The total volume of alcohol consumed per head of student (based on the

total sample of students) was 18.3 litres of pure alcohol for males and 10.8

litres for females. While very few students drank daily, 74% of male students

and 70% of female students drank at least once a week.  Binge drinking at

least once a week, defined as drinking at least 75 grams of pure alcohol per

occasion (at least 4 pints of beer or a bottle of wine or equivalent), was

reported by 61% of male students and 44% of female students. Overall,

third year students had fewer regular binge drinkers. Among males, first

year students had the highest proportion of weekly binge drinkers (64%).

Among females, second year students (49%) were the highest binge

drinkers. When the frequency of binge drinking occasions were related to

the overall number of drinking occasions, the results showed that out of

every 100 drinking occasions 76 ended up in binge drinking for male

students and 60 for female students (Figure 14).  

Figure 14: High Risk Drinking by gender

80

76

70

61

60

60

50

44

(%) 40

30

20

10

Males

0

Females

At least weekly

Binge per 100

binge drinking

drinking occasions

4.9.3c. Experience of Adverse Consequences

There was a high level and range of harm/problems experienced by

students as a result of their drinking.  Three quarters (74%) of male students

and two thirds of female students (65%) experienced at least one harm

during the last 12 months as a result of their alcohol use.  There was a high

prevalence of adverse consequences relating to their drinking such as

 regretted things said or done after drinking  (62%),  felt effects of alcohol

while at class/work  (50%),  missed school/work days  (44%) and  harmed

studies/work  (28%). A higher proportion of male students experienced

these harms in comparison to their female counterparts (Table 21). Male

students were twice as likely to have been in a fight, in an accident and had

unprotected sex in comparison to female students.  One in four male

students and one in five female students experienced money problems as a

result of their own drinking.  

41