Association of over the counter "hangover remedy" use with alcohol use problems and consumption patterns among young adults.

This cross-sectional study of young adults examined associations of hangover remedy use with alcohol use problems. Results suggest that ever-use of hangover remedy products was positively associated with alcohol use problem score, drinks per typical drinking day, and alcohol use disorder symptom count. Use of hangover remedies among young adults merits further scientific and regulatory attention.

Development of a Measure to Assess Protective Behavioral Strategies for Pregaming among Young Adults.

Background: Although most young adults drink alcohol, there are specific drinking contexts that are associated with increased risk for alcohol-related consequences. One such drinking context is pregaming, which typically involves heavy drinking in brief periods of time and has consistently been linked to consequences within the pregaming event itself, on a night after pregaming, and in the long-term. Intervention efforts that specifically target this risky behavior are needed, but these efforts need to be informed by empirical work to better understand what behaviors young people engage in that can protect them from pregaming-related harms. Purpose: We designed this study to create a measure of protective behavioral strategies that young people use before, during, and after pregaming to inform future intervention work. Methods: We tested an item pool with 363 young adult college students who engaged in pregaming in the past year and conducted exploratory factor analysis to develop a 19-item Protective Behavioral Strategies for Pregaming (PBSP) scale, which featured four subscales of safety and familiarity, setting drink limits, pacing strategies, and minimizing intoxication. Results: Each subscale negatively and significantly correlated with measures of alcohol use and consequences, though subscales differed in their associations with specific pregaming outcomes and by sex. Conclusion: This initial exploratory examination of the PBSP scale's psychometric properties suggests that use of protective behavioral strategies used specifically during pregaming events may protect young people from heavy drinking and harms. More research with the PBSP scale is encouraged to determine its practical utility as a clinical and assessment tool with young people.

Conceptualizing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome as a Cascade of Care: A Qualitative Study With Healthcare Providers in Ohio.

BACKGROUND: The opioid epidemic remains a serious issue in the United States and presents additional challenges for women of childbearing age. An increasingly common complication of opioid use is neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), or infant withdrawal from in utero exposure to opioids. PURPOSE: The objective of our qualitative study was to identify service needs and barriers to care in the NAS epidemic in Ohio, which has among the highest rates of opioid use and NAS in the nation. METHODS: Drawing on interviews with 18 healthcare providers, we investigated the challenges, opportunities, and service gaps in treating NAS. Open-ended questions covered opioid misuse and drug treatment, provision of and barriers to healthcare, and suggestions to improve prevention and programming. Content analysis identified major themes. FINDINGS: Providers were primarily women (67%) and included individuals working in healthcare administrative positions, hospital settings, clinics, and social support positions for pregnant women or new mothers. Our results suggest that rather than an acute diagnosis, NAS is better conceptualized as a "cascade of care" including (1) prevention, (2) prenatal care, including drug treatment, (3) labor and delivery, and (4) aftercare. Providers identified challenges and opportunities at each stage of the cascade that could influence NAS outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our results suggest that greater resources, coordination, and cross-disciplinary education are urgently needed across the cascade of care to effectively address NAS. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Framing NAS as a cascade of care allows researchers to identify points along a cascade where mothers and infants require enhanced care and access to social and health services.

Factors Associated with Self-Estimated Breath Alcohol Concentration Among Bar Patrons.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the context in which drinkers underestimate their breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) in natural drinking environments. This study examined factors associated with bar patrons' self-estimated BrAC in high-risk college town settings. METHODS: Guided interview and BrAC data were collected from 510 participants recruited as they exited bars located close to large universities: 1 in Florida and 1 in Texas. RESULTS: Participants with the highest measured BrACs underestimated their BrAC levels the most. Findings from multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that BrAC (std ß = 0.014, p < 0.001), number of alcoholic drinks consumed (std ß = 0.006, p < 0.01), and perceived drunkenness (std ß = 0.024, p < 0.001) had significant positive associations with BrAC self-estimates, where the regression coefficients were scaled by values approximately equal to each variable's interquartile range. Among the 321 participants with BrAC levels ≥ 0.08 g/dl, 21.2% believed their BrAC was below the legal per se driving limit of 0.08 g/dl. Results from a logistic regression analysis indicated that higher levels of perceived drunkenness were associated with better self-recognition that one's BrAC level exceeded the legal driving threshold (OR = 3.312, p < 0.001). Further, participants under 26 years of age had reduced odds of recognizing that their BrAC was greater than 0.079 g/dl (OR = 0.245, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the inaccuracy of self-estimated BrAC when drinking, particularly among younger drinkers. Adjusting for BrAC, situational factors were strongly associated with self-estimated BrAC. Future research is needed to better understand how altering drinking environments may improve accuracy of BrAC self-estimates and deter driving after drinking.

