Alcohol Consumption on Campus: A Pilot Study at UON

Alcohol misuse is a pressing public health concern, particularly for young adults who remain most at risk of alcohol-related harm. More than half of young people now attend university and a key part of this life transition for many students involves engaging in risky behaviours, such as excessive alcohol consumption. Most UK University students class themselves as drinkers, with many of these binge drinking and exceeding daily recommended levels, despite being aware of health risks. Many students drink for a number of positive experiences, including social facilitation and to experience pleasure, but alcohol misuse has a detrimental impact on a range of factors, including health, wellbeing and degree progression. Within the UK, on-campus alcogenic environments (e.g. Student’s Union (SU) venues and residential halls) are some of the main locations in which alcohol is consumed. While these contexts provide young adults with valuable physical and social action opportunities, certain features of these contexts can been associated with problematic alcohol-related harms. Universities are dedicated to improving the student experience by running enjoyable and sustainable events, but have an ongoing duty of care for their students. The current pilot work was conducted to obtain an understanding of alcohol consumption on-campus in on-premise SU venues and access to alcohol in off premise shops at The University of Northampton (UoN) and to provide recommendations for future alcohol prevention initiatives.

A report prepared for University of Northampton Student Union.