| Drug use and abuse presents a significant problem to individuals, families, and law enforcement in communities across the United States. Methamphetamine is a particular concern in one rural eastern Missouri county. Much work being done in this county by multiple agencies to decrease methamphetamine production and use. Little attention, however, has been focused on prevention in the elementary schools. Substance use and experimentation may begin as early as 12 years old or even earlier. By initiating a proven drug prevention education curriculum before children begin to experiment with tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs, drug use may be delayed or prevented.;Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant funds have supported a collaborative initiative between the University of Missouri St Louis College of Nursing, Partners Responsible 4 Increasing Drug Education (PRIDE), the county Sheriff's Department, and the County Health Department. This community-based participatory action research process has focused on the implementation of the Brain Power! Junior Scientist Program developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The purpose of this specific project was to create a pilot tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the Brain Power! program by determining gain in drug-related scientific knowledge after the presentation of six learning modules for third graders in a rural eastern Missouri county elementary school. Data from pre and post tests demonstrated a gain in knowledge of information covered in the modules for the third graders in this project. Project benefits, limitations, barriers, challenges and implications for future research and application to practice are discussed. |
