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Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
1.1 Tackling alcohol and drug misuse, eliminating smoking and promoting healthier lifestyles have long been regarded as essential components in the campaign to improve Scotland's health. Led by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ( SCDEA), Choices for Life events aim to promote healthy lifestyles and provide drug, alcohol and tobacco awareness to Primary 7 pupils, before they make the transition to secondary school. 1
1.2 Choices for Life started in Glasgow in 1997 as an annual local event, which continued until 2004. In 2005 and 2006, Choices for Life became a national event held in seven locations across the country. All of Scotland's local authority and independent schools were invited to attend. In 2006, it was estimated that 46,500 pupils attended one or other of the events.
1.3 It is important to ensure that education is delivered in the most appropriate way and that the key messages regarding drugs, alcohol and smoking are received and understood by young people. Therefore, the Scottish Executive commissioned IpsosMORI to conduct a review of Choices for Life and to assess its impact on children's knowledge, their attitudes and their behaviour.
1.4 The research project was commissioned at the end of April, with initial discussions of the research brief in early May. Due to the timing of the Choices for Life events, this meant that the scope for conducting the pre-event research was extremely limited. As a result, we were unable to comment on the whole process of Choices for Life and the education received by pupils about the topic areas prior to the events. The review focuses primarily on usage of the pre- and post-lesson notes and the event itself.
Methodology
1.5 Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to evaluate Choices for Life.
- Primary 7 pupils completed questionnaires before and after the events - including pupils who had not attended an event. A total of 1,714 pre-event questionnaires and 1,691 post-event questionnaires were completed.
- Eight depth interviews with Primary 7 teachers were completed.
- Sixteen discussion groups were held with Primary 7 pupils who had attended an event in 2006. Each discussion group had a maximum of 6 pupils.
- Sixteen discussion groups with S1 pupils who had attended an event last year were also conducted to look at any longer-term impact of Choices for Life.
Full details on the methodologies employed are provided in the appendix.
Research Aims and Objectives
1.6 The overarching aim of the review was to determine the success of the events in promoting drug, alcohol and smoking awareness. Initially the brief supplied by the Scottish Executive requested that the review ascertain changes in behaviour of pupils pre- and post-event. This aim was revised, as it is not possible to measure changes in behaviour in the timescale of the project. The revised research aims were to measure:
- Awareness of healthy living and current habits
- Awareness and experience of drugs, alcohol and smoking
- Views on the Choices for Life events
- Key messages taken from the Choices for Life event
- The impact of the events on pupils' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding drugs, alcohol and smoking
- Pupils perceptions of how Choices for Life may affect their future behaviour.
Structure of the Report
1.7 Subsequent chapters present the main findings. The chapters are in chronological order. Chapter 2 presents the views of pupils and teachers before the event. Chapter 3 presents an analysis of views about the event and the following chapter focuses on after the event, i.e. the impact on knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions. The final chapter draws the findings together and presents the conclusions.
1.8 In the reporting of the results, where percentages do not sum to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of 'don't know' categories or multiple answers. Throughout the report, an asterisk (*) denotes any value of less than half of one per cent. Only differences that are significant and can be related to the population as a whole have been commented on.
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