Collecting data on alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors among young adults in Nebraska using an experimental mixed mo

1. Collecting data on alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors among young adults in Nebraska using an experimental mixed mode design-- Preliminary Findings -- August 12, 2010 RTEP Webinar Presentation by: Jeff Armitage Substance Abuse Epidemiologist Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

2. Today’s Presentation • Background • Project Overview • Project Objectives • Project Methods • Project Findings • Conclusions

3. Background Traditionally high levels of drinking in the state Limited data for young adult attitudes SPF SIG priorities and requirements Eight coalitions are addressing binge drinking among 18-25 year olds Strong stakeholder support for the collection of alcohol-related data among young adults Participation by young adults in public health surveys continues to be challenging

4. Project Overview • Conducted a mixed mode mail and web survey of 19-25 year olds in Nebraska • Project funders: • Nebraska Collegiate Consortium, University of Nebraska-Lincoln • Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services • Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles • Contractor: • University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bureau of Sociological Research • Project team: • Nebraska Collegiate Consortium, UNL • Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, DMV • Epidemiology, College of Public Health, UNMC • Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) • Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

5. Project Objectives • Provide data to SPF SIG funded sub-grantees to fulfill grant requirements for evaluation • Generate state-level estimates for alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors • Enhance understanding of alcohol use among college students and non-college students • Enhance understanding of alcohol use by urban/rural • Capture alcohol-related measures useful to prevention practitioners • Include an array of alcohol constructs…

6. Project Objectives, cont… • Survey constructs: • Alcohol use • Alcohol impaired driving • Perception of risk from binge drinking • Attitudes regarding alcohol use • Perceptions of use • Support for alcohol policy and enforcement • Perceptions of alcohol enforcement and sales • Attitudes toward employer drug testing • Place of alcohol use • Beverage type • ID check at the point of sale

7. Project Methods • Questionnaire design • Sample • Frame: Driver Records, Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles • Statewide stratified sample of 10,000 • Between the ages of 19-25 • Data collection • Three stage mail survey with $1 cash incentive • Data collected between December, 2009 – March, 2010 • December 18, 2009… initial mailing of survey packet • December 30, 2009… follow-up postcard • February 3, 2010… follow-up mailing of survey packet • Weighting • Data were weighted by gender, age, and region to represent young adults in Nebraska 19-25 years old, based on self-reported zip code of residence

9. Project Methods, cont… • Experimental mail and web mixed mode design • Background • Fairly strong evidence that estimates of alcohol use do not differ by web vs. mail survey mode • Response rate decreases have been found when offering a choice between mail and web versions (Dillman et al., 2008; Gentry, 2008; Grigorian & Hoffer, 2008) • McCabe et al. (2006) suggest web/mail mixed mode could increase response rates among certain sub-populations, such as college males (no mode effects on alcohol measures) • Randomly divided sample into four groups • Group 1: Web option offered with all mailings • Group 2: Web option offered with postcard and reminder survey • Group 3: Web option offered with reminder survey only • Group 4: Web option never offered

10. Project Methods, cont… • Survey response rate: • 35% actual response rate, 43% adjusted response rate • Fairly even response across the nine survey strata • Survey sample size by demographic • 3,466 respondents in final database • Gender: 43% Male, 57% Female • Age: fairly even distribution across ages, ranging from 12.0% (19 year olds) to 15.6% (21 year olds).

11. Project Findings • The following preliminary findings will be shared… • Alcohol Use • Alcohol Impaired Driving • Attitudes & Perceptions related to Alcohol

12. Length Since Last Alcohol Use among 19-25 Years Olds in Nebraska* *Length since consuming their last alcoholic beverage (including beer, wine, wine coolers, malt beverages, and liquor); n=3,427 Source: Nebraska Young Adult Alcohol Opinion Survey Preliminary Results

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21. Overall, about 1 in 5 binge drinkers (18.4%) drove after binge drinking during the 30 days preceding the survey Preliminary Results

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28. Project Findings: Experimental Design • Offering the web option had little positive or negative effect at any stage on the overall response rate • Some of the findings from the experimental web-option design: • Males chose the web option, but offering the web option did not increase the response rate for males • Web is not necessarily the mode of choice for students • Highly educated are significantly more likely to choose web option Preliminary Results

29. So What Did We Learn?

30. Conclusions & Future Plans • Alcohol use and impaired driving are common behaviors among 19-25 year olds in Nebraska • Attitudes are generally supportive of prevention intervention • SPF SIG Coalitions will have adequate baseline data for evaluation and ongoing planning • Mail & web mixed mode surveys can be a cost effective method for reaching young adults • Evidence suggests that adding a web option to a mail survey might be a cost-effective addition for surveys targeting young adults • DMV Driver Records can be a viable sampling frame • Further exploration is needed to understand differences in response, such as drinking by age: 19-20 vs. 21-25 year olds • Prepare & release report to public (September 2010) • Share data with coalitions for evaluation and future planning • Conduct a follow up survey (likely in winter 2011/2012)

31. Project co-leads: • Mindy Anderson-Knott, UNL, RTI • Emily Griese, Graduate Assistant, NDHHS • StaciaJorgenson, Bureau of Sociological Research, UNL • Others who contributed to the success of the project (alphabetical order): • Cheryl Beseler, (previously with the) College of Public Health, UNMC • Linda Major, Nebraska Collegiate Consortium, UNL • Beverly Neth, Director, Nebraska DMV • Ian Newman, Nebraska Collegiate Consortium, UNL • Dave Palm, NDHHS • Amanda Richardson, Bureau of Sociological Research, UNL • Joann Schaefer, Chief Medical Officer, NDHHS • Duane Shell, Nebraska Collegiate Consortium, UNL • Fred Zwonechek, Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, DMV • - Members of the Nebraska Substance Abuse Epidemiology Workgroup

32. Questions / Contact Information Jeff Armitage Substance Abuse Epidemiologist Division of Public Health Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Email: jeff.armitage@nebraska.gov Phone: (402) 471-7733