Trends in Behavior

Provided below are a comparison of results from Michigan State University's 2000 and 2002 National College Health Assessments.

2000 to 2004 Comparisons

• Appendix A with Comparisons ( 175 KB)

2000 Versus 2002

• Reported Use of Various Substances
• Perceived Use of Various Substances
• Other Alcohol-Related Behaviors
• Sexual Behavior
• Health Problems
• Mental Health

• A Note on Comparisons

2000 Versus 2002: Reported Use of Various Substances

The table to the right presents the comparisons of results between the two surveys regarding the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and other drugs. The table indicates that there were no significant differences between 2000 and 2002 regarding the use of smokeless tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, rohypnol, and miscellaneous other drugs. However, the table does show that there were statistically significant differences in the results between 2000 and 2002 on the remaining substances. Specifically, the data reveal that:

• The percentage of respondents who indicated that they have never used cigarettes increased in 2002 compared to 2000, while the percentage who reported smoking cigarettes on more days also declined.

• Fewer respondents reported ever having smoked cigars in 2002 than in 2000, and those who did smoke cigars tended to report smoking them less often.

• A larger percentage of respondents in 2002 reported never drinking alcohol than in 2000, and, among those who did drink alcohol, smaller percentages of respondents reported drinking very frequently than in 2000.

• The percentages of respondents who reported using amphetamines increased slightly from 2000 to 2002.

Thus, the results suggest that, in general, the use of harmful substances – especially the most commonly used substances – declined between the 2000 survey and the 2002 survey among MSU students.

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2000 Versus 2002: Perceived Use of Various Substances

The table to the right focuses on respondents’ perceptions of the use of various substances by fellow MSU students. There were no differences in the perceived use of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or amphetamines between the two surveys, despite the fact that actual use for two of these appears to have declined. For all the remaining substances, respondents in 2002 perceived that use was more common than respondents perceived it to be in 2000. That is, in 2002 respondents were more likely to perceive that their peers used alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, rohypnol, and other drugs. Thus, actual use may have declined but perceived use has increased or failed to recognize the decline.

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2000 Versus 2002: Other Alcohol-Related Behaviors

The tables to the right compare the results for 2000 and 2002 on a variety of alcohol-related behaviors. The first table indicates that:

• Fewer respondents in 2002 reported driving after drinking alcohol in the previous month than reported doing so in 2000.

• There was no difference between 2000 and 2002 regarding the percentages of respondents who reported driving at least once in the previous month after drinking five or more drinks (8.5% in 2000 vs. 7.2% in 2002).

The second table focuses on questions as to how often those who drink take each of various steps to protect themselves from alcohol poisoning, intoxication, or injuries. The table indicates that there were no significant differences in the responses to any of these items between 2000 and 20002 except regarding alternating non-alcohol and alcohol beverages or drinking alcohol look-alikes. On nearly all of the items, the percentage of respondents who reported always or usually doing the self-protecting behavior was slightly greater in 2002 than in 2000 but the difference was not sufficiently great to be statistically significant. The difference was significant regarding alternating types of beverages, with respondents in 2002 being more likely to report more often alternating non-alcoholic beverages when they drank alcohol during this past school year. The difference was also significant regarding how often respondents drank alcohol look-alikes, but in this case, the percentage who reported always or usually doing this declined from 2000 to 2002.

Another interesting comparison is the average number of hours respondents reported spending drinking on the most recent social occasion, the number of drinks they had, and the number they believed a “typical” MSU student had on his or her last social occasion. The results show that:

• The average number of hours respondents reported spending socializing was roughly 1/3 of an hour less in 2002 than in 2000 (i.e., 3.22 hrs. vs. 3.54 hrs.).

• There was no difference in the average number of drinks respondents reported consuming between 2000 and 2002.

• And, there was no significant difference in the average number of drinks respondents believed the “typical” MSU student consumed from 2000 to 2002.

We also compare the percentages of respondents who reported experiencing various health-threatening consequences of their drinking during the school year. There were no statistically significant differences in responses between the two surveys for any of the items except having unprotected sex. Some 5% fewer respondents reported having had unprotected sex as a consequence of their drinking in 2002 than in 2000 (16.5% vs. 21.1%).

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2000 Versus 2002: Health Problems

The table to the right compares the prevalence of each of 29 different health problems students might experience for the two surveys. The table shows the percentage of respondents who said they had had each of the problems during the current academic year. There were no significant differences in the percentages of respondents who had these various problems between 2000 and 2002. Other than what might be attributable to sampling error, virtually the same percentages of respondents reported having had each of these health problems in 2002 as did so in 2000.

Also, when asked whether they experienced some type of academic difficulty as a consequence of 28 different health, family, social or behavioral problems, there were no significant differences in the responses between 2000 and 2002 on 25 of the 28 different health problems. The only items on which there were statistically significant differences between 2000 and 2002 had to do with the consequences of colds, influenza, or sore throats, internet use or computer games, and pregnancies. The results indicate that:

• A smaller percentage of respondents in 2002 reported having some type of academic problem as a result of a cold, influenza or sore throat than did so in 2000 (19.4% vs. 23.5%).

• A larger percentage of respondents in 2002 reported having some type of academic problem as a consequence of using the internet or playing computer games than did so in 2000 (12.9% vs. 8.9%).

• And, fewer respondents reported academic problems as a result of a pregnancy (their own or their partner’s) in 2002 than reported this in 2000 (0.3% vs. 1.6%).

In general, there appears to have been little change in the general health experience of students at MSU in 2002 compared to 2000 or in the impacts of those experiences. However, where there was apparent change, the apparent change mirrored actual changes on campus (i.e., the increasingly pervasive use and availability of computer technologies) or findings regarding other health behavior changes among students (i.e., reduced sexual activity).

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2000 Versus 2002: Mental Health

The table to the right compares responses to the seven mental health questions between the 2000 and 2002 surveys. The questions asked respondents how many times they felt a particular way or thought or attempted various things which reflect on their mental health status. For this comparison, we have collapsed the response options into only three categories: never, 1-2 times, and 3 or more times. The table indicates that there were no statistically significant differences in the distributions of responses to any of these seven items between 2000 and 2002. That is, there is no evidence of a significant change in the overall mental health status of students between the two years.

2000 Versus 2002: A Note on Comparisons

In reviewing the comparisons between the 2000 and 2002 NCHA, it is important not to give too much weight to any one comparison among the many. Rather, individual comparisons should be viewed in the context of the other comparisons in each set and interpreted based on the overall pattern the comparisons in the set suggests as to whether change occurred or not. For more information on the methodology of this study, please contact Larry A. Hembroff, Senior Survey Methodologist at the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research's Office for Survey Research. Larry can be reached at hembroff@msu.edu or (517) 355-6672, ext. 122.