Madison study shows college students black out while drinking have a higher risk of future injuries

Talk about it

A U-W Madison study shows that college students who black out while drinking have a higher risk of future injuries. And they’re more likely than others to head to the emergency room, at a total cost of a half-million dollars for a campus the size of Madison. The study was published yesterday in the Health Affairs journal – and U-W researcher Marlon Mundt said there should be prevention efforts targeted to those whose drinking lead a loss-of-memory. Doctor Sarah Van Orman says Madison requires those with alcohol-related citations to take a special class on the risks of alcohol abuse. And the course is also offered to students known to have blackouts from their drinking. Van Orman, the director of University Health Services, says blackouts are just one result of high-risk drinking. Others include fights, injuries, and unplanned sex – and she says it makes a lot of sense to put resources into prevention. The study included almost a-thousand students at U-W campuses in Madison, Stevens Point, and Oshkosh – and the Universities of Washington and British Columbia. Those having blackouts were 27-percent more likely to seek emergency care for head injuries and broken bones.

Tags: news, wisconsin