Education and Surveillance

Increasing students’ knowledge remains a cornerstone for addressing many public health problems, including alcohol. The goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn why they need to drink less, take fewer risks, and experience fewer harmful consequences. Evidence will verify that including education and awareness programs can positively impact college campuses.

For the AODE program, surveillance means the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data related to alcohol and other drug use/misuse, including the size of the alcohol problem at K-State as well as determining changes in health practices. This process is essential to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of resources to decrease alcohol and other drug use/misuse. The program implements the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) to collect data on excessive alcohol use, including binge and underage drinking. By collecting these data, AODE can provide the university and local communities with the evidence to support the implementation of strategies to reduce excessive drinking. Data from this survey also covers smoking habits, contraception use, mental health issues, relationship difficulties, sexual behaviors, exercise habits, and preventive health practices.

Available education programs include: