Citation

Hoffman EW, Pinkleton BE, Austin EW, Reyes-Velázquez W. J. Am. Coll. Health 2014; 62(5): 328-335.

Affiliation

a Flagler College , St. Augustine , Florida.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2014.902837

PMID

24635485

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol marketers have increasingly moved their advertising efforts into digital- and social-media venues. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate associations between students' use of social media, their exposure to alcohol marketing messages through social media, and their alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors.

PARTICIPANTS: Public and private university students (n = 637) participated November and December 2011, and April 2012.

METHOD: College students completed online surveys to measure their exposure to social and online media generally, as well as their alcohol-related digital media use and alcohol use.

RESULTS: Use of social media related to alcohol marketing predicted alcohol consumption and engaging in risky behaviors while the use of social media more generally did not.

CONCLUSIONS: Students' use of alcohol-related social media marketing content associates with their problem drinking. Results have implications for alcohol-abuse reduction efforts targeted to college students and suggest the importance of considering social, cultural and cognitive factors in campaign planning and design.

Language: en