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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Stuart Usdan, PhD¹, Kimberly Arriola, PhD, MPH², Darren Mays, MPH(c)², Jennifer Cremeens, MS¹, Ryan J. Martin, MS³, Tia McGill², and Jay M. Bernhardt, PhD, MPH⁴. (1) Department of Health Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870311, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0311, 205-348-8373, susdan@ches.ua.edu, (2) Behavioral Science and Health Education, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, (3) Health Sciences, University of Alabama, 111 East Annex, Box 870311, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, (4) The National Center for Health Marketing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, MS K43, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

Increased alcohol abuse by college students is a public health concern in the U.S. Several studies have identified negative consequences associated with alcohol consumption within this population. Few studies have explored the use of handheld computers for alcohol assessment. Handheld computers offer many advantages over paper-based methods of assessment including portability, elimination of data entry and editing errors, consistency in responses provided by users, and the ability to automatically incorporate range checking and to allow users to check edit their answers easily. The objective of this study is to measure alcohol consumption and contextual variables using Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND) assessments and to compare to responses on a paper-based Daily Social Monitoring Log (DSML). One hundred and fifty college students completed baseline assessments and were randomized into two groups. Group one received DSMLs to record drinking behaviors for 30 days. Group two followed the same procedure using HAND assessments. Participants completed follow-up assessments at the conclusion of the study. No between-group differences on demographic characteristics or reported alcohol use were revealed at baseline. Initial analyses reveal no significant differences between the HAND and DSML in total alcohol (t=-1.261, p=.209), drinks per drinking day (t=-1.316, p=.190), total negative consequences (t=0.706, p=.481), and negative consequences per drinking day (t=0.521, p=.603). The comparable findings from both the HAND and DSML assessments indicate that the HAND represents an effective method to assess daily alcohol use among college students. Handheld computers have the additional potential for further behavioral assessment and intervention strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe the advantages of using handheld computers to measure contextual factors surrounding alcohol consumption versus paper-based measures.
• 2. Apply the use of handheld computers to measure substance use and other health-related behaviors.

Keywords: Alcohol, College Students

Related Web page: www.projecthand.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation