Evaluating Transdermal Alcohol Measuring Devices

Details

• Creators:
  Marques, Paul R. ; McKnight, A. Scott
• Corporate Creators:
  Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Accuracy Blood Alcohol Levels Equipment Tests Human Subject Testing Measuring Instruments Performance
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT-HS-810-875
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/1525580
• Resource Type:
  Research Paper
• Edition:
  Final report
• Contracting Officer:
  Frank, James F; Ciccel, DeCarlo
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Abstract:
  This report is an evaluation study of two types of transdermal devices that detect alcohol at the skin surface representing two types of electrochemical sensing technology. The AMS SCRAM™ ankle device and the Giner WrisTAS™ wrist device were worn concurrently for the evaluation by 22 paid research subjects (15 males, 7 females), for a combined total of 96 weeks. Each subject participated in both laboratory drinking to .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) BAC and normal drinking on their own. A total of 271 drinking episodes with BAC ≥.02 g/dL were logged: 60 were from laboratory dosing, and 211 were from self-dosed drinking. Both devices detected alcohol at the skin surface. The SCRAM™ unit has security features and automated reporting protocols that make it suitable for the offender market, whereas the WrisTAS™ unit is a research prototype that has had trials as an aid to detection for alcohol treatment settings. Neither unit had false-positive problems when true BAC was <.02 g/dL. False negatives were defined as TAC (transdermal alcohol concentration) response <.02 g/dL when true BAC ≥.02 g/dL. Overall, the true-positive hit rate detected by WrisTAS™ was 24 percent. The low detection rate for the WrisTAS™ was largely due to those devices’ erratic output or not recording during nearly 67 percent of all episodes. SCRAM™ correctly detected 57 percent across all BAC events, with another 22 percent (total 79%) detected, but as <.02 g/dL. SCRAM™ devices were more accurate earlier than later in the trials they may have had problems with water accumulation that reduced sensitivity. When subjects dosed themselves to BAC ≥ .08 g/dL, SCRAM™ correctly detected 88 percent of these events. The report summarizes comments from research subjects, offenders, and vendors who manage transdermal detection programs.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  DTNH22-02-D-95121
• Collection(s):
  NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Research
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:62ee6584add00c4a48def41a92d8e6df90871841593022d65130b0fb0e795704
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1793/dot_1793_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.92 MB ]