Campus drinking: an epidemiological model

Abstract

The drinking behaviours of college students have posed significant public health concerns for several generations. However, the dynamics of campus drinking have not been analysed using mathematical models. An epidemiological model capturing the dynamics of campus drinking is used to study how the ‘disease’ of drinking is spread on campus. The model suggests that the reproductive numbers are not sufficient to predict whether drinking behaviour will persist on campus and that the pattern of recruiting new members plays a significant role in the reduction of campus alcohol problems. In particular, campus alcohol abuse may be reduced by minimizing the ability of problem drinkers to directly recruit non-drinkers.