ACSPRI Conferences, ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference 2016

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Cultural Competency with Underage and Adult Binge Drinking in Rural North Dakota

Gina Aalgaard Kelly, Erica Raguse

Building: Holme Building
Room: MacCallum Room
Date: 2016-07-20 01:30 PM – 03:00 PM
Last modified: 2016-05-06

Abstract


Perceptions are often based on what we’ve seen, heard or experienced. Reality is based on contextual fact or scientific evidence. However, perceptions and reality can be influential on one another and sometimes blurred. Society as a collective, provides evidence of cultural norms and expectations. These expectations are both motivated from within an individual and also motivated from family, friends and others around us who provide both positive and negative impacts. Most individuals strive to find positive rather than the negative. But what happens when our negative influences blurs social norms? This research examines cultural competency with underage and adult binge drinking through the Strategic Prevention Framework – State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG). The SPF-SIG had two primary goals to address major health concerns for Ransom County: 1) Underage Drinking and 2) Adult Binge Drinking. Ransom County residents (N=22) participated in one of the two Focus Groups on February 23 and 24, 2015. Each focus group had two aims. The first included closed ended questions relating to under-age drinking and adult binge drinking through anonymous computer clickers that tracked participant responses. The second was education on the issues related to adult and underage drinking with open dialogue. Participants engaged in discussion with participants and the focus group leaders. This was an opportunity to gather baseline data during the beginning of implementation. Findings from the focus groups will be discussed. These findings provide evidence that alcohol use and misuse is a problem in Ransom County among adults and teenagers. Adult and Underage Drinking is a problem in Ransom County, North Dakota. There is evidence scientifically through external (i.e., state evaluators and researchers) and internal channels (i.e., community members and professional stakeholders) to support these problems.