Information on Blood Alcohol Concentration: Evaluation of Two Alcohol Nomograms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of two common alcohol nomograms (tables) on impacting decisions regarding drinking, driving after drinking, the development of knowledge of the relations between personal alcohol consumption and the legal level of intoxication, and consumer evaluation measures, compared to an alcohol information warning card. A total of 159 subjects (65 males and 94 females) attending a two-day health fair at a southern university participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of five conditions by shaking a large plastic die at an alcohol information booth at the fair. Conditions included three treatments (two alcohol nomogram conditions, and one alcohol information card comparison condition), and two conditions of administration (brief instruction, and no instruction). Subjects completed an Alcohol Card Questionnaire six weeks after the conclusion of the health fair. Two commonly found alcohol nomograms were no more effective than an information card warning of the penalties for DWI offenses under new state laws. Subjects receiving the information cards were more likely to have made decisions about driving after drinking. A greater number of subjects who had not received brief instruction had read the card, compared to those who had received instruction. The implications of these results and recommendations for future research are discussed.