HSC 315 Introduction to Public Health

Community Core Observations/Data Notes

Observations/Data Notes

1. History–What can you glean by looking? Is this an established neighborhood, or is it new? Is there a specific history associated with it?

I looked at central Sioux Falls and how there was such a difference within a few blocks. The Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral neighborhoods have a great deal of economic and sociological difference compared to my unnamed neighborhood in the southwest corner of East 10^th Street and I-229. The Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral neighborhoods started in the 1870s, while my area of Central Sioux Falls was established in the 1960’s. The Downtown neighborhood is in between these areas.

2. Demographics–What sort of people do you see? age? sex/gender, families or singles?

These areas contain people of all ages and genders. Children can be seen playing in yards, parks, and riding bikes. Middle-aged and elderly people can be seen out walking or jogging. There are an abundance of housing options consisting of apartment complexes, townhomes, and houses. Families and single individuals can be found throughout this area. In between the two areas is the Downtown area, and this is primarily apartments housing singles. The Downtown area has a lot of options for entertainment, so you will see people of all ages out and about.

3. Ethnicity–Do you note indicators of different ethnic groups? Specific ethnic shops/restaurants?

The Pettigrew Heights, Cathedral, and Downtown neighborhoods are more culturally diverse than my neighborhood. My area is predominately white with very little other ethnicities seen, while this is not true in the other areas. They have a mix of American of African descent, Africans, and Hispanic / Latino. There is a wide variety of ethnic shops and restaurants to be found throughout this area. A person can find African, Hispanic, and Asian grocery stores quite easily along with restaurants that vary from original to chain restaurants that offer ethnic foods.

4. Values and Beliefs – Are there churches, mosques, temples? Are there advertisements for youth groups, children’s groups, or family support?

There are many places of worship in these areas that offer different religious views. The Cathedral of St. Joseph, which is predominately white individuals can be found here, along with Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, which is predominately Hispanic. Some other places of worship include the Islamic Center of Sioux Falls, Augustana Lutheran Church, The Ransom Church, and the Emmanuel Baptist Church. The only places that I noticed advertisements for youth groups, children’s groups, or family support was in the Downtown area at the Public Library and the Multicultural Center.

Subsystems Observations/Data

1. Physical Environment – How does the community look? Is there green space? Air quality? Any environmental concerns?

Sioux Falls appears to be an up to date community where businesses, living spaces, and parks are well maintained. This observation is not quite as obvious in the Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral areas. This area is in central Sioux Falls, from North West Avenue to Minnesota Avenue, and from W 2^nd St to W 15^th St. There are many houses, apartments, and businesses that appear to be rundown and not taken care of. Older model vehicles are more abundant in this area too.

There is an abundance of green space options in Sioux Falls. There is a bike trail that circumvents the city with larger parks along its path. Scattered throughout the city are numerous parks and swimming pools. In the Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral areas, there are no parks or pools. The only public playground equipment to be found was at the schools.

The air quality is usually quite good, except for when the wind blows just right from the Smithfield packing plant. The odor that comes from there is quite rancid and it makes a person not want to be outside. Smithfield has also been fined many times for allowing too much pollution to be dumped into the Big Sioux River.

2. Health and Social Services – Evidence of acute or chronic health condition? Where are social services facilities, hospitals, shelters, clinics and other supports?

In the Cathedral and Pettigrew Heights areas, more people can be seen out and about smoking than other areas of the city. This area is known for its abundance of alcohol and drug related issues. Obesity is also more prevalent in this area. There are two community health satellite locations, and the main location located in about a six-block triangle. There are 3 hospitals located relatively close to the areas that I viewed: Sanford Health, Avera, and the VA Hospital. In the Downtown area, there are a couple of places for homeless or abused individuals to go to for help and to have a roof over their heads. There is also a place, The Banquet, that serves food to the needy.

3. Economy – Is it a thriving community or does it feel rundown? Are there places of employment, stores, industries, or development?

Sioux Falls is a thriving community. When one looks at the Downtown area, remodeling, demolition for new construction, and renovating the open areas can be seen throughout. In the Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral areas, the stores and housing options look rundown and unkept. There are many options for employment within walking distance in these areas, but most of the jobs require a higher education. There are very few entry level jobs except for servers, bartenders, and in fast food. Currently in the Downtown area, the railroad tracks are being removed to make room for more businesses and green space.

