijuana, Synthetic Marijuana and finally stimulants.
The 2005 and 2013 survey results are very similar with the exception of :
Past year drug usage
College alcohol use declined from 79% to about 75%
Tobacco and sedative declined
Marijuana increased from 21% to 24%
Stimulant use Increased.
About 81% of respondents report that they have used alcohol in their lifetime, while 75% report having used it in the last year and 62% report having used alcohol in the past month.
Thinking about their drinking habits in the month preceding the survey, respondents reported that they typically preferred to drink beer (29%) to anything else, with liquor (24%) a close second. 9% of respondents reported typically drinking wine and 8% reported typically drinking a ready made drink like a cooler.
Asked how they would describe themselves in terms of their alcohol use, 16% of respondents reported that they abstain from alcohol completely, 53% described themselves as light drinkers, 26% described themselves as moderate drinkers, 4% described themselves as heavy drinkers, and about half of one percent of respondents described themselves as problem drinkers.
About 43% of male respondents report that they had five or more drinks in a single sitting at least once in the 30 days preceding the survey.
Amongst females, 38% report having had four or more drinks in a single sitting in the preceding 30 days.
About 5% of women and 14% of men report that they drank in these quantities at least 6 times in the preceding 30 days.
11% OF UNDERAGE RESPONDENTS USED A FAKE id TO OBTAIN ALCOHOL, BUT 24% REPORTED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN ALCOHOL AT BARS OR STORES BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY WEREN’T CARDED.
STUDENTS REPORTED THAT RESTAURANTS WERE EASIEST, FOLLOWED BY OFF CAMPUS BARS, GAS STATIONS AND FINALLY GROCERY STORES.
785 OBTAINED ALCOHOL FROM A FRIEND WHO WAS OVER 21, 52% REPORT THAT THEY OBTAINED FROM A PARENT OR RELATIVE, AND 38% OBRAINED FROM A FRIEND WHO WAS UNDER 21 THEMSELVES.
The average age students reported that they started drinking was 16.55, which represents a modest but statistically significant increase from 2005, when they reported starting at 16.28 on average.
The average age at which respondents first tried marijuana was 16.72.
This chart compares 2005 Lifetime Use to 2013.
Both Alcohol and Tobacco have declined while
Marijuana, Stimulants, and MDMA have increased.
Hallucinogens have remained the same.
Synthetic Marijuana wasn’t even on the radar in 2005. Just as e-cigarattes and hookahs were not on the radar for 2013 but will be on the next survey.
Stimulants and Synthetic Marijuana rank evenly for the 4th most used substance.
Girls are just as likely to drink as the boys, however are less likely to indulge in other substances
Prescription drug abuse was substantive with 17% of students reporting that they had used a prescription durg with the intent of getting high. Pain killers were the most commonly abused prescription drug, followed by Stimulants, sedatives and cough suppressants.
Most respondents were infrequent users:
Only – 6% of the students used narcotics in the past year and - 2% in the past month.
Pain Killers - Vicodin, Oxycontin, Codeine 12% 6% 2%
Only Stimulants - Ritalin, Adderall, other 12% 7% 3%
Sedatives - Ambien, Soma 7% 3% 2%
Cough Suppressants - DXM, Coricidin 7% 3% 1%
The most common way to obtain prescription drugs was from a home medicine cabinet (just under 10%), followed by a doctor's prescription (about 9%), followed by buying from someone with a prescription (just under 9%).
Students who do not use illicit drugs have a slightly higher grade-point, on average, than those that do use drugs, but this difference is extremely small.
There is likewise no statistically significant difference between grade point averages for light and heavy drinkers even though light drinkers have an average grade point about one grade higher than moderate drinkers. (about a B+ average vs. about a B average)
About 18% of students who have used drugs in the past reported that they use more drugs now than when they entered college.
Another 18% report that their use of drugs has decreased.
45% say they have stopped using drugs altogether since entering college.
