BASEBALL AND BEER - AN ANALYSIS OF ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AMONGMALE SPECTATORS AT MAJOR-LEAGUE SPORTING EVENTS

Study objective: Examination of alcohol consumption patterns of male s pectators at two major-league baseball stadiums. Methods: A prospectiv e observational study was conducted at two stadiums over the course of three games at each venue. We approached 1,084 male spectators of dri nking age in a consecutive fashion at two junctures: at the entrance g ate and during the fifth inning inside the stadium's concourse. Of tho se approached, 747 (68.9%) participated. After verbal consent, partici pants completed a questionnaire and blew into a breath analyzer. The r esults were blinded and later analyzed. Results: Forty-one percent of ail participants tested positive for alcohol. The highest consumption occurred in the 20- to 35-year-old age group. In this age group, 50.8% had consumed some alcohol, and 10.8% had a blood alcohol level of .08 % (intoxicated) or higher. Almost 5% of all participants tested during the fifth inning collection were intoxicated acid claimed to be drivi ng. Conclusion: Of the spectators tested, those in the 20- to 35-year- old age group were most likely to have consumed alcohol and to be lega lly intoxicated. A disturbing number of spectators who had blood alcoh ol levels of .08% or higher late in the game claimed to be driving hom e.