Abstract
Greek life on college campuses offers many student benefits, including leadership skills and career networking, but is also associated with risk factors such as excessive alcohol use. This cross-sectional study compares hazardous alcohol and drug use, and use of protective behavioral strategies among non-Greek and Greek-affiliated students at 2 universities and differences among students at a university that offers on-campus Greek housing and a college with off-campus Greek housing. Findings reveal that Greek-affiliated students report more alcohol use, and no difference in drug use or in protective behavioral strategies, than non-Greek students. Among Greek students, those living in on-campus Greek housing report significantly lower alcohol use than students residing in off-campus Greek housing. Regardless of Greek status, students at the college with off-campus Greek housing are significantly more likely to use alcohol and marijuana in a fraternity or sorority house than students at the university with on-campus Greek housing.
FUNDING
The Prevention Coalition of Mercer County paid for the lottery incentive of Visa gift cards for two people. Respondents had the option of clicking a link at the end of the survey that took them to a different survey page where they could enter their e-mail to enter the lottery without it being linked to their survey responses. A lottery was held and two e-mails from that list were selected to win the gift cards. They were $350 each.