Evaluation of Environmental Strategies for Preventing Alcohol Problems on United States College Campuses

Objectives: The specific aims of this investigation were 1) to identify school-level characteristics correlated with alcohol and other drug (AOD)-related law violations among college students; 2) to determine whether limiting alcohol sales to six days per week is associated with alcohol consumption, binging, and alcohol-related law violations among college students; and 3) to assess whether the impact of alcohol tax increases on college alcohol-related disciplinary actions are moderated by school-level characteristics. Methods: In Aim 1, negative binomial regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship between characteristics of Maryland colleges and AOD-related law violations on those campuses. In Aim 2, linear and negative binomial regression analyses were used to estimate relationships between alcohol-related outcomes and three different interpretations of Sunday sales ban legislation. In Aim 3, interrupted time series methods and negative binomial regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship between the 2011 Maryland alcohol tax increase and alcohol-related disciplinary actions on Maryland college campuses, and to explore whether characteristics of those campuses affect said relationship. Results: AOD-related law violations in Maryland postsecondary institutions were predicted by several of the explored characteristics, especially by campus housing (IRR=328.5; p=<.001). Sunday sales bans on spirits may be modestly associated with increased consumption among drinking students (β= -.4; p=.028), and disciplinary actions on public property (IRR= .4; p=.044). For Aim 3, negative binomial analyses showed that with each year that passed after the tax, alcohol-related disciplinary actions on college campuses decreased by a factor of .91 (p=.050). Discussion: State-level environmental strategies for preventing alcohol problems may be effective among U.S. college students. There was counterintuitive evidence of increased consumption and alcohol-related disciplinary actions in this state-level analysis of Sunday sales bans. Further analyses at the municipal-level are warranted. There was evidence that the interaction between tax and time was associated with decreased alcohol-related disciplinary actions on college campuses. There was also evidence that school price affected the strength of the association. More deliberate investigation is warranted to examine whether school price is a proxy for student financial resources or for school financial resources

Understanding the relationship between alcohol outlet density and life expectancy in Baltimore City: The role of community violence and community disadvantage

This research investigated the relationship between alcohol outlet density (AOD) and life expectancy, as mediated by community violence and community disadvantage. We used linear regression models to assess bivariate and multivariate relationships. There was a negative bivariate association between liquor store density and average life expectancy (β = â 7.3370, p < 0.001). This relationship was partially attenuated when controlling for community disadvantage and fully attenuated when controlling for community violence. Bars/taverns (i.e., onâ premise) were not associated with average life expectancy (β = â 0.589, p = 0.220). Liquor store density is associated with higher levels of community disadvantage and higher rates of violence, both of which are associated with lower life expectancies. Future research, potential intervention, and current related policies are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146620/1/jcop22099_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146620/2/jcop22099.pd