141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

278741
Decreasing health disparities in alcohol and other drug initiation

Monday, November 4, 2013

Kathleen Herr-Zaya, BSN, MS, PhD , Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Kathleen Whelton, MPH , Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Toyin Awesu, MS , ARGUS, Boston, MA
Zamawa Arenas, MA , ARGUS, Boston, MA
Kyle Marshall, BA , Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Stefano Keel, LICSW, MMHS , Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Casey Cokkinias, BA , Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Middle school-aged Hispanic and Black students in Massachusetts have higher lifetime rates of alcohol and cigarette use than other ethnicities. Therefore, MA prioritized Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic youth for one of its current Health Communications Campaigns. To address the social and environmental determinants of this problem, the MA Department of Public Health is developing and assessing innovative ways to address the racial disparities in lifetime rates of alcohol and drug use. A science-based prevention program is now on DVD. To motivate parents to use this 10-session program, four dissemination methods are used: the purchase of a targeted cover wrap program of “People” magazine distributed in the communities with a high proportion of Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic residents; sending a Toolkit about this and other resources to their schools; putting ads for the DVD in ethnic community newspapers; and establishing a distribution plan in the Housing Authority in one target community. The sample of intervention communities was drawn based on ethnicity in census data. Rates of distribution of the science-based prevention program prior to, during, and after the Campaign are some of the process measures. Future analysis of outcome data will include comparisons of 7th and 8th grade students of schools in the targeted communities to students in their respective regions on: substance abuse rates; and the youths' perception of their parents' disapproval of underage alcohol use. In preparation, a baseline survey was done among students to create estimates of alcohol and tobacco use prior to implementation of the program.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Analyze existing data sources to target populations to reduce health disparities Formulate innovative plans to reach high-risk ethnic groups Design an intervention to make a science-based program available on DVD at no charge Assess pilot project by coordinating with and expanding on the routine Youth Risk Behavior System data collection in intervention and non-intervention communities (measuring students’ perceptions of parental disapproval, use rates, and other variables)

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as the Public Information Coordinator in the Bureau of Substance Abuse, Massachusetts Department of Public Health and have 25 years of experience. I have been the principal or co-principal of multiple publications focusing on parent-child communication. I have degrees in nursing, special education and a PhD in social policy. Among my scientific interests has been the development of alcohol prevention educational materials for parents.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.