The vast majority of students who report that they continue to use drugs say they typically use marijuana (86%)
Nearly 30% of heavy drinkers report that they have blacked out four or more times during the academic school year. Nearly half of heavy drinkers also report that alcohol has caused them to argue with friends or roommates. 56% of heavy drinkers report that they have engaged in unplanned sex at least once during the academic school year due to alcohol consumption.
25% percent of moderate drinkers and 56% of heavy drinkers report that they have engaged in unplanned sex at least once during the academic school year due to alcohol consumption. The pattern is similar for engaging in unprotected sex: 20% of moderate drinkers and 47% of heavy drinkers report that they engaged in unprotected sex due to alcohol consumption, compared to just under 7% of light drinkers.
Unplanned and unprotected sex is not as strongly associated with drug use. 13% of students who used drugs in the preceding month say that drug use has led to unplanned sex at least once, and 10% say that drug use has led to unprotected sex.
Drug users also rarely report causing themselves physical harm due to drug use. Fewer than 2% of illicit drug users reported needing medical treatment as a result of drug use in the 2012 – 2013 academic school year. 4% say that drug use led to them hurting or injuring themselves. Again, the rates for drinkers are much higher. Nearly 10% of all drinkers report having hurt or injured themselves as result of drinking. Amongst heavy drinkers, almost 34% report having hurt or injured themselves. 1% of all drinkers report having needed medical treatment for an alcohol overdose, however, and 6% of heavy drinkers report having needed medical attention for an overdose.
Respondents were asked if they had ever made the decision to quit using
alcohol or reduce their consumption of alcohol for even a short period of
time. If a respondent replied they had, follow-up questions were asked to
determine what factors influenced the respondent's decision.
Just under 46% of students said that they had decided to quit consuming alcohol or reduce their consumption of it at some point in their lives.
The most popular reason for quitting or cutting back was fear of drinking and driving.
The second most common reason was that students felt their drinking habits were getting too expensive.
Third reason didn’t like how it made me feel.
Respondents were also asked which illicit drugs they believe are the most
dangerous for a person of their age. Respondents could answer that the drug was very dangerous, somewhat dangerous, not very dangerous, or not at all dangerous.
For every drug except marijuana, at least 80% of respondents said
that the drug was somewhat or very dangerous.
47% of respondents said that marijuana was somewhat or very dangerous.
The drug students perceived as most dangerous was heroin, followed by cocaine or crack.
A little more than 48% of respondents believed that drug abuse is either a minor, moderate, or major problem on their campus, while 34% said it is not a problem at all (18% said they were not sure).
More than 60% of students said that underage drinking is a problem on campus, and about 54% said that heavy alcohol use is a problem on their campus.
Students estimated that about 64% of the student body drinks alcohol at least once a month. This is a fairly close estimate; the actual percent of students who reported drinking in the preceding month was 61%.
The survey suggests that there is a disconnect between how students perceive their own alcohol usage and how their peers perceive it. While 4% of students identified themselves as heavy or problem drinkers, respondents estimated that about 23% of their peers were either heavy or problem drinkers.
About 29% of respondents agreed with the statement \Students admire
non-drinkers," and 15% agreed with the statement \It's important to show how much you can drink." About a quarter of students agreed with the statements \You can't make it socially without drinking" (22%) and \Drinking is an important part of the college experience" (25%).
Most survey respondents were poorly informed about their school's policies towards alcohol use. More than 43% of respondents did not know if their school had any policies concerning student alcohol use. Similarly, 65% did not know if their school had a drug and alcohol abuse prevention program, and 78% did not know if their campus had peer education programs for alcohol/drug use.
