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. 2007 Feb;58(2):192-200.
doi: 10.1176/ps.2007.58.2.192.

Alcohol use disorders and the use of treatment services among college-age young adults

Li-Tzy Wu  1 , Daniel J Pilowsky, William E Schlenger, Deborah Hasin
Affiliations

Alcohol use disorders and the use of treatment services among college-age young adults

Li-Tzy Wu et al. Psychiatr Serv. 2007 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the utilization of and the perceived need for alcohol treatment services among college-age young adults (18-22 years) according to their educational status: full-time college students, part-time college students, noncollege students (currently in school with the highest grade level below college), and nonstudents (N=11,337). This breakdown of young adults had not been addressed previously.

Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted on data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Results: Full-time college students (21%) were as likely to have an alcohol use disorder as nonstudents (19%), but were more likely than part-time college students (15%) and noncollege students (12%). Only 4% of full-time college students with an alcohol use disorder received any alcohol services in the past year. Of those with an alcohol use disorder who did not receive treatment services, only 2% of full-time college students, close to 1% of part-time college students, and approximately 3% of young adults who were not in college reported a perceived need for alcohol treatment. Full-time college students were less likely than noncollege students to receive treatment for alcohol use disorders. All young adults with an alcohol use disorder were very unlikely to perceive a need for alcohol treatment or counseling.

Conclusions: College-age adults have a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders, yet they are very unlikely to receive alcohol treatment or early intervention services or to perceive a need for such services. Underutilization of alcohol-related services among college-age young adults deserves greater research attention.

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