Effect of Depression on Risky Drinking and Response to a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment Intervention.

We assessed alcohol consumption and depression in 234 American Indian/Alaska Native women (aged 18-45 years) in Southern California. Women were randomized to intervention or assessment alone and followed for 6 months (2011-2013). Depression was associated with risk factors for alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP). Both treatment groups reduced drinking (P < .001). Depressed, but not nondepressed, women reduced drinking in response to SBIRT above the reduction in response to assessment alone. Screening for depression may assist in allocating women to specific AEP prevention interventions.

Preventing alcohol-exposed pregnancy among an American Indian/Alaska Native population: effect of a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment intervention.

BACKGROUND: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are the result of alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEP) and believed to be the leading known cause of developmental disabilities in the United States. Our objective was to determine whether a culturally targeted Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) intervention may reduce risky drinking and vulnerability to AEP among American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women in Southern California. METHODS: Southern California AIAN women of childbearing age who completed a survey including questions regarding alcohol consumption and contraceptive use were randomized into intervention or treatment as usual groups where the former group completed an online SBIRT intervention, and were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months postintervention. RESULTS: Of 263 women recruited and 247 with follow-up data, one-third were at high risk of having an AEP at baseline. Both treatment groups decreased self-reported risky drinking behavior (drinks per week, p < 0.001; frequency of heavy episodic [binge] drinking episodes per 2 weeks, p = 0.017 and risk of AEP p < 0.001 at 6 months postintervention) in the follow-up period. There was no difference between treatment groups. Baseline factors associated with decreased risk of an AEP at follow-up included the perception that other women in their peer group consumed a greater number of drinks per week, having reported a greater number of binge episodes in the past 2 weeks, and depression/impaired functionality. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in assessment alone may have been sufficient to encourage behavioral change even without the web-based SBIRT intervention. Randomization to the SBIRT did not result in a significantly different change in risky drinking behaviors. The importance of perception of other women's drinking and one's own depression/functionality may have implications for future interventions.

Drinking behavior among low-income older adults: a multimethod approach to estimating alcohol use.

BACKGROUND: Substance abuse is the fastest growing health concern for older adults. Heavy drinking among older persons is associated with an increased risk of health consequences such as diabetes, cognitive impairment, sleep issues, and depression. It is important to note, however, the prevalence estimates of alcohol use among older adults are often based on inconsistent methodology. To address these potential methodological shortcomings, this study examines drinking patterns among low-income older adults using both self-report and unobtrusive methods. METHODS: The study was conducted in a low-income residential senior center in the United States. A total of 174 participants, aged 60 years or older, completed 2 self-administered cross-sectional surveys. A bogus recycling program was implemented to assess the amount of alcohol consumed by residents. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to model predictors of drinking status and to determine predictors of 3 category Alcohol Use and Disorders Identification Test scores. Bivariate associations that predicted associations with alcohol use were included in the final multivariate model. Alcohol containers collected from recycling were converted to standard drink estimates in order to calculate the capital consumption of residents. RESULTS: About 40% of respondents reported consuming alcohol and 25% reported drinking at least once a week. On average, a total of 1,079 drinks were consumed per month. There were 3 significant predictors of drinking status: age, education, and diagnosis of diabetes. Additionally, there appears to be an increase in recycled alcohol containers coinciding with the time residents received their social security checks. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the combination of self-report and unobtrusive measures of alcohol consumption has potential to highlight different aspects of drinking behavior with a population living in a single dwelling such as a senior center apartment complex, residential hall, and the like.

The relationship between drinking games and intentions to continue drinking, intentions to drive after drinking, and adverse consequences: results of a field study.

BACKGROUND: Drinking games have become a nearly universal aspect of excessive drinking on university campuses with 50-62% of college students reporting playing drinking games in the past month. Participation in drinking games has been correlated with numerous negative consequences and increased consumption of alcohol. OBJECTIVES: The present study addresses the influence of drinking games on three drinking-related outcomes: problems experienced the night of the drinking event, the intent to keep drinking, and the intent to drive after drinking. METHODS: The data collected for the present study were part of a study testing environmental influences of drinking behaviors of young adults. A total of 226 randomly selected parties (representing 1725 partygoers) were selected for study inclusion. Three multilevel logistic regression models tested the relationship between drinking games and the three drinking-related outcomes. RESULTS: Participants who reported playing drinking games were 1.58 times more likely to report continued drinking intentions than participants who did not play drinking games. If drinking games were observed at a party, participants were 2.38 times more likely to plan to drive while intoxicated. Additionally, participants who reported playing drinking games were 1.59 times more likely to report experiencing a drinking-related problem than participants who did not play drinking games. CONCLUSION: Drinking games have consequences beyond increasing the level of intoxication; they contribute to problematic behavior at individual and environmental levels. Preventing drinking games is warranted.

"What was the vibe you were going for?" SAM Behaviors and Socialization During the COVID-19 Pandemic, a Qualitative Approach.

Introduction: Marijuana use is at historic highs amongst college-aged adults, who are more likely to engage in simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use (SAM) than other age cohorts. For college students, the COVID-19 pandemic is a unique transitory phenomenon that led to isolation, as well as changes in socialization, academic environments, and substance use. This exploratory qualitative study aims to understand SAM socialization and motivation behaviors among college students. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews (N=32) were conducted across the United States from January 2021-April 2021via Zoom. Interviews were then transcribed, then a thematic analysis was conducted in Atlas.ti. Results: The sample was primarily college juniors (mage=21). Since the pandemic, half of the participants increased SAM, whereas the other half decreased SAM. SAM was reported in different categories including primarily with friends, but, much less with partners and with roommates. More than half of the sample indicated that they used SAM alone. Motivations to engage in SAM included relaxing, socializing, offsetting stressors specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, and relieving general stress, anxiety and boredom. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted college students' substance use in interesting ways. Understanding the behaviors of SAM in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial due to the legalization of marijuana in many states. This understanding has significant implications for prevention strategies and potential policy interventions. Our study yielded findings regarding the impact of socialization on SAM. We discovered that not only does socialization affect SAM, but the specific contexts and motivations behind these behaviors also play a crucial role, which adds to our developing understanding of SAM behavior.

A mobile-based pregaming drinking prevention intervention for college students: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Pregaming is among the riskiest drinking behaviors in which college students engage, often leading to elevated blood alcohol levels and negative alcohol-related consequences. Yet, tailored interventions to reduce risk associated with pregaming are lacking. The present study was designed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a brief, mobile-based intervention targeting heavy drinking during pregaming among college students, called Pregaming Awareness in College Environments (PACE). METHOD: PACE was developed using two innovations to facilitate behavior change: (a) a mobile-based application to increase intervention accessibility and (b) personalized pregaming-specific intervention content delivered using a harm reduction approach with cognitive behavioral skills training. After development and ß-testing, we employed a randomized clinical trial with 485 college students who reported pregaming at least once per week in the past month (Mage = 19.98; 52.2% from minoritized racial and/or ethnic groups; 65.6% female). Participants were randomly assigned to PACE (n = 242) or a control condition website (n = 243), which consisted of general information about the effects of alcohol. Analysis assessed intervention effects on pregaming drinking, global drinking, and alcohol-related consequences at 6 and 14 weeks postintervention. RESULTS: Although participants in both conditions reduced drinking, small and significant intervention effects favoring PACE were found at 6-week follow-up for overall drinking days, pregaming days, and alcohol-related consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest the brief mobile PACE intervention has potential to address risky drinking, but more intensive pregaming-focused efforts may be necessary to achieve stronger and lasting effects among college students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A review of evidence-based approaches for reduction of alcohol consumption in Native women who are pregnant or of reproductive age.

