In a unique study, Ohio State University has teamed up with SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring suppliers to study alcohol consumption among college students. Professor of Social Work, John Clapp is hoping that the study will help them to understand where and how to intervene when there is a high risk for drug and alcohol abuse. Clapp is the director of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Recovery at the University. He has been studying alcohol consumption among college students since he worked at San Diego State University.
In the current study, sixty Ohio State seniors will be fitted with SCRAM alcohol monitoring bracelets. The devices will be worn over a two-week period in addition to personal fitness monitors that will collect additional data. The bracelet monitors blood alcohol concentration through a person’s imperceptible perspiration. The device produces a detailed report of how much alcohol is consumed over the course of an evening with tests done every 30 minutes. The alcohol-monitoring bracelets are worn under a person’s pant leg and are usually not detectable to anyone besides the wearer.
The hope with this study is to understand the factors that lead a person to drink too much and help intervene in these situations. The data collected in this and similar studies may prove invaluable to dealing with underlying alcohol addiction problems that often arise during young adulthood.