4. Transportation and safety – how do people get around? Are there buses, private vehicles, transit for physically disabled, taxis, bicycles? Do you see sidewalks, road, trails and what is their condition? What type of protective services are there? Are there some informal protective services like Neighborhood Watch?

Transportation services are abundant in all the areas that I have studied. The city bus service garage and main hub can be found Downtown. There are many different routes to choose from that will take riders to the more frequented areas of Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls also has many different taxi services, along with the recent arrival of Lyft and Uber. Transportation for the physically disabled is also seen driving around. This service is provided by the city of Sioux Falls and by private companies. Private vehicles are the main mode of transportation. They can be seen parked on the side of the streets, and in the public and private parking lots scattered throughout the viewed areas. Some people do commute to the Downtown area via specialized lanes in the streets or the city bike path. The streets and sidewalks are in fairly good shape because the city is constantly working on them trying to keep up with the added traffic. The Sioux Falls Police Department is based in the Downtown area and their presence can be seen all over the areas. The Sioux Falls Fire Department also has a station Downtown.

5. Politics and government –Are there signs of political activity? What is the governmental jurisdiction of the community? Is this a village, town, or city? Do they have a city council?

A few weeks ago, the Primary elections were held along with city government positions, so election signs were noticeable hanging up in businesses and in yards. Sioux Falls falls under Federal, State, County, and City jurisdiction, but primarily City. The Mayor and City Council run the City of Sioux Falls’ government.

6. Communication – Are there common areas where people gather? Is there evidence of radios, TVs, computers, etc. Are there newspapers/bulletin boards, community events announcements?

Sioux Falls has many areas for public gatherings ranging from parks to private and public buildings. There are two main newspapers which can be found in print and online. Sioux Falls is home to many radio and television stations that broadcast a variety of programming to reach people of all ages and cultures. The Downtown Library and Multicultural Center offer a place where community announcements are readily available.

7. Education–Are there schools in the area? How do they look? Are there libraries and computer access within community centers? Is there access to all levels of education within the community?

In my areas of study, there are many elementary and middle schools, some of these are Title 1 schools because of their demographics. For the most part, these schools all look like they are in good shape from the outside with updated playground equipment on the outside. The main branch of the public library system is located Downtown. They offer books, magazines, internet access, and even DVDs. Sioux Falls offers education for all levels of students. There are many Pre-Kindergarten, Elementary, and Middle Schools located in the central part of the community. The High Schools are located on the outskirts of the Central Part of Sioux Falls. There are also many public and private Technical Schools and Colleges located within the city limits.

8. Recreation – where do the children play? What are the forms of recreation? Who is participating? Is there access to facilities readily available? Cost?

In my areas of study, there were not too many places for children to play. They would have to walk or ride bikes to the nearest park or swimming pool. School playgrounds were the main places for these children to be found. During the winter, there are city ran sledding hills and ice-skating ponds. There are many private venues for recreation such as museums, a skiing hill during the winter and walking trails during the summer, indoor sporting complexes, bowling, and a roller-skating rink. People of all ages can be seen at these locations. The price range for these activities can range from free to very expensive. When a person visits these facilities, it is very easy to notice the difference in clientele demographics.

Community Report for Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Anthony Lund

HSC 315 – Introduction to Public Health

University of South Dakota

June 21, 2020

Community Profile for Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls is in the southeastern corner of South Dakota. Interstates 29 and 90 intersect on the northwest corner of this community, with Interstate 229 bypassing the community from the southwest corner to the northeast corner. South Dakota State Highways 42 and 115 intersect at the heart of the city, which is known as the intersection of South Minnesota Avenue and 10^th / 11^th Streets (depending on which direction one is traveling due to one-way streets). Sioux Falls is a modern community that attracts tourists, shoppers, students, and venue goers. Out of the many museums, the most well-known tourist attraction is Falls Park. This is a scenic view of multilayered falls created by the Big Sioux River. According to Siouxfalls.com, “Sioux Falls has a focus on community, where you can get that small-town feel, without giving up those “big city” amenities” (Siouxfalls.com, 2020).

Sioux Falls was named after the falls that were in the area, and for the name of the Sioux Indian Tribe that occupied the land. The location was first founded in 1857, but in 1862 a dispute between the natives and the settlers resulted in the town being burnt to the ground. Three years later, Fort Dakota was built and the townsite was rebuilt. In 1878, the railroad brought a population boom due to the location. Shortly after in the 1880s, rose quartzite mining brought even more people to Sioux Falls. In 1909, a meatpacking plant opened and brought a third population boom. Sioux Falls was also home to one of the first nuclear power plants in the world (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Population and Demographic Makeup

Sioux Falls is still expanding at a substantial rate. According to the United States Census Bureau, the estimated population on July 1, 2019 was 183,793. This is roughly a 30,000 person increase since the April 1, 2010 Census. According to Siouxfalls.org, the estimated population as of January 2020 was 190,750 (Siouxfalls.org, 2020).The community demographics that follow are 2018 estimates: White – 84.5%, Black or African American – 6.0%, American Indian or Alaska Native – 2.4%, Asian – 2.5%, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – 0.0%, Hispanic or Latino – 5.3%, and two or more races – 3.0%. Females have a slight lead over the males and come in with 50.2% of the population as of the 2018 estimate. The estimated population density in 2010 was 2,109.1 people per square mile. (US Census Bureau, 2019)

Income and Education

According to the Census Bureau’s estimate between 2014 – 2018, the median household income was $59,017 and the per capita income was $31,802. The poverty rate was estimated at 11.3%. Individuals that were the age of 25 or older were High School graduates or higher was 92%, while those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 34.2%. (US Census Bureau, 2019)

Employment Opportunities

Sioux Falls has many big businesses that were started in Sioux Falls or are corporate businesses that have moved to Sioux Falls. According to Sioux Falls Development Foundation.com / Sioux Falls.com, the top 5 employers are the following: Sanford Health – 9,500 to 10,000, Avera Health – 8,000 to 8,500, Smithfield Foods – 8,500 to 9,000, Sioux Falls School District – 3,000 to 3,500, and HyVee Food Stores – 3,500 to 4,000. The industries that the top 5 employers can be found are: Biomedical, Food Processing, Education, and Retail. Some of the other prominent employers’ industries are: Finance and Banking, Manufacturing, Data Centers, and Transportation / Warehousing. (Siouxfallsdevelopment.com, n.d.)

Health Options

Sioux Falls residents have access to 3 major medical service providers, 2 smaller specialty hospitals, specialty clinics, primary care providers, dentists, mental health providers, and pharmacies. The primary hospitals are Sanford Health, Avera, and the VA Medical Facility. The facilities have many satellite locations scattered throughout the metropolitan area to be able to ensure that medical care is within reach of most of the population.

HyVee dominates the options for grocery stores, but they can be found within the Walmarts and Targets also. There are a few smaller privately owned grocery stores that have standard groceries, and some that offer ethnic options. Sioux Falls also offers a few Co-Ops and a farmer’s market to offer fresher options. There is an abundance of gyms, dance studios, indoor activity centers, parks, and a bike trail for people to enjoy while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. During the wintertime, the city offers a skiing and tubing hill, sledding hills, and ice-skating ponds located within a couple of parks.

Windshield and Walking Assessment

While doing this assessment in Central Sioux Falls, I was pleasantly surprised at the progress the city is making. It has been known for a long time that this area was in dire need of a makeover. The Downtown area was not as kept up as it is now because they are bringing in businesses, apartment complexes, and renovating the railroad yard. East 8^th Street leaving the downtown area still looks rundown, but it is visible that the progress is slowly working its way down the street.

The houses and roads in the Pettigrew Heights and Cathedral areas are still quite rundown, but some of the houses are being bought, renovated, and resold to help give new life to the areas. An affordable housing apartment complex has been built to help those in need get out of their horrible living conditions and into something decent. Drug use, alcoholism, and domestic disturbances are still quite frequent in this area, but there is a strong police presence that is easily seen to help dissuade these behaviors.

