title: The use of computer technology to reduce and prevent college drinking.
abstract: Underage drinking, or binge drinking, has become a major concern in U.S. society. At The University of Tennessee (UT) a computer-based intervention was put into place for the past 3 years with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The intervention was provided to all college students via UT's computer network system and was completed mostly online. Students were given a computerized, standardized assessment of alcohol use, and then a brief intervention was given based on the students' information. The intervention targeted students who were at highest risk for developing unsafe alcohol behaviors and/or increasing prior alcohol consumption habits in their first year of college. More than 54,000 graduate and undergraduate students completed the program. Since the launch of the program binge drinking has dropped 27% on campus, frequent binge drinking dropped 44%, and the number of liquor law violations to 18- to 20-year-olds decreased from 542 in 2004 to approximately 158 in 2007. The use of a computer-based intervention was comprehensive, low cost, and required low maintenance.
authors.affiliation: College of Social Work, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. Jwodarsk@utk.edu
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wodarski
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macmaster
authors.forename: Nichole K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult