Wellness Center battles alcohol, drug use misconceptions
A new State Incentive Grant will fund prevention programs designed to correct Utah State University student’s misperceptions that the average student uses drugs and alcohol.
Jamie McKinlay, program coordinator of the Student Health and Wellness Center, said the SIG is the result of a year-and-a-half of data gathering and paperwork and will provide for better drug, tobacco and alcohol prevention programs.
Changing student perceptions about drugs, tobacco and alcohol is important.
“The danger is if students believe others are likely to use, they’re more likely to use themselves. It makes it more normal,” McKinlay said.
There is a discrepancy between drug-use belief and reality, which is probably due to the general student connection of college and partying.
“It’s a right of passage,” McKinlay said.
The 2003 Utah higher education health behavior survey shows that among USU students 74 percent believe the average student uses alcohol, although 85 percent report they drink responsibly or not at all. The survey also indicated 56 percent of students believe the average student has used cocaine, although 98.9 percent report they have not.
National studies show high-risk groups on campus include freshman, fraternity and sorority members and athletes, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The Utah survey reports students who live in a fraternity or sorority house are heaviest drinkers – 86 percent of fraternity residents and 80 percent of sorority residents report binge drinking.
“It’s a scary thought,” Jennifer Taylor, a freshman majoring in elementary education, said of student alcohol abuse.
“Yes, it’s a problem and they should do something about it,” said Shahriar Kabir, a freshman majoring in computer science, after hearing about high-risk groups.
Nathan Wilde, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, said because of stiffer chapter regulations and GPA requirements, drinking parties are leaving the fraternities and sororities and filtering out more among the general student body.
“I wouldn’t say as a fraternity member I party more,” Wilde said, “I actually party less.”
Together with the Alcohol and Drug Coalition Advisory Board the Student Wellness Center has initiated a plan to help correct student perceptions and use of drugs and alcohol on campus. The program has four areas:
8A Social Norms Marketing Campaign to correct student misperceptions about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
8Increasing student policy enforcement and publicity concerning drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
8Informing new students and their parents about student drug policy before they get to campus.
8Improving health of five different aspects of campus: nutrition, physical activity, safety, preventative services, and healthy behaviors.
An additional student health behavior survey will be conducted in February. Anyone interested in additional information or in becoming involved with the prevention program can contact Jamie McKinlay at 797-1010. SAMHSA can be access at http://prevention.samhsa.gov.
-cfawson@cc.usu.edu