title: Preventing Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancies: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Administered Version of Project CHOICES with College Students and Nonstudents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEPs) are a preventable cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities for which many women are at risk. The initial 5-session Project CHOICES intervention was found to prevent AEPs. In the ensuing decade, there have been several additional CHOICES-like studies. This study, Project Healthy CHOICES, had 2 objectives: (i) to compare outcomes for students versus nonstudents; and (ii) to test a self-administered mail-based version of the Project CHOICES intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared 2 interventions for women of childbearing age (18 to 44) who were at risk of an AEP: (i) motivational feedback based on Project CHOICES and (ii) information only. Advertisements recruited 354 women (145 college students; 209 nonstudents) at risk of an AEP. Intervention and study materials were available in English and Spanish. Of the 354 women, 44% were minorities (25% identified as Hispanics).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the 6-month follow-up, the interventions did not differ and there was no Intervention by Student Study interaction. However, over the entire 6-month follow-up, significantly more students (68%) than nonstudents (46%) were not at risk of an AEP (2.1 odds ratio; confidence interval = 1.47 to 2.95). For all groups, risk reduction occurred primarily through effective contraception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference between the 2 interventions. However, over the entire 6-month follow-up interval, college students were significantly more likely than nonstudents to not be at risk of an AEP and to use effective contraception. While the student groups had significantly higher reduced risk of AEP outcomes, there was also substantial risk reduction for women in the information only condition. These results suggest that the most effective AEP prevention efforts would be to inform women at risk that they could become pregnant. Because about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, identifying women at risk and preventing the risk of AEPs should be a public health priority.
authors.affiliation: College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
authors.forename: Linda Carter
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7705-3993
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Sobell
authors.affiliation: College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sobell
authors.affiliation: College of Osteopathic Medicine, Health Professions Division, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: VA Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heinecke
authors.affiliation: Gallup Consulting, Omaha, Nebraska.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
authors.forename: Burt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D000067292:Alcohol Drinking in College / Q000523:psychology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol Use; College Students; Early Identification of Risk; Preventing Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancies; Project CHOICES