Sorry this is a bit late in the day. I think I could come up with a few more questions but this is what i have so far
Alcoholism amongst undergraduates: the role of popular media
Alcohol is one of the biggest public health concerns facing the UK today. With increasing levels of hospital admissions (a figure which has doubled from 2003 to 2009) and more people opting for alcohol addiction treatment, it’s increasingly a drain on health resources, one which should and could be made avoidable. One of the key cultures where alcohol predominates is within universities. Universities being the establishment where people can get some of the highest educational attainments possible, it’s easy to conclude that people who attend university are some of the smartest in the country, yet studies have shown that the student population is one of the populations where they have a higher intake of alcohol per week than compared with the rest of the population, This has been shown through not only statistics/papers but is evident through popular media too which has long established it as almost one of the pillars of student culture.
The aim of this research is to investigate
- why students drink
- what their understanding of alcohol and its effects are
- do certain degrees predispose students to drink more/less
- What were the students’ preconceived ideas about the alcohol culture surrounding university, possibly through the media, and subsequently its impact.
Interview layout
- What degree are you taking?
- What year of study are you in currently?
- Do you drink alcohol at all?
If no
- Have you done so in the past
- Why do you choose not to?
- Have you ever felt compelled to drink?
- Are you aware of what the weekly amount of units you can drink for your gender?
If yes
- Have you done so in the past prior to coming to university?
- Why do you choose to drink alcohol?
- Are you aware of what the weekly amount of units you can drink for your gender
- Do you think you drink a safe amount each week?
- Do you feel the need to control the amount you do drink?
- How much do you drink approximately per week?
- Did you expect to drink at all/to your current level upon entering university?
- Before entering, what were your initial ideas about how university was going to be like, particularly around how alcohol is part of the culture?
- Do you feel the media has influenced you in any way at all when it comes to drinking at university?
