Comparison of Alcohol Use in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Women Attending Two Urban Universities (Letter to the Editor‪)‬

Dear Editor: The use of alcohol on the campuses of American colleges and universities has been of interest to researchers for many years, as college attendance seems to have an effect on drinking behaviors (Presley, Meilman & Leichliter, 2002). Many college students report some experimentation with alcohol during their postsecondary education, but most do not incur significant negative consequences unless their pattern of use is excessive (O'Hare, 1990). Research notes that risk factors for excessive drinking among students differs based on gender, ethnicity, and other demographics of the student, and characteristics of the campus, and surrounding area (Baer, 2002; O'Malley & Johnston, 2002; Presley, et al., 2002). Historically, rates of heavy drinking have been higher for white, male, undergraduate students. Further research is needed among female students, as they react to or may be affected physiologically by alcohol in different ways than men. Alcohol misuse or abuse may also have a detrimental affect on the goals, educational attainments, and potential of success for women.