Factors Influencing Binge Drinking Behaviors among On-Campus and Off-Campus Students at Usiu-Africa

The objective of this study was to assess binge drinking behavior among university students living on and off-campus. The study sought to determine the levels of binge drinking behavior for on-campus students and off-campus students, the influence of student’s religious affiliation, gender, age of onset drinking and age on binge drinking behavior for on-campus and off-campus students. A total of 361 students were sampled for the study using stratified random and simple random sampling techniques. The findings showed that off-campus students had positive correlations between binge drinking and gender (r = .196; p < 0.01) and age of onset drinking and binge drinking (r = -.195; p < 0.01). A positive correlation between drinking and binge drinking (r = .331; p < 0.05) was found among on-campus students. A positive correlation (r = .169; p < 0.05) among the same variables was also found among off-campus men. Between the age of onset drinking and binge drinking off-campus females exhibited a negative correlation (r = -.248; p < 0.01). Religion and binge drinking exhibited a positive correlation (r = .168; p < 0.05), as well as Christianity and binge drinking (r = .251; p < 0.01), and Islam and binge drinking (r = .406; p < 0.05). Female Christians (aged 20 – 22yrs) living on-campus, or off-campus that began drinking at an early age, are the group most likely to binge drink. The study concludes that religious affiliation influences binge drinking among students, age of onset drinking influences binge drinking among female students, whether on-campus or off-campus. Kenya’s Ministries of Education and Health, should use these findings to develop regulatory policies on drinking and rehabilitation programs for binge drinkers.