Implementing an Online
Statewide Survey to
Address Alcohol and Other
Drug Use Among
University Students
in Arizona
Presenters:
Peggy Glider, Ph.D.
Jon Rudy, M.S.
Melissa McGee, Ph.D.
David Bower, M.Ed.
Arizona Institutions of Higher Education Network
Introduction
In August 2003, the Arizona Institutions of
Higher Education (AZIHE) Network obtained
funds to implement a statewide online alcohol
and other drug (AOD) survey that would
identify AOD norms, trends, attitudes,
knowledge and efficacy of AOD programming
for students attending Arizona’s three public
universities. The goal of this comprehensive
assessment was to generate a common data set
that would:
1) Direct AZIHE Network programming,
2) Inform and enable collaborations with key
state government stakeholders,
3) Analyze statewide trends, and
4) Educate campus administrators, the Arizona
Board of Regents and state officials about the
problems of heavy and high-risk drinking
among university students and the efficacy of
collaborative programming.
AZIHE Network
2003-2006 Strategic Plan
Goal Statement:
“Each campus participating in the AZIHE
Network will utilize similar data collection
instruments and methods to gather information
about college student AOD use and related
attitudes, behaviors and consequences.”
State Outcome Activity (4.A.):
“Coordinate college AOD surveillance and
assessment efforts across the state.”
• Challenge = Schools used different surveys,
administered at different times.
• Solution = Develop a survey that could be
easily administered to all three universities
simultaneously and at minimal cost.
Project Implementation:
Launching a Statewide
College AOD Survey
Funding sources:
2003 PCCHA Dr. Joel Grinolds Grant ($1,115.00)
2003-04 regional Network funds ($1,500.00)
Project Goal: To implement a tri-university
alcohol and other drug (AOD) survey that
identifies AOD norms, trends, attitudes,
knowledge and efficacy of AOD programming
for the majority of Arizona university students.
Project Objective: To collect 1,500 surveys from
each university, for a total of 4,500 statewide.
Survey Development: To reduce survey length/
cost, and ensure control over survey
administration, the AZIHE Network developed
its own survey including items that covered the
content of interest.
Project Implementation:
Launching a Statewide
College AOD Survey (cont.)
Human Subjects Approval:
Upon completion of survey development, each
institution received approval from their IRB to
conduct the survey online.
Technical Logistics:
• Principia Web Survey 3.0 was used to create
and publish the online survey
• Domain name (www.azcollegesurveys.com) and
ISP service to host the domain and website were
purchased via ReadyHosting.com
• FrontPage was used to create homepages for
each university linking students to the survey
• Online surveys were pre-tested on a group of
graduate students from each university
Project Implementation:
Launching a Statewide
College AOD Survey (cont.)
Subject Recruitment:
Random samples of 6000 undergrad students
from each institution were generated. Anticipated
that approximately 50% of students would see the
email, and of those 50% would respond.
Survey Participant Solicitation:
Email invitations sent to all selected students
briefly describing the survey, time requirements
and incentives. Students electing to complete the
survey clicked on a link that sent them to the
survey website. Reminder notices were sent 7
days after the initial invitations were mailed.
Data Cleaning & Analysis:
Extreme outliers (responses that are not realistic
or logical) were removed from the data set.
Frequency analyses were then performed on the
data.
Project Survey:
Survey Item Categories
AOD Use – Current use and changes in use,
details about “last drinking occasion”, level of
drinking in various social situations
Protective Behaviors – Alternating, setting limits,
eating, use of designated driver, avoiding
drinking games
Negative Consequences – Injury, violence, sexual
assault, trouble with authorities/police, academic
troubles, DUI, unprotected sex
Perceptions / Attitudes – Perceived consumption
among peers; attitudes about campus AOD rules
and regulations, state AOD laws and ordinances,
and about consumption levels in general
Demographics – ethnicity/racial origin,
involvement in curricular activities, gender,
living arrangement, classification, weight, height,
age, GPA
Lessons Learned:
Advantages &
Disadvantages of Online
Surveying
Pros
• Convenient for survey respondent – easy
retrieval and submission
• Convenient for survey administrator –
immediate knowledge of response rate
• Convenient for survey evaluator –
automatic data entry
Cons
• Non-use of university issued email account –
inability to determine reason for nonparticipation
• Survey respondent bias – AZ had higher
response rate from female students
General
Recommendations
• Do request permission from your
University’s institutional review board
before proceeding with the survey.
• Do establish ‘buy-in’ from all the
universities that will be participating in
your statewide assessment.
• Do over-sample your population to ensure
adequate response rates.
• Do create and distribute a final report
summarizing the highlights of your findings
to important stakeholders on your campuses
and in your state and local communities.
• Do report your survey findings ONLY in
aggregate form.
Contact Information
The authors of this presentation can be
contacted at the following phone numbers and
email addresses:
Peggy Glider, Ph.D. – (520) 621-5973
glider@health.arizona.edu
Jon Rudy, M.S. – (928) 523-6867
jon.rudy@nau.edu
Melissa McGee, Ph.D. – (520) 621-3916
mcgee@health.arizona.edu
David Bower, M.Ed. – (480) 965-4721
david.bower@asu.edu
For a copy of the Report on the Status of College Student
Alcohol and Other Drug Use in Arizona, contact Dr.
Melissa McGee (information provided above).