ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Most states prohibit sales of alcohol to customers who are apparently intoxicated, and many require training in responsible beverage service (RBS), with the aim of reducing driving while intoxicated (DWI) and other harms. Sales to apparently intoxicated patrons were assessed in onsite alcohol sales establishments and compared across three states. METHOD: A sample of 180 licensed onsite alcohol establishments was selected in California (n = 60), New Mexico (n = 60), and Washington State (n = 60). States had different RBS training histories, content, and procedures. Research confederates, trained to feign cues of intoxication, visited each establishment twice. The pseudo-intoxicated patron (PP) ordered an alcoholic beverage while displaying intoxication cues. Sale of alcohol was the primary outcome. RESULTS: At 179 establishments assessed, PPs were served alcohol during 56.5% of 356 visits (35.6% of establishments served and 22.6% did not serve at both visits). Alcohol sales were less frequent in New Mexico (47.9% of visits; odds ratio [OR] = 0.374, p = .008) and Washington State (49.6%; OR = 0.387, p = .012) than in California (72.0%). Servers less consistently refused service at both visits (6.8%) in California than New Mexico (33.9%) or Washington (27.1%), χ2(4, n = 177) = 16.72, p = .002. Alcohol sales were higher when intoxication cues were less obvious (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Overservice of alcohol to apparently intoxicated customers was frequent and likely elevated risk of DWI and other harms. The lower sales in New Mexico and Washington than California may show that a policy approach prohibiting sales to intoxicated customers combined with well-established RBS training can reduce overservice. Further efforts are needed to reduce overservice.
Subject(s)
Alcoholic Beverages , Alcoholic Intoxication , Commerce , Humans , Alcoholic Beverages/economics , Commerce/statistics & numerical data , Alcoholic Intoxication/epidemiology , California/epidemiology , Washington/epidemiology , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Driving Under the Influence/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Many emerging adults (EAs) are prone to making unhealthy choices, which increase their risk of premature cancer morbidity and mortality. In the era of social media, rigorous research on interventions to promote health behaviors for cancer risk reduction among EAs delivered over social media is limited. Cancer prevention information and recommendations may reach EAs more effectively over social media than in settings such as health care, schools, and workplaces, particularly for EAs residing in rural areas. OBJECTIVE: This pragmatic randomized trial aims to evaluate a multirisk factor intervention using a social media campaign designed with community advisers aimed at decreasing cancer risk factors among EAs. The trial will target EAs from diverse backgrounds living in rural counties in the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. METHODS: We will recruit a sample of EAs (n=1000) aged 18 to 26 years residing in rural counties (Rural-Urban Continuum Codes 4 to 9) in the Four Corners states from the Qualtrics' research panel and enroll them in a randomized stepped-wedge, quasi-experimental design. The inclusion criteria include English proficiency and regular social media engagement. A social media intervention will promote guideline-related goals for increased physical activity, healthy eating, and human papillomavirus vaccination and reduced nicotine product use, alcohol intake, and solar UV radiation exposure. Campaign posts will cover digital and media literacy skills, responses to misinformation, communication with family and friends, and referral to community resources. The intervention will be delivered over 12 months in Facebook private groups and will be guided by advisory groups of community stakeholders and EAs and focus groups with EAs. The EAs will complete assessments at baseline and at 12, 26, 39, 52, and 104 weeks after randomization. Assessments will measure 6 cancer risk behaviors, theoretical mediators, and participants' engagement with the social media campaign. RESULTS: The trial is in its start-up phase. It is being led by a steering committee. Team members are working in 3 subcommittees to optimize community engagement, the social media intervention, and the measures to be used. The Stakeholder Organization Advisory Board and Emerging Adult Advisory Board were formed and provided initial input on the priority of cancer risk factors to target, social media use by EAs, and community resources available. A framework for the social media campaign with topics, format, and theoretical mediators has been created, along with protocols for campaign management. CONCLUSIONS: Social media can be used as a platform to counter misinformation and improve reliable health information to promote health behaviors that reduce cancer risks among EAs. Because of the popularity of web-based information sources among EAs, an innovative, multirisk factor intervention using a social media campaign has the potential to reduce their cancer risk behaviors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05618158; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05618158. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/50392.