Recent Veterans in College Engage in Riskier Health Behaviors
Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.
December 9, 2011
According to a recent study, college students who have served in the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than their nonveteran peers to use tobacco, drink in excess, and engage in other behaviors that endanger their health and safety.
In the study, 8,651 Minnesota college students – both veterans and nonveterans – completed a survey of health-related behaviors. Compared with nonveteran students, higher percentages of veterans reported binge drinking – more than five drinks at one time – during the previous two weeks, and riding in a car driven by an intoxicated person during the prior year.
The study appears in the November/December 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.