Strategies to prevent (STOP) substance use: a website for adolescents in Hawaii

ABSTRACT

Background: Adolescent substance use is a global and local (Hawaii) problem. Therefore, the study goal was to develop and investigate the effect of an adolescent substance use prevention intervention website in Hawaii.

Methods: A website was developed including drug overviews, health effects, how to stay away, external prevention and treatment resources, and an evaluation. Three grade 11 classes completed a baseline (T1) survey based on website content and a follow-up (T2) assessment after a 15-minute website interaction.

Results: At T1, 63/72 and at T2, 62 students participated (16–17 years old; 92% female; 87.2% Filipino). The number correct increased from 48.0% (SD = 14.5) at T1 to 82.0% (SD = 15.3) at T2 (t(59) = 13.5, p < .001). Eleven of twelve topics improved (p < .5) which addressed mental disorder drug use, workplace meth-use in Hawaii, Americans in need of drug/alcohol treatment, stimulant drugs, side effects of drugs, drug related domestic/child abuse, short-term drug effects, Hawaii and national methuse, chemicals in drugs, how to stay away, and ways of treatment.

Conclusions: Adolescents improved their substance use prevention understanding. This is promising considering the brief, inexpensive, potentially scalable intervention which can be implemented within high school curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance use
• prevention
• website
• adolescents

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Student Fund for Research Project Development, Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa