Table 24: Student Living Conditions and General health by high risk drinking 

Regular Binge

Less frequent or 

drinkers

non binge drinkers

Income   average

Family

 270

 265

Work

 318

 286*

Grants

 230

 224

Expenditure   average

Accommodation

 258

 283*

Alcohol

 148

 69*

Food

 107

 110

General Health

%

%

Perceived general health (exc/v. good)

51.4

57.4*

Satisfaction with health (satisfied)

60.3

66.1*

Quality of Life (v.good/good)

86.5

86.9

Perceived mental health (v.good/good)

85.4

85.4

Physical Activity 

Physical activity level (very/fairly active)

67.9

68.5

Sports participation

51.8

46.1*

Sources of Stress (regular stress)

Exams

67.1

67.1

Specific subjects demands

60.3

64.5*

Studies in general

59.2

60.0

Financial situation

47.0

40.9*

Relationships

25.2

21.8

Work outside of college

22.4

19.7*

*significant between drinking pattern (p<.01)

To explore if binge drinking was part of a wider risk taking behaviour pattern,

behaviours across substance use and sexual activity were examined.  Results

showed that regular binge drinkers were more likely to engage in other risk

taking behaviours. A higher proportion of binge drinkers were involved at an

earlier age in smoking, drinking and sexual activity than other drinkers (Table

25). Regular binge drinkers were twice as likely to be smokers and cannabis

users. A greater number of regular binge drinkers were also sexually active

(Figure 19).

47