University and Community Resources

Surveys and Statistics

Alcohol Survey Results for The University of Iowa College Alcohol Study.
Binge Drinking on American College Campuses: A New Look at an Old Problem. Boston, MA.
Harvard School of Public Health, August 1995.

Definition:

Binge drinking is defined as men having 5 or more drinks and women having 4 or more drinks in a sitting in the past two weeks.

Level of drinking and binging
  1993 1997 2001 2003 2005
Abstainers 6.0% 9.4% 7.9% 7.8% 9.4%
Drank, but did not binge 30.2% 27.4% 27.7% 22.8% 23.9%
Occasional binge drinkers 35.6% 28.3% 26.4% 27.1% 26.8%
Frequent binge drinkers 28.2% 34.8% 38.0% 42.3% 39.9%
Reasons for drinking:
  1993 1997 2001 2003 2005
Drink to get drunk 46.5% 65.6% 62.1% 63.5% N/A
Problems reported by students who drank:
  1993 1997 2001 2003 2005
Missed a Class 39.9% 48.7% 51.0% 38.3% 41.9%
Got behind in school work 27.1% 29.3% 31.0% 30.6% 30.6%
Did something you regretted 38.9% 50.6% 50.7% 47.6% 45.9%
Forgot where you were or what you did 27.1% 33.7% 40.6% 44.4% 43.9%
Argued with friends 27.1% 35.1% 31.0% 30.1% 34.6%
Engaged in unplanned sexual activity 25.7% 29.0% 27.5% 28.1% 31.6%
Did not use protection when having sex 15.3% 12.4% 15.1% 11.0% 14.1%
Damaged property 12.5% 13.6% 13.1% 13.5% 15.0%
Got into trouble with campus or local police 6.3% 9.8% 9.5% 10.7% 10.5%
Got hurt or injured 10.4% 15.9% 21.2% 17.6% 21.1%
Required medical treatment for alcohol overdose 0.0% 0.5% 0.7% 0.3% .0.7%
Had five or more of the above problems 22.9% 27.8% 31.9% 28.1% 30.0%
Drove after drinking alcohol 31.4% 32.6% 30.0% 28.7% 26.5%
Students bothered by other's drinking (Second Hand Effects):
  1993 1997 2001 2003 2005
Been insulted or humiliated 37.3% 44.1% 47.0% 38.2% 37.9%
Had a serious argument or quarrel 30.7% 37.8% 39.4% 36.3% 34.4%
Been pushed, hit, or assaulted 17.6% 21.5% 20.9% 16.8% 20.3%
Had property damaged 15.9% 22.5% 27.4% 22.7% 23.8%
Had to 'baby sit' a drunken student 54.9% 65.7% 71.7% 69.5% 70.7%
Had studying/sleep interrupted 67.3% 71.8% 70.8% 65.3% 65.1%
Experienced and unwanted sexual advance 29.4% 33.1% 33.9% 31.8% 32.8%
Victim of sexual assault or rape 1.3% 2.3% 1.8% 2.4% 2.2%
High school and college binge drinking behavior among all students:
  1993 1997 2001 2003 2005
Did not binge in high school or college 26.8% 32.0% 30.1% 26.4% 26.6%
Did not binge in high school / binged in college 26.2% 31.6% 30.1% 29.6% 29.4%
Binged in high school / did not binge in college 9.4% 5.1% 6.0% 4.7% 7.1%
Binged in high school and college 37.6% 31.3% 33.9% 39.3% 36.9%