Study to Prevent Alcohol-Related Consequences II

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Study to Prevent Alcohol-Related Consequences (SPARC I) is a five-year NIAAA-funded randomized trial testing a comprehensive intervention using a community organizing approach to implement environmental strategies in and around college campuses. The ultimate goal of SPARC is to reduce high- risk drinking and alcohol-related consequences among college students. The intervention was implemented (and continues to date), with schools moving through the stages of assessment, coalition building, and strategic planning; current work focuses on action and sustainability. The SPARC study team provides intensive infrastructure and support for the efforts of the intervention schools. Multiple data collection protocols have been used to assess the process of intervention implementation and the impact of the intervention. Preliminary analyses indicate that the intervention is beginning to show significant effects on several indicators of alcohol-related problems among college students. Under the current R01, the SPARC intervention is being implemented for a three-year period. While results to date indicate excellent promise for the SPARC approach, more time is needed to effectively work through the stages in the SPARC conceptual model and to realize and assess its full impact. The specific aims of the current application are to (1) extend the implementation of the intervention for two additional years, and (2) evaluate the process of the intervention as well as its impact on high-risk drinking and alcohol-related consequences among college students. Public Health Significance: High-risk drinking by college students is pervasive and results in serious negative consequences for students, colleges and universities, and society. Evidence of the efficacy of an environmental approach to the problem would have a substantial impact on policy and practice.