The ACID-survey: methodology and design of an online survey to access alcohol and recreational cocaine use and its consequences for traffic safety

Abstract

Studies report consistently that cocaine and alcohol is currently the most upcoming drug combination in Europe. The Alcohol and Cocaine Impaired Drivers (ACID)-survey was conducted among Dutch partygoers (18-30 years old) to establish who will drive a car after using alcohol and/or cocaine and why. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methodology and design of the ACID-survey. The online survey comprised a large number of questions on demographics and respondent characteristics, alcohol and drug use, reasons for driving after using cocaine, and prevention methods. A total of 64,575 subjects read the invitation and 10,153 started the survey (15.7%). N=7,834 subjects completed the survey and met all criteria to be included in the analyses. The ACID-survey has provided a valid and reliable data set, representative for Dutch partygoers. The employed methodology showed to be a cost efficient way to monitor substance use and other risk behaviors in a high risk group of young adults.