Collaborative information exchange using elicit-provide-elicit to reduce risky drinking among college students.

ALCOHOL drinking prevention; ANALYSIS of covariance; CHI-squared test; COMMUNICATION; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; RISK-taking behavior; SCALE analysis (Psychology); UNIVERSITIES & colleges; PRE-tests & post-tests; CONTROL groups; UNDERGRADUATES; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ONE-way analysis of variance

Background:Collaborative information exchange using the elicit-provide-elicit (EPE) technique is a recommended health communication strategy, though little empirical work has evaluated its merit. Methods:This study evaluated the impact of EPE on risky drinking knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Undergraduate drinkers (n = 150) were randomized to receive information regarding risky drinking limits via collaborative exchange (EPE), provision only, or to a no information control group. Changes in drinking behavior from baseline to 2-week follow-up were assessed. In addition, knowledge of and attitudes towards drinking limits were measured at follow-up. Results:Drinks per drinking day, percent days abstinent, and peak consumption did not improve from baseline to follow-up in any group. At follow-up, the proportion of participants who exceeded daily drinking cutoffs significantly decreased in the EPE and provision-only conditions, but increased among control participants. EPE and provision participants were more likely to accurately recall drinking limits at follow-up, though only about half of these participants correctly recalled limits and knowledge was not associated with risky drinking behavior. Conclusions:Providing information regarding safe drinking limits may impact knowledge and behavior among this population; however, collaborative exchange via EPE as measured in the present study does not appear to provide added benefit when compared with non-collaborative information provision. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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