Project 460217

The high incidence of heavy episodic drinking among students, and the related negative consequences on Canadian university campuses, is an ongoing concern. Problematic alcohol consumption among first-year students, particularly those living in student residences, is highly influenced by the campus culture of heavy drinking and the students' desire to fit in. However, it remains unclear how universities can effectively address problematic drinking. This study aims to understand how alcohol culture affects alcohol use in first-year students' residences. This study will be conducted in the first-year residences at five Canadian universities in three provinces-University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Waterloo, Queen's University, and Dalhousie University. We will use a qualitative research method (Institutional ethnography) to explore the structure of students' everyday lives, specifically by looking at students' social interactions and understanding how those interactions influence their alcohol consumption. In Stage 1, we will interview students and residence service staff to understand their everyday experiences in the residences and how campus alcohol policies shape student behaviours. In Stage 2, six student peer-researchers on each campus will observe and photograph alcohol-related activities. They will work together to develop a description of the way students' alcohol use is organized and connected in the dormitory environment. We will also collect and analyze campus alcohol policies and alcohol-marketing materials. Through an understanding of the drinking culture, this study's results will reveal how campus alcohol-related intervention and health promotion can be better designed to reflect students' actual needs, and, in turn, inform campus alcohol policies and interventions. Final deliverables include specific recommendations for alcohol-related policy and practice at local and provincial levels.