This project proposes continued development of an easily implemented, automated survey data collection and analysis system. Labeled a """"""""Community Monitoring System"""""""" (CMS), the CMS provides communities a powerful tool to conduct their own prevention needs assessment survey research. The CMS will allow communities to monitor the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use, and risk and protective factors (RPFs), whose presence predicts later ATOD use in adolescents. A key characteristic of the CMS is that it will minimize the technical or financial support usually required by communities to collect valid epidemiological data, a situation which often discourages implementation of high quality needs assessment practices. In Phase I a self report survey instrument was developed comprehensively measuring RPF and ATOD prevalence in adolescents. This survey maintains reliability and validity in uncontrolled field settings. In Phase II, the applicant proposes completion of the CMS, by constructing the survey analysis software and associated supporting materials. As a whole, the CMS would automate most aspects of community-based survey research in prevention needs assessment activities. If successfully developed, they believe the CMS will have a major impact on the science of prevention planning nationwide.
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