Survey indicates students use good judgment about sex, alcohol drugs

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat

Ninety percent of University of Arizona students last spring reported having no or one sexual partner, according to a UA Health Promotion and Preventive Services survey.

The survey found that 57 percent of the 1,126 students polled were sexually active in the spring of 1998.

"Most students don't believe the (survey) numbers the first time they hear them," said Dan Reilly, adviser for Campus Acquaintance Rape Educators. "Our society says that sex is a prominent part of our culture; however, we're finding that most students are being more selective in their partners."

Reilly said the misperception about the number of sexual partners is also due to "bragging rights."

"Most students won't brag about their lack of sexual partners, particularly the male population," he said.

Koreen Johannessen, director of Health Promotion and Preventive Services, said, "You have this image of an 'Animal House' situation and that's really not what's happening at the UA."

Health Promotion and Preventive Services uses surveys to help educate students about the reality of sex, alcohol and drug use.

The Core survey, which was administered to 4,000 universities across the nation this spring by Southern Illinois University, found that at the UA last year, only 17 percent of the student body is drinking more alcohol.

The same question, asked in a 1995 survey, reported that 28 percent of students were drinking more.

According to the survey, 30 percent of students had consumed more than five drinks in one sitting in the past two weeks. In 1995, the percentage was 43.2.

The surveys were given to students at random, students living in Greek houses, residence halls and to various classes.

"In the original survey (1995), we found that students grossly overestimated how much people were drinking," Reilly said. "There was an assumption that students were drinking what they thought was normal rather than what was comfortable for them."

Johannessen said she feels confident that the results of the surveys are indicative of the entire student population.

"We give (the survey) in three different ways with a lot of questions that overlap so we feel confident that the trend is real - alcohol is definitely on the decline and there's little endorsement for drug use on this campus," Johannessen said.

The survey found that 88 percent of students had not smoked marijuana in the last 30 days.

"Students don't endorse drug use," Johannessen said. "We've seen very little use of drugs like cocaine or heroin."

She also said that more than 90 percent of students said they would not like to see drugs at parties.

Reilly said he is encouraged by the Core survey results because many of the statistics indicate an improvement in education. He feels the survey's aggressive media campaign has been a huge part of the statistical change.

Advertisements placed biweekly in the Arizona Daily Wildcat equal about $10,000 each year, Johannessen said.

"A significant portion of our budget is for the media campaign," Reilly said. "We get more bang for our buck with this approach."

In the 1995 Core survey, the UA's statistics were similar to other universities' results, but after health promotions launched the media campaign, UA statistics went down while the other schools' numbers remained the same.

Northern Illinois University and Washington State University, which are also using media advertisements, saw similar improvements, Reilly said.

The majority of the Health Promotion and Preventive Services budget comes from a $1.8 million grant funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and has been augmented by smaller grants from other organizations.

Reilly said the statistical drop is important but that it is not time to quit working.

"In the future we want to help students achieve a level where they have safety in their environment," Reilly said.

"We don't have an abstinence approach to these issues," he said. "Students have an intrinsic ability to recognize what's safe and we just want to empower them."

Reilly admits that sometimes students do not believe the survey statistics.

"Sometimes they (the students) don't agree with the numbers - but at least they know the information," he said.

Johannessen said other UA organizations like Residence Life, Greek Life, the Dean of Students' Office, university police and professors have been an integral part of getting realistic information to students.

"With help, we're going to continue to report back to the students what's typical, usual and normal so they can benchmark their own health choices and see where they are compared to other students," she said.

"Our surveys show the decreases are equaling out to a healthier, happier experience for students and that they're doing a pretty good job of balancing their work and social life," Johannessen said.

Jimi Jo Story can be reached via e-mail at Jimi.Jo.Story@wildcat.arizona.edu.