Date of Publication
Spring 5-1-2022
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Substance use in adolescence is associated with the development of substance use disorder. This study evaluates communication strategies and attitudes among caregivers/guardians and adolescents regarding substance use in adolescence to inform an upcoming campaign aimed at delaying substance use in the Winooski School District (SD).
Methods: Surveys targeting Winooski SD middle- and high-school students and caregivers/guardians were developed to assess understanding of the legal age of substance use and preferred sources of health information. Surveys were disseminated from March-May 2022 via Front Porch Forum, community dinners, newsletters, and school communications.
Results: The most common source of information about COVID-19 (a proxy for health information) that students reported was their parents (60%). Other common sources included friends (40%), doctors (40%), internet search (40%) and other (40%). Caregivers were most likely to report the CDC (62.5%) and other (62.5%) as sources of health information, with school communications (50%) and doctors (50%) also common. Caregivers and students most often select scientific (66%) and medical (25% reasons as the basis for the legal age of substance use being 21 years old. Respondents also cited the law (33% of caregivers and 12.5% of students) as a driving reason, and a similar proportion of respondents did not know the reason.
Conclusion: Given these findings, substance use prevention and education programs for adolescents may consider including parent participation with healthcare provider guidance. Improved survey distribution strategies with attention toward the unique demographics of Winooski are needed to increase survey response rates and offer more representative findings.
Advisor(s)
Leigh-Ann Cioffredi
Larner College of Medicine
Kate Nugent
Winooski Partnership for Prevention
Subjects
Adolescent Health, Adolescents
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Recommended Citation
Kelley, Elizabeth; Lucas, Jessica; McGuire, Tyler; Myers, Hunter; Palermo, Brittney; Ramadan, Marwan; Rincon, Javier; and Robinson, Faith, "Why 21?: Strategizing Substance Use Prevention" (2022). Public Health Projects, 2008-present. 364.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/364