Analysis of Hazardous Alcohol Consumption Among University Students in Ireland

401077 Introduction to Biostatistics, Autumn 2018
Assignment 3
Due Sunday June 10, 2018
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Question 1:
The present analysis is based on the research article “Hazardous alcohol consumption among
university students in Ireland: a cross-sectional study” by Davoren et al., (2015) published in BMJ
Open. Strobe Checklist for reporting of clinical observational studies has been taken as the basis for
analysing the paper.
Item 10
The required sample size was based on the information that the number of undergraduate students
at the University College Cork is 12,475. From previous studies (unpublished master’s thesis by
McCarthy, 2010) the authors have found that the incidence of HAC is 73%. Thus with a precision of
1.5% the required number of students was 2686.

Since the authors have based their sample size calculation from an unpublished thesis thus the
prevalence of 73% of students having HAC cannot be verified. However, if it is taken into
consideration that 73% of students do have HAC then the sample size calculation has been correctly
done.
Item 12
The research article did not use any confounding variable.
Thus the Strobe item 12a was not essential.
No subgroups were selected in the study.
Thus the Strobe item 12b was not essential.
The study did not provide for how missing data was handled.
Hence, the Strobe item 12c was not addressed.
The present research is a cross-sectional study. In the research paper under the section Results there
are clear mention of frequencies (with percentage) of the socio-demographic profile of the students.
The socio-demographic profile is segregated into different gender. In addition, the significance of
prevalence of HAC based on the socio-demographic is also provided. Moreover, HAC of age adjusted
odds ratio (with 95% CI) and multivariate logistics are also given
Thus the Strobe item 12d was well addressed.
Item 13
Davoren et al. in the methods and participants have stated that the number of students were
sampled using the method of probability proportional to size. Since the study was based on
university students all the students at the college were eligible for the study. The students were
asked to fill up a questionnaire. Thus there was no need for further follow-up.
Thus the Strobe item 13 was well addressed.
Item 14
In table 1, information is provided for descriptive statistics (counts and percentages) of the socio-
demographic profile of the students. Further, the self-reported body mass index, WEMWBS

(Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale) were also provided. Further statistical differences in
sub-groups was also provided.
Thus it can be concluded that item 14a has been addressed.
Item 15
In table 1 descriptive summaries of the socio-demographic profile of the students were provided.
The descriptive statistics for sub-groups were also provided.
Hence, Item15 for the Strobe’s Statement has been addressed.
Item 16
Table 2 presents the results of the Logistic Regression done to assess risk associated with HAC for
males and females. Age adjusted results for odds-ratio are given in the table. Further, the 95% CI for
age adjusted odds-ratio are given in the table. The results of multivariate analysis with 95% CI is also
given in the table.
In Table 3 the adverse consequences of alcohol consumption for male and females for both HAC and
non-HAC are provided.
Thus, Item 16 for the Strobe’s Statement has been addressed.
Item 17
No sensitivity analysis was done in the study. The subgroups in the study were not analysed in the
study.
Thus, Item 17 for the Strobe’s Statement is not necessary.