BRIEF NURSE CONSULTATIONS FOR PREVENTING ALCOHOL-USE AMONG URBAN SCHOOL YOUTH

This study examined the effects of brief nurse consultations in preven ting alcohol use among inner-city youth. Participants included 138 six th-eighth grade students attending an inner-city public school in Jack sonville, Florida. Subjects were randomly assigned by computer to eith er the intervention (STARS program) or a control group. Baseline and t hree-month post-tests were conducted at the target school site. A sign ificant difference was found on heavy alcohol use with intervention su bjects showing a reduction and control subjects an increase in heavy d rinking (t = -2.33, 120df p = .02). No differences were found between groups on other alcohol use measures. This study's findings indicate t hat a series of brief nurse nurse consultations appear to reduce heavy alcohol consumption among urban school youth.