BACKGROUND: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are the leading preventable cause of developmental disabilities in the United States and likely throughout the world. FASDs can be prevented by avoiding alcohol use during pregnancy; however, efforts to prevent risky alcohol consumption in women of childbearing potential have not been universally successful. OBJECTIVES: Data suggest that successful interventions may require tailoring methods to meet the needs of specific populations and cultures. Key findings of interventions previously tested among American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women who are or may become pregnant, data gaps, and promising ongoing interventions are reviewed. METHODS: A systematic review of the current literature on empirically based interventions among AI/AN women was conducted. Selected alternative approaches currently being tested in AI/AN settings are also described. RESULTS: Similar to findings among other populations of women in the United States, a number of interventions have been implemented; however, only a small number have measured results. Approaches have included standard interventions involving hospitalization, inpatient, or outpatient care; wellness education; traditional approaches; and case management for high-risk women. An ongoing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol comparing the effectiveness of a web-based culturally adapted tool, or a peer health educator model to standard clinical practice is described. CONCLUSION: Translation of successful interventions from other settings to AI/AN populations holds promise. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: FASDs represent a significant health issue with high personal and societal costs. Improvement of interventions to prevent prenatal alcohol consumption in specific populations, including AI/AN women, is a critical public health need.

Self-Reported Age of Onset and Telescoping for Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Marijuana Across Eight Years of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

Smoking, drinking, and illicit drug use are leading causes of morbidity and mortality, both during adolescence as well as later in life. Although for some adolescents, substance use may last for only a brief period of experimentation, use of these substances in adolescence may have negative consequences. The determination of how well national and local policy and intervention efforts address teen substance use depends largely on the collection of valid and accurate data. Assessments of substance use rely heavily on retrospective self-report measures. The reliability and validity of self-reported substance use measures, however, may be limited by various sources of measurement error. This study utilizes four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth spanning eight years. Our wave-to-wave analyses examined the accuracy of self-reported age of onset for cigarette, alcohol and marijuana users. Findings indicate that approximately one-fourth of cigarette users, one-fifth of alcohol users and one-third of marijuana users reported their age of onset exactly the same across waves. Of those who reported the age of onset inaccurately, the error tended to be in the direction of reporting their age of onset as older at a latter wave relative to what was reported previously, known as forward telescoping. Results from multiple linear regression analyses showed that the single most consistent variable associated with telescoping was the number of years since the substance was first reported. Time since first report was the single consistent and strongly associated with telescoping in each wave-to-wave comparison for all three substances under study. Implications for policy and research are discussed.

Drinking with Friends: Measuring the Two-week Ecology of Drinking Behaviors.

Objectives: Despite the substantial influence these acute alcohol-related problems cause globally, past research has failed historically to capture the dynamic nature of drinking events, including how multiple factors (ie, individual, group, and environmental) interact to affect event-level intoxication. Fortunately, technology (eg, transdermal alcohol monitors) and smartphone surveys have provided researchers with new avenues to measure the complex nature of alcohol consumption. This paper presents the methods of a pilot study that sought to measure event-level alcohol consumption in a natural drinking group of college students. Methods: Ten groups of friends (N=49) were followed for 2 weeks with daily diary surveys, continuous activity trackers, hourly geographic ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) on 4 separate drinking occasions, and a transdermal alcohol monitor during one group-based social event. Results: On average, participants responded to > 75% of both daily diaries and EMAs and were compliant with activity trackers on 96% of monitoring days. Over 90% of the sample had usable transdermal data and after smoothing, peak transdermal alcohol contents ranged from 0.13 to 0.395 during the observation evening. Conclusion: The lessons learned during this pilot study can provide a building block for future work in this area, especially as data collection in alcohol research rapidly advances.

Longitudinal trajectories of prescription opioid misuse in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent misuse of prescription opioids is hazardous. This study aimed to generate data on prescription opioid misuse trajectories across adolescence and identify risk factors and mechanisms for more dangerous use trajectories. METHODS: Using a prospective longitudinal cohort repeated measures design, baseline (Fall 2013) and seven semiannual assessments were administered through Spring 2017 in 10 public high schools in Los Angeles, CA. Frequency of past 30-day prescription opioid misuse was captured. Trajectory groups were identified using growth mixture modeling and multinomial logistic regression identified associations between baseline risk factors with membership in each trajectory group. RESULTS: Overall, 3395 students were evaluated (53.4% female, Mean [SD] age at baseline=14.58[0.40]; range=12.83-16.29). Four discrete misuse trajectories were identified among 1062 students: (1) Minimal/Experimental (infrequent time-limited use; range of estimated mean number of days using prescription opioid across waves=0.0-0.6 days]; N = 705[20.8%]); (2) Low Deescalating (range=2.0-0.7 days; N = 189[5.6%]); (3) Moderate Escalating (range=0.7-3.6 days; N = 108[3.2%]); and (4) Frequent Persistent (range=4.7-9.4 days; N = 60[1.8%]). Students reporting tobacco, cannabis, alcohol use, or impulsivity in 9th grade were more likely to demonstrate membership in the Moderate Escalating trajectory class when compared to 2333 (68.7%) students reporting sustained abstinence. Female sex, peer opioid misuse, alcohol use, other substance use, impulsivity, or delinquent behavior reported in 9th grade was associated with membership in the Frequent Persistent trajectory class. CONCLUSIONS: Prescription opioid misuse in adolescence appears to follow 4 discrete trajectories, including the potentially problematic Moderate Escalating and Frequent Persistent trajectories. Female sex, peer influences, substance use, and intrapersonal risk factors were associated with membership in these classes.

