Reducing high school athletes' prescription opioids misuse and diversion through the Student Athlete Wellness Portal - The goal of this proposal is to prevent prescription opioid misuse among high school athletes by
developing, demonstrating the feasibility, and evaluating the outcomes of an innovative digital
intervention. The new program, the Student Athlete Wellness Portal (SAWP), will be a brief,
web- and smartphone-based curriculum, and will encourage resistance to cultural influences to
misuse prescription opioids by using a strategy drawn from the evidence-based keepin’ it REAL
curriculum. This curriculum has demonstrated effects on substance use in middle and high
schools and is the most widely disseminated substance use prevention program reaching over
800,000 youth in the US as well as those in 50 other countries.
The SAWP will include information about prescription opioids, change norms, and teach
athletes to resist influence that encourages misuse. During Phase 1, a mobilized website will be
developed that includes video docudramas portraying situations in which athletes refuse offers
of prescription opioids. Formative interviews with athletes will elicit stories and experiences
with prescription opioids while interviews with coaches, trainers, and school administrators will
determine how the SAWP can best be used. In Phase II, we will test the outcome- and cost-
effectiveness of the Portal in a randomized clinical trial using a nationally representative sample.
The project is lead by Dr. Hecht of REAL Prevention and Dr. Choi of the University of Missouri.
REAL Prevention has developed and disseminated effective programs to prevent substance use,
reduce risky sexual behaviors, and promote vaccination. These include both face-to-face as well
as online curricula. For more information on REAL Prevention and its programs, see real-
prevention.com.
