Implementing an Online Statewide Survey to

Address Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among

University Students in Arizona

Presenters:

Peggy Glider, Ph.D.

Jon Rudy, M.S.

Melissa McGee, Ph.D.

David Bower, M.Ed.

Arizona Institutions of Higher Education Network

IntroductionIn August 2003, the Arizona Institutions of Higher Education (AZIHE) Network obtained funds to implement a statewide online alcohol and other drug (AOD) survey that would identify AOD norms, trends, attitudes, knowledge and efficacy of AOD programming for students attending Arizona’s three public universities. The goal of this comprehensive assessment was to generate a common data set that would:

1) Direct AZIHE Network programming,

2) Inform and enable collaborations with key state government stakeholders,

3) Analyze statewide trends, and

4) Educate campus administrators, the Arizona Board of Regents and state officials about the problems of heavy and high-risk drinking among university students and the efficacy of collaborative programming.

AZIHE Network 2003-2006 Strategic Plan

Goal Statement:

“Each campus participating in the AZIHE Network will utilize similar data collection instruments and methods to gather information about college student AOD use and related attitudes, behaviors and consequences.”

State Outcome Activity (4.A.):

“Coordinate college AOD surveillance and assessment efforts across the state.”

• Challenge = Schools used different surveys, administered at different times.

• Solution = Develop a survey that could be easily administered to all three universities simultaneously and at minimal cost.

Project Implementation:

Launching a Statewide College AOD Survey

Funding sources: 2003 PCCHA Dr. Joel Grinolds Grant ($1,115.00) 2003-04 regional Network funds ($1,500.00)

Project Goal: To implement a tri-university alcohol and other drug (AOD) survey that identifies AOD norms, trends, attitudes, knowledge and efficacy of AOD programming for the majority of Arizona university students.

Project Objective: To collect 1,500 surveys from each university, for a total of 4,500 statewide.

Survey Development: To reduce survey length/ cost, and ensure control over survey administration, the AZIHE Network developed its own survey including items that covered the content of interest.

Project Implementation:

Launching a Statewide College AOD Survey (cont.)

Human Subjects Approval: Upon completion of survey development, each institution received approval from their IRB to conduct the survey online.

Technical Logistics:

• Principia Web Survey 3.0 was used to create and publish the online survey

• Domain name (www.azcollegesurveys.com) and ISP service to host the domain and website were purchased via ReadyHosting.com

• FrontPage was used to create homepages for each university linking students to the survey

• Online surveys were pre-tested on a group of graduate students from each university

Project Implementation:

Launching a Statewide College AOD Survey (cont.)

Subject Recruitment: Random samples of 6000 undergrad students from each institution were generated. Anticipated that approximately 50% of students would see the email, and of those 50% would respond.

Survey Participant Solicitation: Email invitations sent to all selected students briefly describing the survey, time requirements and incentives. Students electing to complete the survey clicked on a link that sent them to the survey website. Reminder notices were sent 7 days after the initial invitations were mailed.

Data Cleaning & Analysis: Extreme outliers (responses that are not realistic or logical) were removed from the data set. Frequency analyses were then performed on the data.

Project Survey:

Survey Item Categories

AOD Use – Current use and changes in use, details about “last drinking occasion”, level of drinking in various social situations

Protective Behaviors – Alternating, setting limits, eating, use of designated driver, avoiding drinking games

Negative Consequences – Injury, violence, sexual assault, trouble with authorities/police, academic troubles, DUI, unprotected sex

Perceptions / Attitudes – Perceived consumption among peers; attitudes about campus AOD rules and regulations, state AOD laws and ordinances, and about consumption levels in general

Demographics – ethnicity/racial origin, involvement in curricular activities, gender, living arrangement, classification, weight, height, age, GPA

Lessons Learned:

Advantages & Disadvantages of Online SurveyingPros• Convenient for survey respondent – easy

retrieval and submission

• Convenient for survey administrator – immediate knowledge of response rate

• Convenient for survey evaluator – automatic data entry

Cons• Non-use of university issued email account –

inability to determine reason for non-participation

• Survey respondent bias – AZ had higher response rate from female students

General Recommendations

• Do request permission from your University’s institutional review board before proceeding with the survey.

• Do establish ‘buy-in’ from all the universities that will be participating in your statewide assessment.

• Do over-sample your population to ensure adequate response rates.

• Do create and distribute a final report summarizing the highlights of your findings to important stakeholders on your campuses and in your state and local communities.

• Do report your survey findings ONLY in aggregate form.

Contact Information

The authors of this presentation can be contacted at the following phone numbers and

email addresses:

Peggy Glider, Ph.D. – (520) 621-5973 glider@health.arizona.edu

Jon Rudy, M.S. – (928) 523-6867 jon.rudy@nau.edu

Melissa McGee, Ph.D. – (520) 621-3916 mcgee@health.arizona.edu

David Bower, M.Ed. – (480) 965-4721 david.bower@asu.edu

For a copy of the Report on the Status of College Student Alcohol and Other Drug Use in Arizona, contact Dr.

Melissa McGee (information provided above).