Project Northland II

Principal Investigators
Cheryl L. Perry, PhD, University of Minnesota
Carolyn L. Williams, PhD, University of Minnesota

Funding
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Objective
A randomized trial that had the goal of preventing or reducing alcohol use among adolescents by using a multi-level, community-wide approach.

Method
Data were collected in 24 school districts and adjacent communities in northeastern Minnesota since 1991. The Project Northland I intervention targeted the class of 1998 (sixth grade students in 1991) and was implemented for three school years (1991 to 1994). There was an Interim Phase (1994-1996) that involved minimal intervention.

The Project Northland II intervention targeted the same cohort during their remaining two years of high school (1996-1998) when they were in 11th and 12th grades. This intervention consisted of a classroom curriculum, parent education, print media, youth development, and community organizing. Outcomes of these interventions were assessed by annual student surveys from 1991 to 1998; alcohol purchase attempts by young-looking buyers in 1991, 1994, and 1998; and parent telephone surveys in 1996 and 1998. Growth curve analysis was used to examine the student survey data over time.

Parent Postcard (2 sides)

Results
The project was most successful when the students were young adolescents (during the Project Northland I phase). Students in the intervention school districts reported less onset and prevalence of alcohol use than students in the reference districts. The differences were particularly notable among those who were nonusers at baseline. The lack of intervention in the Interim Phase, when the students were in grades 9 and 10, had a significant and negative impact on alcohol use. The Project Northland II intervention made a positive impact on high school students’ tendency to use alcohol use, binge drinking, and ability to obtain alcohol.

Conclusion
The results of both Project Northland I and Project Northland II suggest that developmentally appropriate, multi-component, community-wide programs throughout adolescence appear to be needed to reduce alcohol use.

Materials
Project Northland I and Project Northland II classroom curricula and student, family and community materials are available from Hazelden Publishing: http://www.hazeldenbookplace.org/

Publications
Perry, CL, Williams CL, Komro KA, Veblen-Mortenson S, Stigler MH, Munson KA, Farbakhsh K, Jones RM, Forster JL. Project Northland: Long-term outcomes of community action to reduce adolescent alcohol use. Health Education Research. 2002;17(1):117-132.