Research into Action

Barriers and Challenges to Adopting and Implementing Local Tobacco Policies

Passing and adopting local policies poses numerous challenges and barriers to community coalitions. While a number of research articles currently examine the legislative process and details of policy enactment, very few discuss the process of local policy adoption and the issues organizations tackle in trying to assure passage of local ordinances. In order to understand the process of adopting and implementing local policies, researchers Travis D. Satterland, Diana Cassady, Jeanette Treiber, and Cathy Lemp at the University of California Davis analyzed the major barriers and challenges associated with the California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) and its local projects that attempted to pass outdoor smoke-free ordinances. The researchers found that political polarization, local political orientation and organizational barriers presented the greatest challenges to local CTCP projects.

The Prevalence of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking Among College Students

Currently, a number of studies identify waterpipe tobacco smoking, most commonly known as hookah, as an emerging trend among college students in the United States. However, the substance abuse field lacks evidence about the factors associated with the spread of waterpipe smoking in this population, such as perception of harm and commercial availability and use. In response to the lack of research, researchers Sutfin, E.L., et al. at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center conducted one of the first studies investigating the prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoke use among a large, multi-institution sample of college students. The study found that waterpipe smoking is nearly as popular with college students as cigarettes, particularly at institutions with nearby waterpipe smoking venues and among freshmen.

Successful Promotion of Knowledge and Strong Relationships Helps Coalitions Achieve Long-Term Outcomes

Although collaborative partnerships, such as coordinating councils and coalitions, hold a high status among communities, the research field remains uncertain about how these partnerships best employ efforts to impact communities in the long run. However, results from a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggest that the success intermediate outcomes, such as promotion of knowledge and strong relationships, significantly relate to and influence each other and long-term outcomes.

Alcohol Tax and Price Policies Decrease Alcohol-Related Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes

Over the last several decades of research, epidemiology studies indicate drinking alcohol as a risk factor for an array of injuries, diseases, and social injustices and a leading cause of morbidity (i.e., diseased condition or state) and mortality (i.e., death). Additionally, the published literature indicates a strong relationship between alcohol tax and price levels and alcohol sales, drinking, and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality outcomes. Based on these established relationships and literature, researchers Alexander Wagenaar, Amy Tober, and Kelli Komro hypothesized and found that a negative relationship exists between alcohol tax/price levels and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

Coalition Functioning Increases Support of Evidence-Based Programs

In community settings, fidelity poses a significant challenge to successfully implementing evidence-based programs (EBPs). Fidelity refers to the implementation of a program in the identical method in which it was tested by researchers to achieve similar results. According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University’s Prevention Research Center, various positive elements of coalition functioning, such as strong leadership and program fidelity, influence a coalition’s ability to support the high-quality implementation of EBPs.

Research Into Action - System of Accountability Improves Transfer of Training

For over twenty years, researchers in the field of Human Resource Development have worked to understand the conditions that promote or inhibit the transfer of training information to the workplace. Transfer of training occurs when participants successfully take the training information learned and actively apply it to improving their day-to-day work. Simply investing in a training opportunity does not guarantee transfer of training. In fact, studies indicate that only half of all organizational training investments result in direct benefits to the organization (Saks, 2002). A recent article published in Human Resource Development Review found that accountability plays a key role in improving the process of incorporating new skills and strategies into the structure of an organization.

Research Into Action - Active Member Participation Increases Success of Policy and Systems Changes

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan evaluated the efforts of the Allies Against Asthma Program, demonstrating that community coalitions with highly involved partnerships are the most successful in producing policy and systems change. The results offer useful implications for anti-drug coalitions focusing on policy and systems changes to achieve community-level outcomes.

Research Into Action - Effective Meetings Can Increase Your Coalitions Volunteers

For coalitions, meetings provide the venue for strategic planning, collaboration, and overall preparation. Key stakeholders need to attend these meetings and leave feeling their time was well spent. Dissatisfaction could result in losing the participation of partners necessary to carry out a coalition’s strategic plan. The current research on organizational meetings is in some ways applicable to the meeting structure of coalitions. Given this, those in charge of calling and organizing coalition meetings should learn the key design issues that promote meeting effectiveness.

Research Into Action - Eliminating Tobacco Retailers Near Schools May Reduce Teen Smoking

Current research indicates that controlling or minimizing the amount of alcohol outlets in a specific area may reduce a variety of alcohol-related problems. Unfortunately few studies exist on the possible impact of controlling or reducing the number of tobacco retailers in a given area. Some research suggests that the density and proximity of tobacco retailers may influence tobacco use initiation among youth if they have easy access. The American Journal of Public Health recently published a study contributing to this body of research. A 2009 article, Density of tobacco retailers near schools: Effects on tobacco use among students, examines the relationship between the density and proximity of tobacco retailers near schools and adolescent cigarette smoking.

Research Into Action - State Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws and Impaired Driving Policies Save Lives

Fatalities from operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol remain a significant problem and community concern in the United States. A study published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research provides further support that enacting and enforcing state minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws and impaired-driving policies reduces alcohol-related fatal crashes among young drivers. The findings in this research highlight the need for all states to implement such laws. The research underscores the continued need for community coalitions to focus efforts on advocating and enforcing state MLDA laws, to enact local related policy and to strengthen existing state laws.

Research Into Action - Community-Campus Partnerships Help Reduce Underage Drinking and Associated Problems

Why do some coalitions leave college campuses out of their community plans? Campuses and communities often are viewed as separate structures, consisting of their own unique issues and agendas. But, while some issues may be dealt with separately most campus and community problems are heavily intertwined. Underage drinking, for example, affects both the college campus and surrounding community. High concentrations of young people on a college campus may affect high school-aged youths’ access to alcohol and the youths’ perceptions of drinking). A growing body of research supports the collaborative approach used in campus-community partnerships.

Research Into Action - Recruiting and Sustaining the Participation of Coalition Members

Community-based coalitions rely heavily on the participation of their diverse members. Given this, researchers have identified factors that influence initial decision to participate in coalition activities such as group identification, a drive to lead and organize, direct or indirect monetary benefits, and the desire to improve community well-being. Knowledge is important in developing a member base, what becomes more critical is the level at which those members participate. A study recently published in the American Journal of Community Psychology sought to answer this question, and provide insight on how to increase member participation within coalitions.

Research Into Action - Acculturation Impacts Hispanic Adolescents’ Risk of Substance Abuse

New research published in the Journal of Immigrant Minority Health supports the theory that acculturation discrepancies exist and may impact Hispanic adolescents’ substance use behaviors. Acculturation refers to a process where individuals from a particular culture adopt the norms, values, attitudes and behaviors of individuals from another culture. Typically acculturation occurs when a person’s culture of origin gradually changes to become more similar to that of the host society or dominant culture, but the process can go both ways.

Research Into Action - Neighborhood Leadership Key to Increased Community Involvement

Why is it so difficult to get local residents involved in coalition work? What factors might contribute to this problem? The answers are complex, but new research may help coalitions effectively plan to get and keep residents involved. A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Community Psychology describes how three conditions: community capacity, community readiness and neighborhood problems, may affect the type and level of resident involvement in communitybuilding initiatives.

Research Into Action - Promoting Youth-Adult Partnerships in Coalition Decisionmaking

Youth involvement is a vital element of community planning and organizing around the prevention of youth substance abuse. As such, community anti-drug coalitions are finding new ways to engage youth in a variety of coalition activities. While some coalitions have successfully built youth involvement into the structure of the coalition itself; creating components such as a Youth Action Board, where youth actively participate in all coalition decisions, many coalitions have yet to build such infrastructure around youth involvement. This is not surprising since doing so may present numerous challenges, particularly for those coalitions that have been in existence for many years.

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