Alcohol Monitor Validation

The overarching goal of this research program is to improve alcohol intervention and eventually related clinical outcomes (e.g., liver function) among HIV+ drinkers through biosensor-assisted intervention. Research shows HIV infection can influence alcohol metabolism (i.e., higher blood alcohol levels), so it's necessary to validate the new alcohol biosensor in HIV+ drinkers rather than in general population. The primary goal of this project, as a step toward the development and evaluation of a biosensor-assisted alcohol intervention, is to validate the newly available wrist worn transdermal alcohol biosensor (BACtrack Skyn). The two specific aims are: (1) To assess validity and reliability of the Skyn biosensor using fixed-dose lab administration of alcohol through comparison with laboratory grade breathalyzer, and (2) To validate Skyn biosensor in daily life using a 2-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to compare self-reported drinking and the Skyn derived transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) readings.