Kimberly M Caldeira1, Amelia M Arria2, Hannah K Allen3, Brittany A Bugbee4, Kathryn B Vincent5, Kevin E O'Grady6. 1. Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 1234 School of Public Health Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: caldeira@umd.edu. 2. Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 1234 School of Public Health Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: aarria@umd.edu. 3. Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 1234 School of Public Health Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: hallen@umd.edu. 4. Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 1234 School of Public Health Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: bbugbee@umd.edu. 5. Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 1234 School of Public Health Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: kvincent@umd.edu. 6. Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, 3109 Biology-Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: ogrady@umd.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Driving under the influence of alcohol is a leading cause of injury and premature death among young adults, and college-educated individuals are at particularly high risk. Less is known about driving under the influence of other drugs, which is on the rise. METHOD: This study describes prospective seven-year trends in alcohol and other drug (AOD)-involved driving among a young-adult sample beginning with their second year of college (i.e., Years 2-8), and documents the extent of continuity in such behaviors across time. Originally recruited as incoming first-year students at one large public university, participants (n=1194) were interviewed annually about how frequently they drove while drunk/intoxicated (DWI), after drinking any alcohol (DAD), and/or while under the influence of other drugs (DD). Follow-up rates were high (>75% annually). RESULTS: Among participants with access to drive a car, annual prevalence peaked in Year 4 (modal age 21) for both DWI (24.3%wt) and DD (19.1%wt) and declined significantly thereafter through Year 8 (both ps<0.05). DAD was far more prevalent than DWI or DD, increasing from 40.5%wt in Year 2 to 66.9%wt in Year 5, and plateauing thereafter. Among marijuana-using participants, likelihood of DD was consistently greater than the likelihood of DWI among Heavy Episodic and Light-to-Moderate drinkers, and it declined significantly during Years 5-8 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Post-college declines in heavy drinking and DWI prevalence were encouraging but did not necessarily translate to reductions in likelihood of engaging in DWI, depending on drinking pattern. College-educated individuals represent an important target for AOD-involved driving prevention.
BACKGROUND: Driving under the influence of alcohol is a leading cause of injury and premature death among young adults, and college-educated individuals are at particularly high risk. Less is known about driving under the influence of other drugs, which is on the rise. METHOD: This study describes prospective seven-year trends in alcohol and other drug (AOD)-involved driving among a young-adult sample beginning with their second year of college (i.e., Years 2-8), and documents the extent of continuity in such behaviors across time. Originally recruited as incoming first-year students at one large public university, participants (n=1194) were interviewed annually about how frequently they drove while drunk/intoxicated (DWI), after drinking any alcohol (DAD), and/or while under the influence of other drugs (DD). Follow-up rates were high (>75% annually). RESULTS: Among participants with access to drive a car, annual prevalence peaked in Year 4 (modal age 21) for both DWI (24.3%wt) and DD (19.1%wt) and declined significantly thereafter through Year 8 (both ps<0.05). DAD was far more prevalent than DWI or DD, increasing from 40.5%wt in Year 2 to 66.9%wt in Year 5, and plateauing thereafter. Among marijuana-using participants, likelihood of DD was consistently greater than the likelihood of DWI among Heavy Episodic and Light-to-Moderate drinkers, and it declined significantly during Years 5-8 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Post-college declines in heavy drinking and DWI prevalence were encouraging but did not necessarily translate to reductions in likelihood of engaging in DWI, depending on drinking pattern. College-educated individuals represent an important target for AOD-involved driving prevention.
Authors: Kenneth H Beck; Sarah J Kasperski; Kimberly M Caldeira; Kathryn B Vincent; Kevin E O'Grady; Amelia M Arria Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2010-06-01 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Amelia M Arria; Kimberly M Caldeira; Kathryn B Vincent; Laura M Garnier-Dykstra; Kevin E O'Grady Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2011-05-20 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Christopher P Salas-Wright; Michael G Vaughn; Jelena Todic; David Córdova; Brian E Perron Journal: Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse Date: 2015 Impact factor: 3.829
Authors: Aaron D Dora-Laskey; Jason E Goldstick; Lisa Buckley; Erin E Bonar; Marc A Zimmerman; Maureen A Walton; Rebecca M Cunningham; Patrick M Carter Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2019-09-10 Impact factor: 2.164