When asked if they had received any information on various
campus policies and programs related to drugs and alcohol, fewer than 30% of students said they had in each case. Of the students who were aware of their campus's programs, about 17% reported that they had attended a drug and alcohol abuse prevention presentation, lecture, or event sponsored by the college. Although some of the questions asked in this section were not asked in 2005, there is reason to believe that student awareness of campus programs has deteriorated. When asked if their school had a drug and alcohol abuse prevention program, 50% of respondents in 2005 answered they did not know. In 2013, 65% of respondents answered they did not know, and this difference is statistically significant. On at least this one metric then, students are less informed now than they were in 2005.
The survey also asked if the respondent supported or opposed several
possible policies regarding alcohol and drug use. More than 66% of students in the survey support prohibiting alcohol use and possession on campus, 72% support setting aside some dorms as alcohol-free, 56% support the banning of alcohol advertising at campus events, and 79% support fining student organizations that offer alcohol to minors. About 45% of students supported denying scholarships to students with either alcohol related or drug related convictions.
The survey asked students to describe their mental state by noting how often they felt nervous, hopeless, depressed, worthless, or restless.
Heavy drinkers tended to report higher levels of feeling depressed, hopeless, or worthless. Illicit drug users also reported elevated
rates of these three feelings, although heavy drinkers reported higher rates than drug users did. The difference between the percent of heavy drinkers who reported feeling depressed in any degree and the percent of light or moderate drinkers who reported feeling depressed in any degree is statistically significant, indicating that heavy drinkers are, on average, more likely to feel depression. The elevated feelings of hopelessness, nervousness, worthlessness, and depression in any degree that are seen amongst illicit drug users in Figure 7 are all statistically significant when compared to non drug-users Drug users report being depressed all or most of the time about 2% more often than non-drug users do, and report being depressed a little or some of the time about 5% more often than non-drug users do. Drug users report feeling worthless most or all of the time about 1.5% more often than non drug users, and report feeling worthless a little or some of the time about 3% more often than non drug users.
Students were asked how often they drive after drinking alcohol in a typical month. This question was also asked in 2005, and there is a statistically significant decline in the percentage of students who reported driving after drinking alcohol once or more in an average month. In 2013, 25% of students answered that they drive after drinking at least once a month, compared to about 29% of students in 2005 who said the same. There was also a statistically significant decline in the proportion of students who reported driving once or more a month after having five or more drinks. About 11% of students admitted to driving at least once in an average month after having five or more drinks, whereas 9% of students in 2013 said the same. About 21% of students said they had ridden in a car with someone who was high or drunk. Encouragingly, nearly 50% of students said they serve as a designated driver at least once in a typical month. Just over 5% of survey respondents said that they had been involved in an auto accident involving a drunk driver. About 60% of respondents who reported being involved in a drunk driving accident reported that they were the intoxicated driver in the accident.
The 2013 survey shows some promising trends in drug and alcohol use amongst Texas college students. Alcohol and tobacco use have both declined. Drunk driving appears to have declined as well. It is not clear, however, if colleges have themselves played a role in this change. Students continue to have poor awareness of campus programs designed to inform students about drug
and alcohol abuse and to help students who believe they are suffering from a substance abuse problem. The large number of students who choose to quit or cut back on their use of alcohol and drugs demonstrates that student behavior is in flux and campus programs could be valuable contributors to accomplishing important policy goals like reducing the incidence of drunk driving. In addition to suggesting that awareness of these programs needs to be increased, this survey provides useful data regarding how students might be convinced to reduce or cease their consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs. The survey also shows that underage drinking continues to be prevalent and that underage students generally and it easy to obtain alcohol. Student
responses in this survey should be useful for targeting enforcement efforts. Restaurants are a particularly egregious offender, one that underage students recognize as an easy target for procuring alcohol. Although there are fewer illegal or dangerous behaviors associated with
drug use, the survey does suggest that drug use is associated with poor mental health. It is not clear which way the causal arrow runs in this case, but providing mental health services for students and advertising the existence of these kinds of programs may be a valuable tool for reducing illicit drug use and/or mitigating some of its harmful effects. Although tobacco use has
decreased, marijuana use has increased, and marijuana is easily the illicit
drug of choice for college students.