141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

285645
Drunk DIAL! an evidence-informed program to reduce alcohol-related vehicle mortality among university students

Monday, November 4, 2013

Randal McCallian , College of Public Health, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Linsey Grove, BS, CHES , College of Public Health, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cassandra Tardif, BS, MPH, CPH , College of Public Health, Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Tiana Ritzenthaler , College of Public Health, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
In the U.S., alcohol-related vehicle fatalities are the second leading cause of death among university students, ages 18-24. Current literature supports that college-aged students are now binge drinking more often and driving under the influence of alcohol more frequently than in the past. At our University, Alert Cab is a taxi service from which students can get a ride from a bar to their home for only the cost of the cab driver's tip. However, it was discovered that students are largely unaware of this service, translating to low usage rates. The purpose of this study was to employ the Precede/Proceed model to develop an evidence-informed, theory-based, multilevel program called “DRUNK DIAL!” to reduce the number of students who get into a car with a driver who has been drinking and ultimately decrease the rates of alcohol-related vehicle mortality in our community. Program strategies include: developing partnerships with local bars to promote the Alert Cab Service, working with the campus police to increase DUI checkpoints to deter student drinking and driving, increasing Alert Cab operating hours, and developing a diverse social marketing campaign for our priority population on and off campus. The University's Wellness Committee has determined that this program would be beneficial to the student population and will facilitate its implementation during the summer of 2013. Currently, the program developers are continuing this student-driven innovation by designing the process evaluation for “DRUNK DIAL!” through their subsequent coursework in Evaluation Methods.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Identify key stakeholders and existing resources within a university community that are necessary to successfully implement an evidence-informed program to reduce alcohol-related vehicle mortality among university students.

Keywords: Alcohol, Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been one of the co-authors and coordinators of this drunk driving intervention program and its educational material since its inception in a MPH Program Planning class at the University of South Florida. Among my public health interests has been developing communication/marketing strategies as well as theory-based behavioral interventions for young people.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.