Responsible Alcohol Service Training for Preventing DWI

Overseen By Lila Martinez

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Klein Buendel, Inc.

Disqualifiers: Family member participating, Under 19

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores the effectiveness of responsible beverage service (RBS) training in reducing driving while intoxicated (DWI). It examines whether adding an in-service professional development component to the WayToServe® online training can enhance alcohol servers' ability to prevent problem drinking behaviors. One group of servers will participate in a Facebook group as part of their training, while another group will receive only the standard WayToServe training. Servers or managers who have already completed WayToServe training and are fluent in English are well-suited for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative strategies that could improve public safety and responsible alcohol service.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this training is safe for alcohol servers?

Research shows that responsible beverage service (RBS) training, such as WayToServe, is safe. Studies indicate that it helps alcohol servers refuse service to intoxicated customers, reducing drunk driving incidents. The WayToServe Plus In-service Component enhances this training by using social media to provide additional skill-building tips.

No reports of harm have emerged from this training. It focuses on learning and skills, not medicine or physical treatments. With its online learning and social support, it is considered safe and easy to manage. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the trial for Responsible Alcohol Service Training because it explores innovative methods to prevent drinking and driving incidents. Traditional approaches often focus on punitive measures or awareness campaigns. However, the WayToServe Plus In-service Component uniquely integrates social media engagement, using a Facebook group to enhance training and support among servers. This social component could foster a community of proactive behavior, potentially leading to more effective prevention of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Additionally, comparing it with the standard WayToServe Training, researchers hope to find out if this added layer of interaction can significantly improve outcomes and reduce alcohol-related incidents on the roads.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for preventing DWI?

Research has shown that the WayToServe® training helps alcohol servers avoid over-serving, which can reduce drunk driving. In two studies, servers trained with WayToServe® were more likely to refuse service to customers who appeared drunk, demonstrating the training's effectiveness in making alcohol service safer. In this trial, participants in one arm will receive the WayToServe Plus In-service Component, which includes a professional development part shared through social media to further enhance training. This new feature aims to boost the skills of alcohol servers, potentially leading to even better results in reducing drunk driving. Participants in the other arm will receive only the WayToServe Training. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

David Buller, PhD

Principal Investigator

Klein Buendel, Inc.

Gill Woodall, PhD

Principal Investigator

Klein Buendel, Inc.

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals aged 19 or older who manage or work at licensed premises as alcohol servers, such as waitresses, waiters, or bartenders. They must have completed the WayToServe responsible beverage service training and be proficient in English. Those with a household member already in the project or under 19 cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

I have completed the WayToServe responsible beverage service training.

Consent to participate

Be proficient in English

Exclusion Criteria

Have a family/household member already participating in project

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Development and Prototype Testing

Development of in-service professional development content and prototype testing with focus groups and field pilot trial

6 months

Focus groups and field pilot trial

Randomized Trial

Conducting a randomized trial with 160 alcohol premises to evaluate the effectiveness of WayToServe Plus

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in refusal rate of alcohol service to apparently-intoxicated patrons

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• WayToServe Plus In-service Component
• WayToServe Training Only

Trial Overview

The study is testing an additional professional development component to the existing online WayToServe RBS training. The goal is to enhance its effectiveness in reducing issues like driving while intoxicated by improving server professionalism and prevention efforts.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: WayToServe Training Only Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Control group of servers who do not participate in Facebook group and receive WayToServe Training only.

Group II: WayToServe Plus In-service Component Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Intervention group of servers to participate in Facebook group.

WayToServe Plus In-service Component is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as WayToServe for:

• Responsible Beverage Service Training

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Klein Buendel, Inc.

Lead Sponsor

Trials

41

Recruited

20,000+

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Collaborator

Trials

28

Recruited

34,200+

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Collaborator

Trials

865

Recruited

1,091,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Web-based Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training (WayToServe®) resulted in significantly higher rates of alcohol service refusals to intoxicated patrons immediately after training and one year later compared to traditional live training methods, indicating its effectiveness in preventing over-service of alcohol.

