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영어

Objectives: Drinking is very common and prevalent among Korean college students. Research studies in college drinking consistently report high rate of drinkers and drinking related problems in this population. The purpose of this study is to compare alcohol related behaviors and problems among college students between year 2006 and 2008. Methods: For the purposes of the study, two sets of college student samples were analyzed. The 2006 sample included 3,329 students and the 2008 sample included 2,536 students from six major provinces. Data were collected using a self-administered survey. Results: The main findings from the comparison are as follows. For both years, more than 95% had experienced drinking. The amount of alcohol intake did not change for males whereas the amount increased for females. Binge drinking also increased for females. Alcohol related problems were measured by CAGE and AUDIT, which showed that those who endorsed more than 2 items in CAGE increased from 20% in 2006 to 39% in 2008, and those who scored more than 8 points in AUDIT also increased for both male and female students (71% to 74 % and 39% to 53%, respectively). Conclusion: Current study findings indicate that overall drinking increased for college Students in Korea as well as alcohol related problems, and this pattern was more prominent for female students. The study results imply the need for more attention in prevention and treatment efforts for this college population.