In the U.S., excessive alcohol consumption is very common and can cause many negative effects, and is a threat to public health. Alcohol consumption is linked to negative consequences. Examples of these harmful behaviors include assault, injury, car accidents, risky decision making, etc (White & Hingson, 2014). Additionally, it is very common to get ill in college. Many students desire to get well quickly. Because of this urgency for a fast cure instead of choosing healthier habits, there is a growing desire for sick college students to obtain antibiotics. Antibiotics can cause a person to feel relief immediately, but they can impact normal stomach function and cause other pain and discomfort. However, the ongoing distribution of antibiotics could soon lead to antibiotic resistance. In terms of alcohol consumption, using antibiotics while also drinking can cause one to become more intoxicated at a much faster rate. These faster and stronger intoxication levels can lead to negative effects. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of alcohol intake while on antibiotics and the associated consequences. The data collection is an ongoing online survey using the snowball method at a mid-size midwestern university. I expect to find unique ways to encourage antibiotic use to be taken seriously in order to recover faster and reduce the negative impacts of mixing it with alcohol. I expect to observe that those who drink frequently throughout the week in order to feel drunk will continue to drink while on antibiotics. I also expect the faster and more intense levels of intoxication to be the desirable outcome among these participants. This study will fill the gap in research on alcohol intake while using antibiotics, and it will be a way to inform people on the intensified negative impacts of the two together.
Authors: Ava Walker, Rose Marie Ward
Advisor: Rose Marie Ward, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health
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