Boise State was one of 11 universities that contributed to the controlled study of an effective online alcohol abuse prevention program called e-CHUG that is now being used at six other Idaho universities.

Short for Electronic Check Up to Go, e-CHUG is an online, evidence-based, alcohol intervention and personalized feedback tool designed to help students assess their alcohol consumption patterns and associated risk factors. In addition to Boise State, the program is being used at University of Idaho, Idaho State University, College of Idaho, Lewis and Clark State College, College of Southern Idaho and North Idaho College.

e-CHUG serves as a vehicle to challenge misperceptions of what students think is socially acceptable in regard to alcohol use.

“Most students think students are drinking more than they really are,” said Christina Berg, director of Wellness Services at Boise State and co-chair of the Idaho College Health Coalition. “Providing a more accurate picture of this information can positively alter student choices about their own drinking.”

According to Berg, data shows that most Idaho college students drink responsibility; however, devastating impacts can come from high-risk practices, such as:

• Drinking too much too fast
• Drinking games
• Drinking to get drunk
• Driving after drinking or riding with someone under the influence
• Not knowing what is in your glass
• Mixing alcohol with medications or illegal drugs
• Underage drinking

“High-risk drinking is often in relationship with academic problems, sexual assaults, unsafe sexual decisions, property damage, police involvement, injury, health problems, suicide attempts and even death,” Berg said.

e-CHUG is a program of the Idaho College Health Coalition (ICHC), a partnership of Idaho universities and colleges, communities and state government agencies created to address alcohol and drug abuse and promote healthy lifestyles among college students. ICHC is supported by a grant from Idaho’s Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Coalition. It hosts statewide substance abuse prevention training for the state’s higher education institutions and has conducted two statewide national college health assessments on Idaho university campuses. ICHC member presidents have shown support for their efforts with the signing of a letter of commitment to address high-risk and underage drinking on their college campuses.

For more information regarding ICHC or e-CHUG, contact Berg at 426-2752 or cberg@boisestate.edu, or go to www.boisestate.edu/healthservices/ichc.