Table 3 Students’ sociodemographic and academic characteristics independently associated with six alcohol consumption indicators in the United Kingdom (Academic year 2007–2008)

Gender

  Female

.52 (.42–.64)***

.41 (.32–.52)***

.42 (.35–.56)***

.49 (.37–.66)***

.59 (.46–.75)***

.41 (.29–.57)***

  Male

1

1

1

1

1

1

University

  Chester

1.39 (1.04–1.85)*

1.42 (1.07–1.88)*

.78 (.59–1.03)

1.03 (.75–1.40)

.67 (.48–.94)*

.51 (.31–.82)**

  Gloucestershire

1.15 (.87–1.52)

1.61 (1.22–2.13)***

1.36 (1.04–1.79)*

1.36 (1.00–1.86)*

.66 (.48–.90)**

.57 (.37–.88)*

  Ulster

.84 (.60–1.18)

1.15 (.83–1.59)

.54 (.39–.76)***

1.13 (.79–1.61)

1.14 (.79–1.65)

1.00 (.60–1.67)

  Swansea

1.56 (1.13–2.16)**

1.35 (.98–1.87)

.77 (.56–1.06)

.95 (.67–1.33)

.46 (.31–.70)***

.33 (.17–.64)***

  Plymouth

.86 (.56–1.32)

.77 (.50–1.17)

.66 (.43–1.00)

.68 (.44–1.05)

.83 (.45–1.51)

.58 (.23–1.44)

  Oxford Brookes

.69 (.42–1.13)

.60 (.37–.97)*

.79 (.51–1.22)

.47 (.29–.74)***

.67 (.39–1.13)

.67 (.32–1.40)

  Bath Spa

1

1

1

1

1

1

Year of study

  1st year

1.33 (.89–2.00)

1.63 (1.09–2.45)*

.99 (.67–1.47)

1.22 (.79–1.87)

.93 (.58–1.49)

.66 (.35–1.23)

  2nd year

1.57 (1.04–2.36)*

1.71 (1.13–2.57)**

.85 (.57–1.26)

1.28 (.83–1.97)

1.05 (.66–1.69)

.72 (.39–1.34)

  3rd year

1.18 (.76–1.82)

1.41 (.92–2.18)

.74 (.48–1.12)

.94 (.59–1.49)

1.01 (.61–1.68)

.55 (.27–1.09)

  ≥ 4th year

1

1

1

1

1

1

Have intimate partner

  Yes

.93 (.79–1.11)

.99 (.83–1.18)

.76 (.64–.89)***

.84 (.69–1.02)

.74 (.61–.91)**

.70 (.52–.94)*

  No

1

1

1

1

1

1

Accomodation during semester

  With parents

1.21 (.99–1.46)

.68 (.44–1.05)

.43 (.29–.65)***

.39 (.24–.62)***

.67 (.52–.85)***

.83 (.59–1.18)

  Other accomodation

1

1

1

1

1

1

Parental education

  Both parents high

.85 (.59–1.21)

.87 (.60–1.25)

1.01 (.69–1.45)

1.05 (.69–1.57)

.77 (.51–1.18)

.89 (.48–1.65)

  Mother high, father low

.79 (.49–1.29)

.82 (.51–1.33)

1.16 (.71–1.89)

1.04 (.61–1.77)

1.20 (.70–2.06)

1.89 (.89–3.99)

  Father high, mother low

.76 (.48–1.19)

.84 (.54–1.33)

1.23 (.78–1.94)

1.24 (.75–2.07)

.87 (.51–1.46)

1.18 (.55–2.51)

  Both parents low

1

1

1

1

1

1

Perceived income sufficiency

  Always sufficient

.77 (.65–.92)**

.68 (.57–.81)***

.78 (.66–.93)**

.67 (.56–.82)***

.76 (.62–.94)*

.73 (.53–.99)*

  Other

1

1

1

1

1

1

Important to achieve good grades

  Higher importance

.95 (.79–1.14)

.96 (.79–1.15)

.76 (.64–.91)**

.87 (.71–1.06)

.98 (.79–1.21)

.88 (.65–1.19)

  Other

1

1

1

1

1

1

Academic performance compared to peers

  Same/better performance

.92 (.74–1.15)

.92 (.74–1.15)

.86 (.69–1.08)

1.03 (.81–1.32)

.74 (.57–.95)*

.68 (.48–.97)*

  Lower performance

1

1

1

1

1

1

Gender differences

  Living with parents*Female

-

1.78 (1.10–2.89)*

–

2.13 (1.27–3.56)**

-

-