A mobile-based pregaming drinking prevention intervention for college students: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pregaming is a high-drink context popular among college students that often leads to elevated blood alcohol levels and negative consequences. Over 15 years of research studies have demonstrated that pregaming represents one of the riskiest known behaviors among college students, yet no pregaming-specific interventions have been developed to help prevent this behavior. General brief interventions for students do not reduce pregaming behavior and may not be appropriate, as they do not help students develop skills unique to the pregaming context that could help them drink less. We developed a brief, mobile-based intervention that is proposed to prevent heavy drinking during pregaming for college students, with the ultimate goal that behavioral reductions in this risky practice will ultimately affect global drinking and prevent consequences. METHODS/DESIGN: The intervention, Pregaming Awareness in College Environments (PACE), was developed by combining two innovations to facilitate behavior change: (1) a mobile-based application that increases accessibility, is easy and engaging to use, and broadens the reach of the intervention content and (2) personalized pregaming-specific intervention content with harm reduction and cognitive behavioral skills proven to be mechanisms preventing and reducing heavy drinking among college students. After a develop and beta-test phase, we propose to test the efficacy of PACE in a preliminary randomized controlled trial with 500 college students who pregame at least once per week. Pregaming, general drinking, and alcohol-related consequences outcomes will be examined in the immediate (2 weeks post-intervention) and short-terms (six and 14-week post-intervention). We will also evaluate moderator effects for age, sex, and heaviness of drinking to allow for more refined information for a planned larger test of the intervention to follow this initial trial of PACE. DISCUSSION: This pregaming intervention clinical trial, if found to be efficacious, will culminate with an easily-disseminated mobile-based intervention for college student drinkers. It has the potential to reach millions of college students, perhaps as a clinical tool used by college counseling centers as an adjunct to formal care or as a preventive tool for first-year students or other high-risk groups on campus. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04016766.

Increased Risk for Sexual Violence Victimization on Drinking Days Involving Pregaming.

Alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risk for sexual violence victimization and perpetration. Pregaming, a popular activity among college students that involves heavy and quick drinking prior to going out for the night and often results in high blood alcohol levels (BALs), may convey increased risk for sexual violence-potentially due to greater likelihood of contact with intoxicated perpetrators and significantly impaired victim ability to consent or resist. Yet no published work has evaluated whether there is increased risk for victimization on drinking days that involve pregaming. Using a sample of 390 college student drinkers who completed a past 30-day Timeline Followback, we examined heavy drinking behavior, estimated BALs, and experience of sexual violence victimization during 1,899 drinking days, of which 30% involved pregaming. After controlling for demographics, we found that participants drank approximately two more drinks and reached significantly higher BALs on drinking days where they pregamed as compared to drinking days where they did not pregame. Nearly 6% of drinking days that included pregaming involved sexual violence victimization, compared to about 2% of drinking days where pregaming did not occur. Participants were at 2.71 times the odds of experiencing sexual violence, primarily unwelcomed comments and nonconsensual sexual touching, during drinking days with pregaming. This study represents a first step toward greater understanding of the sexual violence and pregaming link, but future research assessing perpetrator behavior and context-specific factors (e.g., amount consumed by victims and perpetrators, location of sexual violent events and peers present) are needed.

