Evaluation results of a 21st birthday card program targeting high-risk drinking.
The B.R.A.D. Birthday Card initiative was started on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) in April 1999. MSU administrators send the safe-drinking 21st birthday card (B.R.A.D.) and laminated wallet card to students shortly before their 21st birthday.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of the 21st birthday card, MSU and B.R.A.D., Inc, applied for and were awarded a 2-year US Department of Education grant in 2001.


METHODS
The authors surveyed 1,731 students within 2 weeks of their 21st birthday.


METHODS
Of all students turning 21 years old during the study, the authors randomly selected students for each group. A control group received no card. All others received the standard B.R.A.D. card or a gender-tailored message card.


RESULTS
Key findings include: 74% of students saved part of the card, 65% shared the card with family or friends, 22% reported thinking about the card during their celebration, 12% reported drinking less because of the card, 15% reported learning something new about alcohol poisoning, and 98% believed that MSU and B.R.A.D. should continue sending cards to students.


CONCLUSIONS
Receiving, reading, and recalling the content of the B.R.A.D. card appears to reduce the total number of drinks a celebrant consumes.
Hembroff
Larry
L
Office of Survey Research, Michigan State University's (MSU), East Lansing, MI, USA.
Atkin
Charles
C
Martell
Dennis
D
McCue
Cindy
C
Greenamyer
Jasmine T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration*