Current Projects

Assessing Comprehensiveness and Quality of Alcohol Screening, Treatment, and Prevention Systems for Young Adults within Educational Systems

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
September 2007– March 2009

Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigators: Toben Nelson, ScD; Darin Erickson, PhD

This two-year study focuses on post-secondary educational systems and their capacity to implement comprehensive alcohol screening and treatment/intervention programs and policies for their students. The primary focus is to assess quality of programs and policies and comprehensiveness of systems of alcohol programs and policies, as well as potential barriers to increasing the availability and quality of these policies and services.

Policies to Restrict High Alcohol Content Beverages

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
September 2007– August 2010
Principal Investigator: Rhonda Jones-Webb, PhD
Co-Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD

This three-year study has three primary objectives:
(1) Determine whether the sale and consumption of malt liquor is perceived as a problem by city officials and document what has been done at the local level to restrict it.
(2) Compare six cities’ efforts to adopt policies to restrict malt liquor sales and determine what factors were critical to their success or failure.
(3) Create a national database that provides summaries of key features of local policies that have been successfully adopted to restrict malt liquor sales.

Assessment Of Illegal Alcohol Sales, Patron BAC Levels, Alcohol Control Policies, and Enforcement at Sport Stadiums

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
June 2005 – May 2008

Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD

In this study, we are evaluating the propensity for illegal alcohol sales at sport stadiums. We are assessing blood alcohol levels of patrons through breathalyzer measurements. We are also assessing stadium policies, practices, and characteristics and how they are related to likelihood of illegal alcohol sales. Results from this study will help determine whether policy and programmatic interventions targeting sport stadiums are needed to prevent alcohol-related problems.

Public Health Systems as Conduits for Research-based Alcohol Programs and Policy Implementation: Potential Barriers and Facilitators

Funded by the Minnesota Medical Foundation
February 2005 – January 2006

Principal Investigator: Traci Toomey, PhD
Co-Investigator: Darin Erickson, PhD

Public health agencies have played an important role in tobacco control; however, alcohol control is not listed as a priority area for most public health agencies despite the fact that alcohol contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in the United States. Goals of this study include learning how priorities for policies and programs are set within the public health system, whether local public health agencies seek research information to guide their decisions and whether there are barriers to various types of intervention or prevention approaches. Results of this study will inform dissemination efforts for research-based alcohol programs and policies as well as research-based information for other health areas.

• Policies to Restrict High Alcohol Content Beverages
  
  
• Alcohol Systems at Post-Secondary Institutions
  
  
• Public Health Systems
  

• Assessment Of Illegal Alcohol Sales, Patron BAC Levels, Alcohol Control Policies, and Enforcement at Sport Stadiums