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Citation
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Little MA, Klesges RC, Mallawaarachchi I, McMurry T, Pebley K, McDevitt-Murphy M, Murphy J, Wayne Talcott G. Mil. Med. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Alcohol misuse poses significant public health concerns in the U.S. Military. An Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program (AMPP), which includes a brief alcohol intervention (BAI) session, plus random breathalyzer program, has been shown to reduce alcohol-related incidents (ARIs) among Airmen undergoing training.
PURPOSE: The current study sought to examine whether a booster BAI administered at the end of Airmen's training reduced ARIs out to a 1-year follow-up.
METHODS: Participants were 26,231 U.S. Air Force Technical Trainees recruited between March 2016 and July 2018. Participants were cluster randomized by cohort to two conditions: AMPP + BAI Booster or AMPP + Bystander Intervention. The primary analysis was a comparison of the interventions' efficacies in preventing Article 15 ARIs at a 1-year follow-up, conducted using a generalized estimating equations logistic regression model controlling for covariates.
RESULTS: There was no significant difference by condition in Article 15 ARIs at the 1-year follow-up (P = .912).
CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a booster may not be necessary to produce maximum effects beyond the initial AMPP intervention. It is also possible that alcohol behaviors changed as a result of the intervention but were not captured by our outcome measures. Future research should consider alternative outcomes or participant-tracking measures to determine whether a different or more intensive BAI booster is effective. The majority of Article 15 ARIs were for underage drinking; therefore, developing an intervention focused on this problem behavior could lead to large reductions in training costs in the military.
Language: en |