It would be nice to see more green space in these areas, instead of making children and adults have to travel to them. The school playgrounds are always full of children playing because there are no parks nearby. Getting to the bike trail from these areas can be quite dangerous due to the size of some of the hills, intersections of busy streets, and the fact of having to go through the Downtown area.

Images

References

Major Employers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from http://www.siouxfallsdevelopment.com/majorEmployers.cfm

Pettigrew Heights. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.minnehahahistory.org/pettigrew-heights

Sioux Falls New Population Estimate Is 190,750. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.siouxfalls.org/news/2020/01/14/population

Sioux Falls South Dakota. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from http://www.siouxfalls.com/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020, March 09). Sioux Falls. Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Sioux-Falls

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Sioux Falls city, South Dakota. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/siouxfallscitysouthdakota

Motor Vehicle Collisions

Chad Jones

Derek Swain

Tony Lund

HSC 310: Intro to Public Health

Professor Landeen

July 3, 2020

Introduction

According to the National Safety Council (1996), “an accident is an unstabilized situation which includes at least one harmful event.” The number of accidents in South Dakota has increased from 2018 to 2019 (Public Safety, 2019). The growth of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, abundance of personal transportation becoming more available, and the increase in distracted drivers contributes to the increase in accidents. Sioux Falls has data showing a large portion of these accidents are within Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties. Sioux Falls is located within both Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties, which has impacted the accident rates when comparing to other counties in South Dakota. Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties are two of the top three counties in South Dakota for accidents. Lincoln and Minnehaha have a good mix of urban and rural residents that utilize the roadways. Sioux Falls, Minnehaha and Lincoln County would have the greatest benefit from a public safety improvement regarding motor vehicle collisions. If the motor vehicle collisions continue to go on with no intervention, it could be devastating for the community.

Magnitude and Scope of the Problem

The leading cause of death for Americans ages 1-44 is injuries. Injuries are non-discriminating, no matter your sex, race, age, or social status. Injuries are the leading cause of disability for all individuals. Injuries lead to more than 180,000 deaths each year (2020). Most Injuries come from motor vehicle collisions. In 2019 there were 20,391 motor vehicle collisions in South Dakota (Public Safety, 2019). The statistics of these accidents show 4872 resulted in injuries and 102 deaths (Public Safety, 2019). Interestingly enough, a subset of 584 people injured from motor vehicle collisions chose not to use any type of safety equipment (Public Safety, 2019). South Dakota has a fidelity rate of 1.3, Fidelity rate is accidents per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (Public Safety, 2019). This rate is higher than any of the bordering states and the national average. In 2019 statistics show that within Lincoln County, there were 1273 accidents, resulting in 2 deaths and 269 injuries (Public Safety, 2019). Minnehaha County had 6585 accidents; of these accidents, 15 of them resulted in death and 1105 resulted in injuries (Public Safety, 2019). Sioux Falls, which sits in both Lincoln and Minnehaha County, was responsible for 6132 accidents, 6 fatalities and 1102 injuries (Public Safety, 2019). These incidents are higher than any other city in South Dakota. The high prevalence of injuries from motor vehicle accidents suggest that there is room for public health interventions to decrease morbidity and mortality.

Justifying the Importance

Understanding why motor vehicle accidents (MVA) and the effects of their outcomes are a public health concern can be broken into two sub-categories. The economic and social burden that stem from these accidents should motivate the public and government organizations to work together to curb these sometimes-horrific events. Focusing on the social determinants first, we should put ourselves in the shoes of not only the families and friends affected, but also the first responders affected as well. Worst case scenario, the loss of life from MVA’s directly impacts the social wellbeing of the families in which they belong. Parents losing a child for any reason is a life-changing event and often leads to the breakdown of the family structure. Friends at a young age experience a significant emotional breakdown as they realize a friend will not be returning to school. First responders, despite it being their duty to help, are also often negatively impacted by these calls, resulting in a high rate of PTSD and other long-term emotional detriments.

Considering that MVA’s do not always result in deaths, there is just as much of a social impact. Family members with new disabilities from an MVA now require more help from their family. If they are the income provider for the household, they may not be able to continue this role anymore due to the lost ability to work. The mental health factor for survivors of an MVA should also be considered, especially in those that were involved in an accident that resulted in the death of someone else. The feeling of guilt, being a burden to loved ones, and the loss of independence can all lead to a breakdown of mental health, an increasing burden to the healthcare system, and can take a toll on their families.

