NCJ Number
160854
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: (1996) Pages: 65-80
Date Published
1996
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A questionnaire survey received information from 336 urban and rural United States college and university drug prevention programs regarding the comprehensiveness of their programs, the program outcomes, program integration, and environmental factors.
Abstract
The programs were all funded by the United States Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education during 1987-90. Results revealed that college-based prevention programs used a range of program goals, prevention communication channels, and prevention strategies within a centralized department for drug use prevention. As a whole, the prevention programs did not appear to be taking advantage of more recent prevention technology emphasizing promising social, behavioral, and environmental strategies, nor did they often use electronic media on and off campus to supplement commonly used interpersonal and print communication methods. Most program coordinators reported no perceived change in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; alcohol/drug-related problems; faculty/staff drug use; and alcohol and drug-related crime resulting from prevention efforts on campus. The level of prevention activity differed across institutional type. Findings confirm earlier research and suggest the need for innovative approaches for involving influential faculty, staff, and administrators and take into account the variations among individual institutions. Additional recommendations, tables, and 17 references (Author abstract modified)