An evaluative study of SIMALC (B.A.C. as a medium for preventing drunk driving

Transcription

1 An evaluative study of SIMALC (B.A.C. as a medium for preventing drunk driving simulator) F rancois D esm arres*,jean-pascal A ssailly** and C harles M ercier-g uyon*** *INETOP, Paris **INRETS, Arcueil ***ICADTS/CERMT, Annecy SIMALC is a tool for drunk driving prevention. The basic principle of the design is the simulation of alcoholic beverages consumption, whereas breathanalyzers measure B.A.C. resulting from a real consumption. SIMALC is used in France since 1992 by health and social workers in occupationnal settings, as well as by educators working in the traffic safety and health fields. These actions occur mainly during periods of education and sensitisation in firms, colleges and various collectivities. SIMALC may also be used in rehabilitation programs of traffic offenders. A formative session is usually conducted by an animator in the context of a small group (up to twenty participants). The simulation process lays first on the visualisation of B.A.C. time variations, as a function of two kinds of factors : the subject characteristics (age, size, weight, sex) and the consumption characteristics (alcohol degree, quantity, meal and time of drinking). After the display of a B.A.C. curve for a subject and a consumption, SIMALC allows the comparison o f this first curve with a second one : either another consumption with the same subject, or the same consumption with another subject. Stressing the utility of these objective knowledges, the aim o f SIMALC is to avoid the feeling o f culpability usually associated with the drunk driving issue. Furthermore, being an educative aid, SIMALC is only one aspect of the preventive action. The dialogue between the animator and the participants must also help to go beyond the «alcohol taboo». The objectives o f the study are : 1-to improve the knowledge on SIMALC utilization (size of groups, places, function...). 2-to collect the opinions of SIMALC users on the public response (interest, hostility, no interest...), the effect on behaviour, and the advantages and drawbacks of this tool. M ETHOD In March 1997, 126 SIMALC users have answered to a questionnaire sent by mail. S am p le The SIMALC users of the sample are mostly from associations (62 ss), firms (37 ss), institutions (19 s s ) ; few are from collectivities (6 ss), schools (1 s) or independent (1 s)

2 Concerning the main activity, prevention is the more frequent (74 ss), then health (42 ss), education (38 ss) and safety (18 ss). P u b lic The public met by the SIMALC users sample is : only men (82%), only women (7%), and men and women (11%). All ages are represented : minus 20 (65 quotations), (74), (70), (79), over 50 (42). R E SU L T S Contexts and utilizations of SIM ALC 1) Places of intervention Firms are the more often quoted (101 quotations), then collectivities (62), then public spaces (52) and schools (51). 2) Frequence of utilization numbers are percents W eekly M onthly T rim onthly Rare No responses SIMALC is used at least once a month in 66% of the figures. 3) Kind of intervention Group animation is the more frequent (106 quotations), then individual interviews (45) and self-service (21). 4) Average number of persons by intervention 1 to to 20 More 2 0 N o person s p ersons person s r esp o n ses Groups are more often of less than 20 people, which is a «standard» utilization of SIMALC

3 5) The importance of SIMALC during an intervention 100% 75% 50% 25% No responses (10) (24) (27) (44) (21) The interventions rely rarely on SIMALC uniquely. E valuations 1) Public reaction to SIMALC 124 subjects have answered. One must remember that it is the SIMALC users which have answered to the questionnaire. So, here we have their perceptions of the public reactions. PU BLIC REACTIO N Very interest Interested Indifferent Reserved Hostile (N ) (76) (46) (1) (3) (0) The public reaction is very positive. 2) Estimation of the effect just after an intervention a- effect on behaviour Effect on Will pay Have Will avoid Indifference Hostility to behaviour attention noticed that drinking SIMALC (Number of (84) there is a (8) (1) responses*) limit (78) * On the 112 ss which have answered, 57 have indicated at least two kinds of effects. Two types o f effects are more frequent. One is behavioural and means an intention of cautious behaviour, the other is more cognitive (understanding the relationship between consumption and legal B.A.C.). The weak number of avoiding behaviours indicates that SIMALC does not lead to the rejection of drinking

4 b-effect on questions following the intervention The questions are concerning : The subject One parent or A colleague No personnal No answer himself a friend question (34) (27) (62) (64) We see that the questions concern mainly the subject himself or proximate relationships. 3) Positive and negative aspects of SIMALC a-positive aspects The advantages of the The inform ation given P ositive aspects d ealin g tool itself w ith education Allows visualisation Concrete informations (4) No guilt (6) Allows a written document Informations often badly Sensibilization (5) known (4) Fun Neutrality.objectivity (1) Allows exchanges (3) Simple (1) Interest of curves (1) Responsabilization (3) Allows a long term action «a good way to deal with these issues» The positive aspects more often quoted deal with the educative dimension o f SIMALC

5 b-negative aspects N egative aspects d ealin g with m anipulation and param eters Not flexible enough and limited possibilities of comparizons (5) The parameters and the situations are not comprehensive (kinds of alcohol, after midnight...) (4) Manipulations complicated (4) N egative aspects d ealin g with group utilization and m onitor Difficult to use in the context of a big group (8) Colour and light (4) Impossibility of projection on a screen (4) V arious No writer connection^) Too slow (3) Expensive Critics deal mainly with the technical defaults of the tool itself, but not with the educative dimension of SIMALC. C O N C L U SIO N S 1-The places of interventions more frequently quoted (meeting rooms, classrooms, exhibitions) are generally formal places. 2-The utilization mode the more frequently quoted is the group intervention. The groups do not usually exceed 20 people. For bigger groups, SIMALC conceivers should modify the format and the screen. 3-The evaluation o f SIMALC users indicates that the public reaction is globally positive. The «supposed» effect of SIMALC should rather be intentions of prudence and awarenesses of consumption limit than rejection of alcohol. This fits the objectives of SIMALC. The questions following the interventions show clearly the interactionnal dimension. SIMALC seems to be a good way to start a discussion about drinking. The role and the qualities o f the animator are in this perspective obviously important. 4-Future research areas : it should be interesting to study more precisely the differential effects of SIMALC according to the places of intervention. Comparizons between medical and non medical sectors, or formal versus unformal places could be interesting. Concerning the effects of SIMALC on behaviours and attitudes, a more direct evaluation should now be conducted interviewing the participants

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