Alcohol use patterns of first-year medical students: I. Development of shared norms. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 1985;9(1):38-44
Date
01/01/1985Pubmed ID
3887967DOI
10.1111/j.1530-0277.1985.tb05047.xScopus ID
2-s2.0-0021928356 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 13 CitationsAbstract
Freshman medical students (96% of one class; n = 116) completed questionnaires on alcohol use at orientation, and again in April (n = 106) of that same year. Quantity/frequency and self-label ratings of alcohol use were employed to define normative ranges (in ethanol oz/wk). The confidentiality of student participants was protected. Males consumed five drinks per week over the summer and dropped to four per week during school; females consumed two drinks per week over both periods. Summertime and school year consumption rates were strongly correlated. Normative ranges of drinking converged from September to April, suggesting the emerging norms were the product of social experience with classmates. Class norms described a "cutpoint" separating acceptable range from excessive drinking (more than two drinks per day). The authors conclude that reliable "community norms" for medical students could be identified, the norms evolve over time, and they can be employed to determine the boundaries of acceptable drinking for research and screening purposes.
Author List
Clark DC, Eckenfels EJ, Daugherty SR, Rives CMAuthor
David C. Clark PhD Assistant Dean, Professor in the Research Office department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAlcohol Drinking
Female
Humans
Male
Self Concept
Sex Factors
Social Conformity
Students, Medical
Time Factors
