However, due to the cross-sectional design, the directionality of effects remains unclear: whether the higher consumption of alcohol had contributed to financial problems and therewith to the perceived insufficient income; or if alcohol drinking is employed to cope with low income. In relation to year of study, we found selleck chem that students in the first two years of study were more likely to report large amount of drinking. This is in partial agreement with others, where in Slovakia, a higher study year was associated only with lower levels of heavy episodic drinking, but displayed no association with frequency of alcohol use, frequency of drunkenness and problem drinking [5]. However our findings are in contrast to research in Nigeria across 443 undergraduate university students, where older age was associated with problem drinking [4].

Regarding intimate partner relationships, our UK sample indicated that being in an intimate partnership was negatively associated with high frequency of drinking, problem drinking and possible alcohol dependence. We are in agreement with a review that found that university students without family obligations were more likely to consume alcohol in higher quantities [17]. Our findings are also in support of research of 813 university students in Slovakia [5], where having an intimate relationship was associated with less problem drinking only. However, the Slovakian study [5] did not measure possible alcohol dependence.

As for accommodation, in the current UK sample, accommodation with the parents during the semester was negatively associated with high frequency of drinking, heavy episodic drinking and also negatively associated with problem drinking among both genders. This is in agreement with research in Spain (750 students, �� 22 years), where living with friends was a risk factor for the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, when compared with living at home [34]. Our sample��s findings are also in support of research of young adults across four universities in the Slovak Republic, where living with parents during the semester was consistently associated with less frequent heavy episodic drinking, drunkenness episodes, and problem drinking [5]. In Spain, research across university students suggested that, Drug_discovery to decrease consumption among these young adults, strategies should target students who are living away from home [35]. In agreement, a recent review of 65 relevant articles published within the last 20 years reported that university students living alone, with roommates or in areas with a high density of students were more likely to consume alcohol in higher quantities [17].