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Badgers Step Up! : A population-based approach to reducing negative outcomes associated with alcohol use on a college campus
Methods: The Badgers Step Up! Program is population-based approach used at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to assess bystander intervention behaviors related to excessive drinking and the likelihood to intervene in emergency situations. All registered student organizations sent one leader (n=650) and all new Greek members (n=847) were required to attend the program. 1497 students completed the program during a five-month period. Students completed a pre-assessment measuring attitudes and beliefs related to high-risk drinking, attended a peer-facilitated workshop focusing on leadership development and bystander intervention related to high-risk drinking, and completed a post-assessment used to measure changes in attitudes and beliefs related to high-risk drinking and negative outcomes associated with alcohol use.
Results: Post assessment, 97% of students felt comfortable intervening in situations regarding a stranger and alcohol while 99% of students felt comfortable intervening in situations regarding a friend and alcohol.
Conclusion: The population-based approach used in the Badgers Step Up! Program leverages a peer-to-peer approach for teaching students motivational interviewing techniques and appropriate intervention methods to reduce negative outcomes associated with alcohol use on college campuses. The Badgers Step Up! Program has expanded to include sophomore athletes as a comprehensive method for reducing alcohol use and excessive drinking.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsPlanning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Describe the importance of reducing negative outcomes associated with alcohol use on college campuses using a population-based approach.
Demonstrate the peer-to-peer motivational interviewing technique as a means of intervention for high-risk alcohol consumption.
Keyword(s): Alcohol Use, College Students
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an MPH student and Graduate Student Facilitator with University Health Services working on development and implementation of the Badgers Step Up Program. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for preventing and intervening in high-risk alcohol consumption on college campuses.
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.