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Original Articles

A Comparison of the Combined-Use of Alcohol & Energy Drinks to Alcohol-Only on High-Risk Drinking and Driving Behaviors

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Abstract

Background: The combined-use of alcohol and energy drinks is an emerging public health issue. This investigation examined differences in drinking and driving behaviors among combined-users (CU) and participants who consumed alcohol-only (AO). Objectives: This study was specifically designed to investigate potential differences in drinker's perceptions of (a) what it means to them to drive over the .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) driving limit and (b) what it means to drive after knowing they have had too much to drink to drive safely. Methods: College students (N = 355) were surveyed to assess differences in drinking and driving-related behaviors between the AO (n = 174) and CU (n = 107) groups. Results: CU were more likely than AO to drive over the .08 BAC driving limit (53% vs. 38%; p = .009) and after knowing they were too drunk to drive (57% vs. 44%; p = .025). CU were also more likely (56% vs. 35%; p = .000) to ride with an intoxicated driver while knowing it was unsafe. Conclusions/Importance: Combined-users are more likely to drive after drinking, drive while knowingly drunk, and participate in other high-risk behaviors such as heavy drinking that increase the potential for injury. Public policy makers and health professionals should focus prevention efforts to reduce high-risk combined-use behavior.

THE AUTHORS

Conrad L. Woolsey, PhD, CC-AASP, USOC-Sport Psychology Registry, CHES is Assistant to the Provost for Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Western States. He has a PhD in Health Education & Promotion (emphasis in Sport Psychology) from the University of Missouri, is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), and Certified Sport Psychology Consultant for the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (CC-AASP). Dr. Woolsey has several alcohol and energy drink related publications. His research has been featured by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), CNN Health, Men's Health, and recently he appeared on the science television show “Catalyst” to discuss the effects of energy drinks.

Bert H. Jacobson, EdD, FACSM is a Professor in the Health and Human Performance Program at Oklahoma State University and Fellow in the American College Sports Medicine. He has authored over 135 peer reviewed research articles, 45 peer-reviewed abstracts, 6 book and book chapters, and has presented research and provided professional service on the state, regional, national levels, and in eight foreign countries on five continents.

Ronald D. Williams, Jr., PhD, CHES is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University. He holds a PhD in Health Education and Health Promotion from the University of Alabama. His research focuses primarily on social ecology of substance abuse prevention with specific emphasis on tobacco-free initiatives and prevention programs for at-risk groups. He has secured multiple grants and contracts for health promotion and prevention projects totaling over $1.9 million. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, Dr. Williams has expertise in program evaluation and has served as lead evaluator for numerous substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

Adam E. Barry, PhD serves as an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University in the Department of Health & Kinesiology. Barry's research focuses broadly upon the assessment and measurement alcohol-related behaviors. This work has spanned several topics, including examining the harm reduction strategies college students employ before/during drinking, the counterintuitive alcohol-activity association, and alcohol-impaired driving. Peer-reviewed outlets featuring his work include preeminent journals in his discipline, such as American Journal of Public Health, Health Education & Behavior, and Journal of School Health, as well as preeminent journals in his research area, such as Addiction, Addictive Behaviors, and Journal of Studies on Alcohol.

Robert T. Davidson, PhD is a Research Advisor and Assistant Professor in the Nutrition & Human Performance program at Logan University. Previously, Dr. Davidson was an Assistant Professor at Brigham Young University from 2003–2010 and did his Postdoctoral Fellowship at Colorado State University. He has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MS in Nutrition from Utah State University. Dr. Davidson is a well-established nutrition researcher and entrepreneur with research interests in the development of mathematical models and computer simulations of nutrition & lifestyle on human physical performance, body composition and energy balance computer simulations, and metabolism.

Marion Willard Evans, Jr., DC, PhD, MCHES, CWP is the Provost at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon. He holds a PhD from the University of Alabama and UAB in health promotion with concentration in epidemiology. He is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, a Certified Wellness Practitioner with the National Wellness Institute, and a Fellow of the Kansas Public Health Leadership Academy. His research interests include modification of health care provider behaviors in health promotion, tobacco research; including ordinance modification, infection control measures for manual therapists, and health behaviors in sport.

Niels C. Beck, AB, MS, PhD is a Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri Medical School. He holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from St. Louis University, holds a Missouri Psychology License and is a Certified Health Care Provider. Since 1986, Dr. Beck has been part of the University of Missouri-Columbia Intercollegiate Athletics Sports Medicine Staff. Recognized as an innovative practitioner and leader in the field, Dr. Beck has many publications and presentations in the areas of Sports Psychology, Alcohol and Behavioral Interventions.

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