Connecticut's substance use primary prevention resource assessment and interactive map initiative

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Substance Use Prevention
• Health Equity

Background:

• Connecticut exhibits higher alcohol and cannabis use rates compared to national averages.
• Effective substance use prevention planning requires accurate data on existing resources and capacity.
• Addressing disparities in prevention is crucial for equitable public health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess statewide primary prevention resources for alcohol and cannabis use in Connecticut.
• To identify geographic and community-type disparities in prevention capacity.
• To develop an interactive map for optimizing prevention resource allocation.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study utilizing surveys of Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs) and Local Prevention Councils (LPCs).
• Data collection included prevention strategies, funding, target populations, and settings.
• Web searches supplemented survey data, with descriptive analysis to identify disparities. Findings informed an interactive ArcGIS map.

Main Results:

• Surveys covered 78% of Connecticut towns, with 92% receiving Local Prevention Council funding.
• Common strategies included information dissemination (85%), education (80%), and social marketing (64%), mainly in community and school settings.
• Rural and eastern regions reported fewer prevention resources and lower participation rates, indicating disparities.

Conclusions:

• Connecticut's substance use prevention system is comprehensive but faces regional disparities in funding and strategy implementation.
• An interactive prevention map offers a data-driven framework for assessing and strengthening prevention systems.
• Expanding systems-level and environmental prevention strategies is vital for sustained, population-level impact and equity.