High Socioeconomic Status Predicts Substance Use and Alcohol Consumption in U.S. Undergraduates

Abstract

Background: In health sociology, the prevailing consensus is that socioeconomic status (SES) lowers illness risk. This model neglects the fact that unhealthful consumption patterns may covary with affluence. The current study examines consumption of drugs and alcohol among affluent U.S. college students. Objectives: The article tests the hypothesis that undergraduate students from high-SES households have higher rates and levels of drug and alcohol consumption than their peers. Methods: The study used self-report data from 18,611 18- to 24-year-old undergraduates across 23 public and private U.S. institutions from the Healthy Minds 2016 dataset. Results: I found that high-SES undergraduates were more likely than peers to use marijuana, choose varied drugs, consume alcohol frequently, and use alcohol and substances to cope with stress. The first three results were robust after controlling for gender, race, residence type, and relationship status. Marital status and race were stronger predictors than SES. Asians and married students were the least likely to use alcohol and drugs. Conclusions/Importance: Findings supported the main hypotheses, and the effects were robust to controls. Consumption of illicit drugs and alcohol may be one hitherto neglected reason for downward mobility among economically privileged college students.

Keywords:

• Higher education
• social class
• substance use
• alcohol
• young adulthood
• Asian Americans

Acknowledgment

The author appreciate feedback given by Arthur Sakamoto, Robert Agnew, Ellen Idler, Corey Keyes, and Scott Lilienfeld.

Declaration of interest

None. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.