Sensitivity analysis indicates that from both perspectives the service is very cost effective and may be cost saving .
CONCLUSIONS These results make alcohol screening and counseling one of the highest-ranking preventive services among the 25 effective services evaluated using st and ardized methods .
BACKGROUND The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ( USPSTF ) has recommended screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse .
This study was design ed to develop a st and ardized rating for the clinical ly preventable burden and cost effectiveness of complying with that recommendation that would allow comparisons across many recommended services .
Results of a Social Norm Intervention to Prevent Binge Drinking Among First-year Residential College Students
Abstract The effects of a primary prevention social norm intervention on  binge drinking among 1st-year residential college students were examined . Six hundred thirty-four students attending a medium-sized public university in the South were r and omly assigned to receive a two-phase social norm intervention or the st and ard campus psychoeducational prevention program . At posttest , no differences were found between intervention and control group students on any of the alcohol use and alcohol-use risk factor measures . Significant subgroup differences were found by stage of initiating binge drinking behaviors , for frequency of alcohol use , F(3 , 507 ) = 3.69 , p = .01 ; quantity of alcohol use , F(3 , 507 ) = 2.51 , p = .05 ; and social norms , F(3 , 505 ) = 2.53 , p = .05 . These findings suggest the need for tailoring social norm binge drinking interventions to students ' stage of initiating heavy drinking and carefully monitoring for potential negative , as well as positive , effects of norm-based prevention messages
Sensitivity analysis indicates that from both perspectives the service is very cost effective and may be cost saving .
CONCLUSIONS These results make alcohol screening and counseling one of the highest-ranking preventive services among the 25 effective services evaluated using st and ardized methods .
BACKGROUND The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ( USPSTF ) has recommended screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse .
This study was design ed to develop a st and ardized rating for the clinical ly preventable burden and cost effectiveness of complying with that recommendation that would allow comparisons across many recommended services .