Responsible beverage service training programs are used across the country to assist in reducing alcohol-related problems. Many of these training programs are voluntary and the types of businesses that refuse training are usually unknown. What characteristics affect whether a business participates in, or refuses, policy training? Do programs that rely on voluntary participation usually have participants that are the most responsible or have the best serving practices? We will present results of a study that examined characteristics of participants and non-participants in a voluntary training program – ARM Express. ARM Express is a one-on-one policy training program designed to encourage owners and managers of alcohol businesses to implement written policies to prevent illegal alcohol sales to underage and intoxicated customers. Thirty-nine percent of the establishments invited to participate in ARM Express (N=310) said yes. We assessed whether participation varied by recruitment characteristics, observed characteristics of establishments and estimated rates of illegal alcohol sales. Participation did not vary by an outlet’s propensity to sell alcohol to underage or intoxicated patrons, nor did it vary by additional observed establishment characteristics, such as type of alcohol sold and location. However, convenience, grocery and liquor stores were more likely to participate in ARM Express. These findings are encouraging for both researchers and community activists because they suggest that many types of outlets, not only those with the best selling practices, are likely to voluntarily participate in alcohol policy training programs.
Learning Objectives: Participants at the conclusion of this session will be able to: 1. Define participation bias and how it relates to voluntary training programs. 2. Identify factors related to participation in an alcohol policy training program. 3. Describe why certain types of businesses may be more likely to participate in an alcohol policy training program.
Keywords: Alcohol, Training
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.