Research Goes Regional – Professionals Review Student Drug Survey

London, Owen Sound Offices Host OSDUHS Teleconference

CAMH Provincial Services staff members continue to find new ways to share information about the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) with their community partners. A recent teleconference hosted by South West Area Program Consultants brought together more than 50 participants representing some 37 sites across the South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). This successful event partnered Provincial Services Program Consultants and CAMH Research staff with members of local community youth and health services.

CAMH Program Consultants Marla Banning, Janet McAllister, and Beth Powell from the London Provincial Services Office, together with Donna Beatty from the Owen Sound office, hosted the January 29th teleconference that attracted South West LHIN youth workers or volunteers from Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Perth, Huron, and Grey/Bruce. Shelly Bassett, Admin. Support Staff provided administrative expertise. With CAMH Research Coordinator and Analyst Angela Boak on hand to answer questions, the program consultants reviewed the recent OSDUHS results.

Together with the CAMH facilitators, community partners representing local health units, youth addiction treatment agencies, prevention coalitions, regional hospitals and members of the Canadian Mental Health Association discussed highlights of the OSDUHS.

Results from this long-running survey project indicated that while alcohol, cannabis and drug use is generally down, the misuse of prescription opioids may be a cause for concern in the student population.

The teleconference was well received by community partners and showed the value of putting into action CAMH’s Strategic Plan New Directions goal #4: Maximize the Reach and Impact of Research.

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