The Behavioral Economics of Driving After Drinking Among College Drinkers. (13th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Teeters, Jenni B.; Murphy, James G.
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 39:Number 5(2015:May)
• Page Start: 896
• Page End: 904
• Publication Date: 2015-04-13
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.12695
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="acer12695-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="acer12695-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Driving after drinking (DAD) among college students is a significant public health concern, yet little is known about specific theoretical risk factors for DAD, beyond drinking level, among college student drinkers. This study had the following aims: (i) to examine the associations between elevated alcohol demand and DAD, (ii) to determine whether demand decreases in response to a hypothetical driving scenario, (iii) to determine whether drivers who report DAD in the past 3 months would show less of a reduction in demand in response to the hypothetical driving scenario, and (iv) to determine whether delayed reward discounting (DRD) is associated with DAD.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12695-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Method</title> <p>Participants were 419 college students who reported at least 1 day of past‐month alcohol use. Participants completed 2 alcohol purchase tasks (APTs) that assessed hypothetical alcohol consumption across 17 drink prices with and without a driving scenario, a delay‐discounting task, and a series of questions regarding DAD.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12695-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>In logistic regression models that controlled for drinking level, demographics, and sensation seeking, participants reporting higher demand intensity (95% confidence interval [95% CI] [1.04, 2.34]), breakpoint (95% CI [1.23, 2.28]), <italic>O</italic><sub>max</sub> (95% CI [1.03, 1.53]), and lower elasticity (95% CI [0.15, 1.02]) were more likely to report DAD. Additionally, in analyses of covariance, DAD<sup>+</sup> participants exhibited significantly less of a reduction in demand between the standard and the driving APT (intensity, <italic>p </italic><<italic> </italic>0.01, breakpoint, <italic>p </italic>=<italic> </italic>0.05, and <italic>O</italic><sub>max</sub>, <italic>p </italic><<italic> </italic>0.01). A binary logistic regression model with identical covariates revealed that DRD is not associated with DAD.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12695-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>DAD is associated with elevated/inelastic demand and less sensitivity to a hypothetical driving scenario. Drinkers with elevated demand should be prioritized for DAD intervention efforts.</p> </sec> </abstract>