These social factors are intertwined with the economic burden on public health. Deaths due to MVA’s result in an increase in healthcare cost, loss of productions from a decreased workforce, and a loss of income for the victim and family. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2013 South Dakota lost approximately $177 million due to MVA deaths. This figure breaks down to $1 million for healthcare costs and $176 million for loss of work (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that $35 billion a year of funding goes towards MVA’s from federal and local/state governments. (Miller et al., 2011). These economic losses stem more from the injuries that resulted from accidents, rather than deaths, due to the costs of caring for these injured victims with debilitating injuries. Medical costs covered by the government and loss of income from both income and sales taxes contribute to 75% of the $35 billion price tag (Miller et al., 2011). The other percentage of costs come from damage to public property, and the increased operational cost of public service such as law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) that respond to these MVA’s.

Identifying and Describing the population

Distracted driving in the Sioux Falls metro area is a growing issue that affects more and more people every day. As South Dakota’s largest metro area with an estimated population of 190,750 (Siouxfalls.org, 2020). Male drivers account for 5,663 (53%) of motor vehicle collision, as compared to females that account for 4,975 (47%) of motor vehicle collision (SD Department of Public Safety, 2020). According to the department of safety 1,204 (10.1%) crashes were listed as unknown ages, however most of the accidents, 5,527 (46.3%), involved drivers with an age between 20 - 44 (SD Department of Public Safety, 2020). Most of the accidents were associated with the use of technology while driving, which has led to distracted driving. The remainder of the age groups have a less of an impact on the numbers of accidents, 45 – 64 contributed 2,573 (21.6%) accidents, 0 – 19 age group is responsible for 1,468 (12.3%), and the 65+ age group were involved in 1,161 (9.7%) accidents (SD Department of Public Safety, 2020). Distracted driving is a problem that is nondiscriminatory and continues to be a growing problem that needs an intervention.

Conclusion

With the increase in motor vehicle collisions and the correlation of increased accessibility and use of technology, distracted driving continues to be a rapidly growing public health concern. Along with technology, Americans’ lives continue to be filled with several distractions such as large billboards, and the convenience of fast food to consume while we drive that increase our risk of motor vehicle collisions. There have been several attempts to decrease distractions while driving in order to prevent motor vehicle collisions, such as texting and driving bans, but there is still room for improvement with the increase in motor vehicle collisions that are happening each year. This group feels that a public health intervention that is geared towards distracted driving would help reduce the number of accidents each year instead of the annual rise that is currently happening. Targeting Sioux Falls and the surrounding area would have the largest impact for the state of South Dakota. The target age group for this intervention would be individuals between the ages of 20-44. Directing a public health intervention for this demographic would make the intervention manageable while having the greatest impact on public safety.

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, December 14). State-Specific Costs of Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/statecosts/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, September 16). Distracted Driving. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html.

Council, N. S. (1996). Manual on Classification of motor vehicle traffic accidents. Manual on Classification of Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents, 20-20. Retrieved July 7, 2020, from https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/96016

Injury and Violence Prevention. (2020). July 03, 2020, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/injury-and-violence-prevention

Miller, T. R., Bhattacharya, S., Zaloshnja, E., & Taylor, D. (2011). Costs of crashes to government, United States, 2008. Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, 55(October), 347–355. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256813/

Public Safety, D. (2019). 2019 South Dakota Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Summary. 2019 South Dakota Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Summary, 1-34. Retrieved July 7, 2020, from https://dps.sd.gov/application/files/4115/9224/2775/2019-South-Dakota-Motor-Vehicle-Traffic-Crash-Summary-Facts-Book.pdf

Sioux Falls' New Population Estimate Is 190,750. City of Sioux Falls South Dakota. (2020, January 14). https://www.siouxfalls.org/news/2020/01/14/population.

