Posted Warning Placard: Effects on College Students Knowledge of Alcohol Facts and Hazards

Abstract

Federal legislation requires a warning label on all alcoholic beverage containers sold in the U.S. However, this method of communicating the hazards of alcohol consumption is lacking because (a) it is not designed to reach the underage population, (b) the warning label is small and contains limited information, and (c) the information is not communicated when alcoholic beverages are not served in their original container (e.g., by the glass). The present study was conducted to determine if a posted placard would effectively convey alcohol-related information to college students. A warning sign containing this information was field-tested in eight fraternities assigned to conditions of a Solomon four-group (pre-post) design. In the warning intervention conditions, signs were posted at various locations in fraternity houses. A questionnaire was distributed that assessed knowledge of five categories of hazards associated with alcohol consumption. Results indicated that, in general, students were knowledgeable about alcohol consumption facts and hazards, but that knowledge of alcohol-related information significantly increased as a result of exposure to the warning.