Health

Study finds less underage drinking at campuses with AMA program

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 4, 2004

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Universities implementing "A Matter of Degree," the AMA's program to reduce underage drinking on college campuses, experienced higher rates of class attendance and lower levels of negative incidents associated with alcohol consumption, according to a paper published this month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health compared five universities implementing the greatest number of recommended interventions such as keg registration, alcohol-free programming and substance-free residence halls with five that implemented very few interventions and 32 that did not participate at all.

At schools utilizing the most interventions, alcohol use decreased. Decreases were also noted in assaults, unwanted sexual advances, and sleep or study interruptions caused by drunk students. However, alcohol use increased at nonparticipating schools.

"The schools that have done the important work of instituting broad changes on and off campus to reduce drinking are being rewarded with a safer environment for students and the communities in which they live," said Richard A. Yoast, PhD, director of the AMA's Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/04/hlbf1004.htm.

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