South Dakota Crash Statistics: SD DPS. South Dakota Department of Public Safety. (2020). https://dps.sd.gov/records/accident-records/sdcat?cityCounty=Sioux+Falls+%28City%29

Motor Vehicle Collisions: Drunk Driving

Chad Jones

Derek Swain

Tony Lund

University of South Dakota

HSC 315: Introduction to Public Health

Professor Landeen

July 26, 2020

Introduction

There are many factors that play a role in Motor Vehicle Collisions. One of the areas that South Dakota could focus on is reducing the number of individuals who drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and this public health intervention will help reduce motor vehicle collisions. There are several ways to separate driving and being under the influence. To decrease driving while intoxicated there are three different interventions. These interventions fall under three titles: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary interventions are directed at programs that will reduce the behavior, with our public health intervention being to reduce motor vehicle accidents, we want to reduce the number of individuals who are under the influence. Secondary interventions are interventions that focus on separating the two behaviors, for this paper we are separating driving and being under the influence. The last intervention, tertiary, focuses on preventing previous offenders, people who have already driven under the influence from doing it again. When these three interventions are implemented, they will not only decrease the number of people driving under the influence but decrease the total number of motor vehicle collisions overall.

Intervention #1 – Improving youth preventive education

Lowering the incidence of drunk driving related MVC’s needs to start with a primary intervention, in this case, better prevention education for youth. If we can change our youth’s belief structure on drinking and driving, we stand a chance at accomplishing our overall goal. We need to not only change the personal beliefs of the individual, but also the social beliefs around the individual and how the individual interacts with them. This can be accomplished using the Social Cognitive Theory and its sub-theory, reciprocal determinism (Riegelman et al., 2019). Following these theories, we need to change at least one piece of the reciprocal determinism cycle, which includes a person, behavior, and environment (Riegelman et al., 2019). If we instill the belief that drinking and driving is not acceptable to our youth, we will prevent the cycle of them thinking it is okay to drive under the influence, this will result in a change in their own environment. While some individuals may continue to make poor choices, changing the environment around them, where the peer pressure is in opposition of driving under the influence, rather than supportive of it will prevent them from making this poor choice, and ultimately lead to less MVC’s.

Anyone who has attended public education in the last several decades has most likely been present at Project D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Residence Education) presentation. Created in 1983 in partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District, D.A.R.E has worked its way across the United States and became synonymous with drug and alcohol use prevention education in youth (“The History of D.A.R.E.”, 2020). Being one of the most used prevention programs, and with an annual federal budget of $750 million, D.A.R.E. has not performed in the way that its creators intended (West et al., 2004). Studies have shown that before and after surveys are extremely limited and are not properly accessing the effort vs reward of the program. The surveys that have been gathered are very mixed in their conclusion, with most finding that D.A.R.E has most likely had little impact on the actual prevention of alcohol consumption in teens, ultimately leading to little impact on drinking and driving-related motor vehicle accidents (MVCs) (West et al., 2004).

A revamp and reassessment of our youth programs will take form through multiple steps. Preventive education in our schools is provided in 3 fundamental forms, instructional programs, peer organization programs, and social norming programs (Elder et al., 2005). Instructional programs, such as D.A.R.E. are effective in getting information out to the students but have shown to struggle to alter the student’s environment. The student may change their individual beliefs, but they usually keep it to themselves. Peer organizations, like Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), allow the students to come together and begin sharing their beliefs together, which opens the floor for conversations and changes in peer beliefs, ultimately altering the student’s environment. Social norming programs are typically provided to older students, where it is accepted that they will consume alcohol, but the targeted goal is to provide education on how to do so safely, rather than taking a hardline approach against it altogether. Implementation of these programs together as a combined educational effort will help us to not only teach our youth the dangers of drunk driving and change their beliefs on an intrapersonal level, but it will allow them to have conversations with themselves changing the peer pressure dynamic to a belief that opposes it. Specific education for at-risk audiences coupled with encompassing instruction for the entire population will also be important. Another instrumental task will be starting the conversation amongst the students at a younger age, allowing them to grow into safer environmental structures as they develop. We also need to have realistic expectations that these environmental changes will not happen overnight as we must change the entire generations’ perceptions of drunk driving. The last piece of the puzzle is performing more in-depth assessments of the effectiveness of the programs. Surveying the students before and after education will allow us to redirect efforts in effective ways and adapt away from instruction that is not impacting the audience the way we intend for it too.

