Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment

Eric Canen — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:23:55 +0000

The Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA), sponsored by the Wyoming Department of Health and facilitated by the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming, has been collecting and reporting data on student behaviors and perceptions since the 2005-2006 school year. The PNA tracks the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among students in grades 6-12, as well as a wide array of attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions related to substance use. Over time, the scope of the PNA has expanded to include data on mental health, school climate, and availability of social support.
The PNA provides essential data that supports the development and evaluation of prevention strategies, interventions, and policies across the state of Wyoming. Schools, school districts, and communities utilize this data to tailor prevention efforts to their specific needs. Data from the survey is available publicly at both the state and county levels, with most participating school districts able to access their own student data.
The most recent data collection and reporting effort, under the current contract, is for the 2024 cycle, continuing the long-standing commitment to informing public health and educational initiatives in Wyoming.

More People are Drinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Matthew Wagner — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 17:19:44 +0000

WYSAC recently completed an internet survey involving behavior and attitudes toward COVID-19. We found that both the sale and consumption of alcohol has increased from February to April 2020, during the pandemic. After governments and employers put into place COVID-19 mitigation efforts, 17% of people reported increased alcohol consumption. Approximately 60% of that increase was due to boredom, while almost 46% and 44% were due to isolation and stress, respectively. Moreover, when looking at sales data, there were 5% more wine and spirit sales in Wyoming between the first few months of 2020 than in 2019, despite a significant decrease in the number of eligible liquor licenses. Continued monitoring will help us understand if these rises in alcohol use are temporary or whether they represent a lasting concern that may affect health in Wyoming. To see a fact sheet of the survey results in detail, go to the following link: https://bit.ly/wy-alc-covid

substance use – Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center

Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment

More People are Drinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic