 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Laura Talbott, MS, CHES, Doctoral Student, University of South Carolina, 1800 Long Creek Drive 12-O, Columbia, SC 29210, (803) 750-9433, talbottl@gwm.sc.edu and Stuart Usdan, PhD, CHES, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Univeristy of South Carolina, 800 Sumter Street, HESC 220, Columbia, SC 29208.
Substance misuse is arguably the nation’s number one health problem, as much for college students as for other Americans (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2001). It is estimated that 1,400 college students between 18 and 24 die as a result of alcohol use each year (Hingson, 2002). With negative consequences related to alcohol use, campuses employ various strategies: establishment of campus prevention and education efforts, social norms campaigns, treatment and counseling centers, as well as substance-free programming. An additional strategy for controlling alcohol use is that of policy implementation at many campus levels: individual, the entire student population, and the surrounding community (NIAAA Report, 2002). The Higher Education Reauthorization Act of 1998 amended the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), permitting institutions (but not requiring) to notify parents if a student under 21 commits a disciplinary violation involving alcohol or other drugs. A previous study of 189 judicial officers found that only 58.7% indicated that parental notification policies were in place, and only 43% of those represented public institutions (Zweig & Thompson, 2001). Thus, for universities to mandate effective parental notification policies it is imperative that students and parents are aware that the policy exists and the consequences of non-compliance. This study presents a review of campus parental notification policies from nine large public institutions of higher education across the southeastern United States. Implications concerning the role of parental notification as part of a comprehensive prevention approach to reduce alcohol-related problems among underage college students will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.