Intervention #2 - Decreasing Driving Impaired Driving by Use of Public Involvement.

The secondary intervention focuses on programs that separate the two issues with the use of law enforcement, public information, and regulations. In our paper, we are separating drinking from driving in an effort to minimize motor vehicle collisions. One of the ways to make these programs effective is through the diffusion of innovation. This theory focuses on how a new idea, product, or social practice is adapted and disseminated in the population (2019). This theory deals with how all the information is delivered to the general population and how it is adopted. Secondary areas that we could focus on to minimize drunk driving to increase our desired outcome of reducing motor vehicle collisions, would include increasing law enforcement presence and increasing public information.

Increasing the presence of law enforcement also carries over to public knowledge sharing. Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) states “one of the most effective enforcement tools is sobriety checkpoints, which is proven to reduce fatalities by 20 percent” (para. 3). MADD also designates the Saturday before Labor Day as Saturation Saturday. The intent of Saturation Saturday is for the MADD program to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies to organize and operate sobriety checkpoints and media events that show support for officers who conduct and encourage high visibility of law enforcement (2020). Along with MADD stating high visibility of law enforcement contributes to fewer accidents. Dula states “the theory underlying this deterrence model is that increasing before-crash DUI arrest will impact specific deterrence (i.e., would-be impaired drivers will choose not to drive while impaired” (para 9). This means with an increase in law enforcement impaired individuals would likely make the choice not to drive under the influence in fear of getting arrested or facing some penalty. The diffusion of the information that law enforcement is increasing their patrol and the fact that law enforcement does increase their patrol is what is going to help keep people who are under the influence off the road.

Increasing the public’s knowledge of the negative outcomes associated with driving impaired is a large deterrent for individuals to drive under the influence. Sen stated, “the 1988 National survey on drinking and driving in Canada revealed that only 57 percent of respondents knew that first-time offenders received a mandatory license suspension” (P 360). For this reason, South Dakota makes a continued attempt to inform the public about saturation patrols and the potential outcome of driving while intoxicated. South Dakota Impaired Driving stated, “the Office of Highway Safety provides public education and support for law enforcement agencies to combat impaired driving.” This Knowledge and public education can be found as you drive down several of South Dakota’s roads in the form of billboards, and electronic DOT signs. There are also several radio and television commercials that inform the public of the potential outcome from driving impaired. This public education is diffused throughout the public in hopes that they will adapt and not drive impaired anymore.

Intervention #3 – Preventing Recurrences

The best way to help prevent drivers from being under the influence is by imposing sanctions against them. Across the United States, there are programs that focus on preventing an intoxicated driver from being able to get behind the wheel of a car after they have been drinking. The programs have many names, but in South Dakota, it is called the 24/7 program. “South Dakota Judge Larry Long, former South Dakota Attorney General, is the pioneer of the 24/7 sobriety program who came up with the idea while working as a prosecutor in Bennett County, SD in the 1970’s” (247sober, n.d.). The 24/7 program was started statewide in January 2005, by now-Attorney General Long to ensure that every DWI defendant was sober 24 hours per day and seven days a week with 67 agencies participating” (SD Attorney General Office, 2020). According to 247sober.com, “At the time the program was introduced (2005), South Dakota had one of the highest DUI rates in the U.S.A and nearly three-quarters of the people involved in fatal crashes had a BAC of 0.15 or higher. From 2006 to 2007, alcohol-related traffic deaths in South Dakota declined by 33 percent, the largest decrease in the nation. Over the six years from 2003 to 2008, alcohol-related fatalities in South Dakota decreased significantly” (247sober, n.d.). The early data retrieved from the program allowed the program to grow and expand its options to known drinkers to known drug users.

This program was initiated for the drinkers who did not consider the risks to themselves and others when they decided to get behind the wheel after drinking. Upon being pulled over and arrested for a DWI, the now defendant would be given choices: to stay in jail, to post their own bond, or participate in the 24/7 program. The defendant will be given the rules of the program: no alcohol, no bars, go to the testing site to have a breath test conducted between 7-9 am and 7-9 pm, and if they fail or skip they will go directly to jail. If the defendant wishes to be enrolled in the program, they are instructed to go to the designated testing site during the next available testing times. While enrolled in the program, the defendant will spend less time in jail, they will be able to remain employed, they will be able to maintain their responsibilities, and their treatment prospects will improve. The defendant will then follow these guidelines until their final court date. It is in the program’s hopes that the defendant will realize that there is a life without alcohol and that they will incorporate this new lifestyle after their sentencing. (SD Attorney General Office, 2020).

Since the program’s inception on January 1, 2005, until June 30, 2020, there have been “36,647 participants with 11,584,560 tests administered, with a pass rate of 98.9%” (SD Attorney General Office, 2020). Over the years, the program has also introduced CAM Bracelets, Remote Breathalyzers, and Ignition Interlocks. The CAM Bracelet program has had “13,374 participants; 2,327,872 monitored days; 72% compliant participants; 3,232 confirmed drinking events, and 9,211 confirmed tampers from October 10, 2006, to June 30, 2020” (2020). The Remote Breathalyzer program has had “603 participants; 60,018 days monitored; 321 failed tests; 131,178 passed tests, and a 93.1% daily compliance from February 1, 2019, until June 30, 2020” (2020). The Ignition Interlock program has had “638 participants; 1,260,827 tests administered; 1,244,894 tests passed, and a passing rate of 99.7% from October 1, 2012, until June 30, 2020” (2020). From the data that has been acquired, the 24/7 program is a success in all its aspects. Other than benefiting the offender, the program is benefitting public safety and saving the taxpayers since the program is funded by the offender.

Conclusion

As previously stated, intoxicated driving is a major public health concern, whether it is through protecting the lives of the vehicle occupants, or the lives of the bystanders. Many laws have been enacted to help decrease and prevent intoxicated driving but having laws without public education has proven ineffective. Programs are initiated with our youth to educate them on the hazards and potential outcome of driving intoxicated in an attempt to give them the useful knowledge they need to make safe decisions. Programs have been implemented for individuals who have chosen to drive under the influence to educate them on lifestyle choices that can help deter them from driving intoxicated. Outreach organizations have been made to help increase awareness, help individuals, and continue educating the public on the negative effects of driving while intoxicated. Driving while intoxicated is a behavior that individuals chose to do, when they make this choice it increases the chance of them being involved in a motor vehicle collision. By continuing to support and increase the mentioned interventions we can decrease and potentially eliminate intoxicated driving, ultimately decreasing the number of motor vehicle collisions.

References

24/7 Sober. The Solution: The 24/7 Sobriety Program. (n.d.). https://247sober.com/the-solution-the-247-sobriety-program/.

DARE. The History of D.A.R.E. (2020). https://dare.org/history/.

Dula, C. S., Dwyer, W. O., & LeVerne, G. (2007). Policing the drunk driver: Measuring law enforcement involvement in reducing alcohol-impaired driving. Journal of Safety Research, 38(3), 267–272. https://doi-org.usd.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2006.10.007

Elder, R. W., Nichols, J. L., Shults, R. A., Sleet, D. A., Barrios, L. C., & Compton, R. (2005). Effectiveness of School-Based Programs for Reducing Drinking and Driving and Riding with Drinking Drivers. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(5), 288–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2005.02.015

MADD. Support Our Heroes. (2020). https://www.madd.org/the-solution/drunk-driving/support-our-heroes/

Riegelman, R. K., & Kirkwood, B. (2019). Social Behavioral Sciences and Public Health. In Public health 101: Improving community health (pp. 92-93). Burlington, MA, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Sen, A. (2005). Do Stricter Penalties or Media Publicity Reduce Alcohol Consumption by Drivers? Canadian Public Policy, 31(4), 359–379. https://doi-org.usd.idm.oclc.org/10.2307/3552356

South Dakota Attorney General Office. 24/7 Sobriety Program. (2020). https://atg.sd.gov/legal/dui247/.

South Dakota Department of Public Safety. Impaired Driving. (2020). https://dps.sd.gov/safety-enforcement/highway-safety/safety-priorities/impaired-driving

West, S. L., & O'Neal, K. K. (2004). Project D.A.R.E. Outcome Effectiveness Revisited. American Journal of Public Health, 94(6), 1027–1029. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.94.6.1027

Motor Vehicle Collisions Presentation