Innovative peer-to-peer approach to measuring youth alcohol and other drug use (To be presented in Session 186119: Breaking the borders of traditional alcohol prevention research and evaluation: Youth and adults partnering on research and evaluation to improve community impact)

There are high levels of binge drinking among Santa Cruz County youth. A local initiative called CURB is working to address this issue. The CURB 2007 Youth Survey revealed that 44% of respondents binge drank in the past 30 days. In the last 12 months 21% of respondents stated that they thought they had a drinking problem; 12% tried unsuccessfully to stop using alcohol; 84% accessed alcohol from adults they knew.

To measure the impact of CURB, Applied Survey Research (ASR) piloted an innovative self-administered peer-to-peer youth survey, based on ASR's homeless surveys, which was recognized as a best practice by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This unique methodology allowed for data collection from youth not reached through other surveys, such as homeless youth, youth not enrolled in school, youth attending private schools, and GBLTQ youth. CURB actively involves youth; youth have participated in developing, piloting and administering surveys, interviewing alcohol merchants about limiting access to minors, developing a countywide media campaign, and organizing and conducting press conferences.

CURB is implementing environmental prevention strategies. CURB has had successes in increasing community recognition with media messages regarding decreasing acceptance of youth bingeing, increasing community knowledge of the definition and consequences of bingeing, increasing retailer knowledge of legal consequences to providing alcohol to minors, decreasing sales to minors, and drafting a countywide social host ordinance. CURB is working to institutionalize youth leadership, research, and evaluation into its structure and sustainability efforts.

Methodology received approval from ASR's Internal Review Board.