2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

334986
A collaborative approach to alcohol use and high-risk drinking at a Big Ten University: The birth of the Badgers Step Up! Program


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Emily Wirkus, BS, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Kelly Klingensmith, BA, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Erica Kane, CHES, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Marlo Reeves, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Adam Nelson, JD, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Jason Busack, Campus Community Partnerships-ATOD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
Reonda Washington, MPH, CHES, University Health Services/ Campus and Community Partnerships, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Jeanette Kowalik, PhD, MPH, MCHES, Prevention and Campus Health Initiatives, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Madison, WI
ABSTRACT

Background: Wisconsin has a high-risk drinking culture. The UW - Madison campus is known for binge drinking and a high percentage of student organization misconduct has been related to alcohol use. Since its inception in Spring of 2013, the Badgers Step Up! program serves to address problems of alcohol use and risky drinking behaviors among the student population through leadership development, alcohol risk reduction, and bystander intervention techniques.

Methods: Modeled after the Wisconsin Idea, the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program, and Step Up! program; The Badgers Step Up! program engages student leaders as agents of change to reduce alcohol-use and high-risk drinking. By changing attitudes through norms clarification, the program encourages prosocial behavior while promoting prevention and intervention of high-risk behavior. Anchored in education via interactive programming and student-led small group discussion, the program is provided to registered student organizations, Greek life and athletics at UW – Madison.

Results: Students developed an understanding of their values and learned how those values shape campus climate, increased knowledge about responsible alcohol use versus negative high-risk behaviors like binge drinking and awareness of tools for effective bystander intervention.

Conclusion: The Badgers Step Up! program continues to address alcohol use and high-risk drinking culture.  Employment of a comprehensive and collaborative model, UW – Madison strives to take a preventative approach to reduce negative consequences associated with alcohol-use and high-risk drinking.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Design a comprehensive program to engage student leaders throughout a college campus to address the high-risk drinking culture. Define effective leadership skills and bystander intervention techniques to intervene in high-risk drinking situations.

Keyword(s): Health Promotion and Education, Alcohol Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a graduate student facilitator of the Badgers Step Up! program obtaining at Master of Public Health.
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.

Back to: 5022.1: Public Health Education and Health Promotion Reseach and Practice