The study involved 309 alcohol-serving establishments in New Mexico, and the results suggest that online training can provide a consistent and effective approach to RBS, potentially reaching a larger audience and improving public safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Results of a Randomized Trial of Web-Based Retail Onsite Responsible Beverage Service Training: WayToServe. Woodall, WG., Starling, R., Saltz, RF., et al.[2019]

A new Web-based Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training program was developed with input from focus groups and usability testing, involving 112 professional alcohol servers, and showed significant improvements in servers' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding alcohol service.

While the study did not directly measure changes in server behaviors, the positive feedback and knowledge gains suggest that online RBS training can be an effective alternative to traditional workshops, filling a gap in research on this training method.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and process evaluation of a Web-based responsible beverage service training program. Danaher, BG., Dresser, J., Shaw, T., et al.[2022]

The responsible service training program led to a significant reduction in the number of patrons rated as extremely drunk and a decrease in patrons with blood alcohol levels above 0.08 at intervention sites compared to control sites, based on evaluations of 872 patrons.

Despite some positive outcomes, the program did not significantly reduce patrons with blood alcohol levels above 0.15 or drink driving offenses, indicating that effective implementation and management support are crucial for the success of such interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can training bar staff in responsible serving practices reduce alcohol-related harm? Lang, E., Stockwell, T., Rydon, P., et al.[2005]

The Down Your Drink (DYD) website effectively attracted individuals seeking help to reduce their drinking, highlighting a significant demand for online interventions among those who perceive their drinking as problematic.

Participants valued the privacy of online help, as it allowed them to seek assistance without the stigma associated with in-person services, indicating a gap in available resources for hazardous and harmful drinkers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Negotiating the 'grey area between normal social drinking and being a smelly tramp': a qualitative study of people searching for help online to reduce their drinking. Khadjesari, Z., Stevenson, F., Godfrey, C., et al.[2022]

A community-wide Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) program was implemented across three sites in California and South Carolina, showing high support from both the public and the hospitality industry for its principles.

Despite the positive attitudes towards RBS, early evaluations indicate that while prevention policies are emerging in bars and restaurants, there is currently no measurable effect on servers actively intervening with heavy drinkers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A community-wide Responsible Beverage Service program in three communities: early findings. Saltz, RF., Stanghetta, P.[2023]

Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) programs in bars and restaurants can significantly reduce alcohol-related deaths and injuries, including those from impaired driving.

The article reviews various evaluation methods for RBS programs, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each, and discusses how the Prevention Research Center's Community Trials Project design provides valuable insights into effective RBS strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating specific community structural changes. Examples from the assessment of responsible beverage service. Saltz, RF.[2017]

Training programs for employees and managers in establishments that serve alcohol are currently not standardized, leading to significant variations in content and effectiveness across the 22 programs assessed.

Most training programs focus on waitstaff and bartenders, with a lack of targeted programs for owners and managers, highlighting the need for national standards to improve the quality and consistency of alcohol service training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Qualitative assessment of training programs for alcohol servers and establishment managers. Toomey, TL., Kilian, GR., Gehan, JP., et al.[2018]

The redevelopment of the Down Your Drink (DYD) website for hazardous drinkers involved a thorough process that included literature reviews, user feedback, and developmental tasks, ensuring the intervention is well-informed and user-centered.

The new website structure emphasizes user choice and clear organization, which can enhance user engagement and effectiveness, making it a valuable model for developing other online health interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of a psychologically enhanced interactive online intervention for hazardous drinking. Linke, S., McCambridge, J., Khadjesari, Z., et al.[2022]

Citations

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Responsible beverage service (RBS) training for alcohol servers is a promising intervention for reducing driving while intoxicated (DWI) by alcohol.

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Responsible beverage service (RBS) training for alcohol servers is a promising intervention for reducing driving while intoxicated (DWI) by alcohol. Training, ...

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withpower.com

withpower.com/trial/phase-alcoholic-intoxication-10-2022-5000a

Responsible Alcohol Service Training for Preventing DWI

WayToServe Plus is unique because it is a web-based training program for alcohol servers, which ensures consistent quality and implementation compared to ...

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kbcollaboratory.com

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WayToServe Plus

The in-service component – WayToServe Plus – will be delivered through the WayToServe Facebook page that currently is followed by over 20,000 ...

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(PDF) Professional Development to Improve Responsible ...

PDF | Background Improved interventions are needed to reduce the rate of driving while intoxicated. Responsible beverage service (RBS) ...