Predictors and effects of alcohol use on liver function among young HCV-infected injection drug users in a behavioral intervention.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening can provide opportunities to reduce disease progression through counseling against alcohol use, but empirical data on this issue are sparse. We determined the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in reducing alcohol use among young, HCV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) (n=355) and assessed whether changes in liver enzymes were associated with changes in alcohol consumption. METHODS: Both the intervention and attention-control groups were counseled to avoid alcohol use, but the intervention group received enhanced counseling. Logistic regression, ANOVA, and continuous time Markov models were used to identify factors associated with alcohol use, changes in mean ALT and AST levels, and change in alcohol use post-intervention. RESULTS: Six months post-intervention, alcohol abstinence increased 22.7% in both groups, with no difference by intervention arm. Transition from alcohol use to abstinence was associated with a decrease in liver enzymes, with a marginally greater decrease in the intervention group (p=0.05 for ALT; p=0.06 for AST). In multivariate Markov models, those who used marijuana transitioned from alcohol abstinence to consumption more rapidly than non-users (RR=3.11); those who were homeless transitioned more slowly to alcohol abstinence (RR=0.47); and those who had ever received a clinical diagnosis of liver disease transitioned more rapidly to abstinence (RR=1.88). CONCLUSIONS: Although, behavioral counseling to reduce alcohol consumption among HCV-infected IDUs had a modest effect, reductions in alcohol consumption were associated with marked improvements in liver function. Interventions to reduce alcohol use among HCV-infected IDUs may benefit from being integrated into clinical care and monitoring of HCV infection.

Web-based assessment and brief intervention for alcohol use in women of childbearing potential: a report of the primary findings.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for more effective assessment and primary prevention programs aimed at accurately measuring and reducing alcohol consumption among women before conception in underserved, high-risk populations. Health information technology may serve this purpose; however, the effectiveness of such tools within this population is not known. METHODS: We conducted a small-scale randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of an adapted Web-based alcohol assessment and intervention tool among low-income, nonpregnant women of reproductive age who were receiving Women Infant and Children (WIC) services in San Diego County and who reported currently drinking at a moderate risk level. A total of 150 risky drinking participants completed a Web-based assessment and were randomly assigned to either receive a personalized feedback intervention or general health information about alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome. Follow-up assessments on reported alcohol consumption were conducted via telephone at 1- and 2-months postbaseline. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 44 and were predominately Hispanic/Latina (44%). RESULTS: At baseline, all respondents reported consuming ≥3 standard drinks on ≥1 occasion in the previous month. Outcome data were available for 131 participants. The main outcome measure was reduction in the number of risky drinking occasions, which did not differ significantly between treatment conditions (odds ratio 1.200, 95% CI 0.567 to 2.539, p=0.634). Over 70% of the participants, however, reported a reduction in risky drinking occasions regardless of treatment condition (control 43/63, 68%; experimental 49/68, 72%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that web-based assessment of alcohol consumption among low-income women of reproductive age, as represented by WIC clients, is feasible and acceptable. The findings also suggest that detailed and interactive assessments of alcohol consumption may be sufficient for the reduction of risky drinking within this population without personalized feedback.

5-HTTLPR genotype and associations with intoxication and intention to drive: results from a field study of bar patrons.

The serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been linked to a number of human behavioral traits and disorders. The variants of 5-HTTLPR are commonly reported in three forms, L/L, S/L and S/S, with the latter most often associated with emotional distress and/or behavioral dysfunction. Missing from the research literature are investigations that assess event-level associations between 5-HTTLPR genotype and specific incidents of risk behavior in natural drinking settings. This study reports associations between 5-HTTLPR, alcohol intoxication and intention to drive among young adult patrons exiting on-premise drinking establishments (i.e. bars) at night. Self-report measures, breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) readings and saliva samples for DNA analysis were collected from 477 bar patrons. Analyses were performed on 225 patrons likely to be near their peak intoxication level for the night. Results from a linear regression revealed that the 5-HTTLPR genotype was associated with exiting patron BrAC, after adjusting for random and fixed effects of other variables. An interaction effect involving 5-HTTLPR and bar-sponsored drink specials also had an independent association with BrAC, suggesting that selection of price-discounted alcoholic beverages increased intoxication in patrons with an L allele. In addition, results from logistic regression indicated that patrons with the S/S genotype were three times more likely to intend to drive a motor vehicle (after drinking on the night of study participation) compared with those with the L/L genotype. The 5-HTTLPR genotype may play an important role in the etiology of problems associated with on-premise drinking establishments.