23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Grabbing Red Bull by the Horns
Sarah A. Folks*, Katharyn M. Emery, and Meredith G. McGaughey
Dr. Janice Clark Young, Faculty Mentor
Caffeine is a widely used, socially acceptable drug of choice among all ages of Americans, especially college students. The purpose of this research project was to study the relationship between caffeine use/abuse and caffeine knowledge in students at two universities in Missouri. IRB approval at both institutions was obtained prior to the study. A 35-item pre-/post-test survey was administered to approximately 700 students during the spring semester of 2010 in required university personal well-being courses. Participants completed the pre-test online one week prior to the 15-minute in-class caffeine/energy drink presentation. The online post-test was administered eight weeks after the presentation. All collected data was be anonymous. Correlations between demographic variables (sex, age, athletic participation, class standing) and students reported knowledge and use of caffeine were analyzed using SPSS. The results provided insight into prior student knowledge of caffeine use, potentially dangerous behaviors, and the prevalence of caffeine use/abuse.
Keywords: caffeine, health, energy drinks
Topic(s):Health Science
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 5-10
Location: SUB-GEO
Time: 4:15