The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network: constructing and operating a statewide epidemiologic intelligence system.

Working with the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) and researchers at the University of Akron, Wright State University's Center for Interventions, Treatment, and Addictions Research developed the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring (OSAM) Network to provide a statewide summary of substance abuse trends. Ten key informants across the state collect qualitative and statistical data on substance abuse trends in their regions and prepare biannual reports. The OSAM network has a rapid response capability through which key informants can investigate special issues related to substance abuse identified by ODADAS and provide policymakers with timely, statewide reports. Within 12 months after operations began, the key informants produced reports on drug abuse trends and rapid response issues for the state. These reports prepared policymakers to respond more effectively to prevention and substance abuse treatment needs.

Self-efficacy and motivation for controlling drinking and drinking/driving: an investigation of changes across a driving under the influence (DUI) intervention program and of recidivism prediction.

Measures of (a) self-efficacy and (b) motivation to change (stage) for controlling drinking and drinking/driving were examined at the beginning and the end of a four-week intervention in a sample of 670 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offenders in a court-mandated program. Hypotheses regarding stability of stage classifications over the course of intervention, and the relation between stage classification, stage scores, self-efficacy, and DUI recidivism were examined. Based on results of an earlier study it was expected that most offenders would be classified into the action stage at entry and that classifications would tend to remain stable from pretest to posttest. Action was the most frequent stage classification in both drinking and drinking/driving domains at both test periods, with precontemplation being the least frequent classification. When tracked over the four weeks, stage classifications for drinking and drinking/driving were stable for 74 to 89% of offenders in the two domains, respectively. As predicted, higher action and self-efficacy scores were related to lower recidivism, and action scores in the drinking/driving domain were the best early recidivism predictors among a predictor set that included traditional recidivism indicators. Drinking contemplators (i.e., those with the highest stage score on the contemplation scale) had higher recidivism rates than other drinking stage classifications. Implications for DUI intervention programs are discussed.