Background
Drinking problem is known to affect not only patients but also their offsprings. This study purposed to examine the drinking behaviors and emotional aspects of university students whose fathers have drinking problems. Methods: Fathers' drinking problems of 208 students were measured by father‐short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. The degree of alcohol use, anxiety, and depression were measured by AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), Zung's self‐rating anxiety and depression scales. Results: The male students whose fathers have drinking problems showed higher rate of binge drinking (adjusted OR 3.72; 95% CI 1.03∼13.5), heavy drinking (adjusted OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.13∼6.62), and harmful and hazardous drinking (adjusted OR 4.12; 95% CI 1.30∼12.89) than the male students whose fathers do not have drinking problems. The female students whose fathers have drinking problems showed higher rate of depression (adjusted OR 9.29; 95% CI 1.91∼24.31) than the female students whose fathers do not have drinking problems. Conclusion: The results suggest that primary care physicians in a university setting need to evaluate and counsel drinking problems in male students, and emotional aspects in female students whose fathers have drinking problems. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2007;28:902-908)