TY - JOUR PY - 2013// TI - Evaluating community readiness to implement environmental and policy-based alcohol abuse prevention strategies in Wisconsin JO - Journal of alcohol and drug education A1 - Paltzer, Jason A1 - Black, Penny A1 - Moberg, D. Paul SP - 27 EP - 50 VL - 57 IS - 3 N2 - BACKGROUND: Matching evidence-based alcohol prevention strategies with a community's readiness to support those strategies is the basis for the Tri-Ethnic Community Readiness Model (CRM). The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the association of a community's readiness to address alcohol abuse in their community with the implementation of environmental and policy-based strategies.

METHODS: Twenty-one substance abuse prevention coalitions in Wisconsin participated in a pre-post intervention group-only evaluation using the CRM. As part of a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, all grantees were obligated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to implement environmental and policy-based strategies focused on one of three priority areas: young adult binge drinking, underage drinking, and alcohol-related motor-vehicle injuries and fatalities.

RESULTS: At baseline, all communities (n=21) scored at or below a Stage 4 (on a scale of 1-9) readiness level ("preparedness"). The mean change in community readiness over the three-year period (2009-2011) was significant, but was less than one complete CRM stage (0.77, p=<0.001; 95% CI: 0.49, 1.05).

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that implementation of environmental and policy-based strategies may improve a community's progression in perceived readiness to address alcohol abuse regardless of the community's baseline level of readiness to address alcohol abuse. RECOMMENDATION: An assessment specific for measuring community readiness for policy-related strategies should be developed. The assessment would include community-level factors (e.g. community climate) for implementing policy-related prevention strategies, and not assume a linear readiness model.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0090-1482 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -