The intervention in nightlife settings based on STAD model will be in the Czech Republic tested in the town Valasske Mezirici (Valmez). As a member of the Healthy cities, Valmez seems to be an ideal town for piloting the method. With six high schools and 38 nightlife businesses represents a location suitable for implementation of intervention and evaluation of its effects.
The following important steps were already done:
- A local coordinator has been appointed
- Key stakeholders were identified and contacted
- An agreement on collaboration was signed with the political representation of the city
- Needs assessment has been carried out
The needs assessment carried out in Valmez consisted of two parts. In the first part we compared the drinking habits of young people in Valmez with the current national data from the ESPAD study (2015) and found that consumption pattern do not differ. Large majority of Czech adolescents consume alcohol regularly (70% consumed alcohol last months, 15% of 15-16 years old drink alcohol weekly and 12 % reported heavy episodic drinking, the proportion of lifetime abstainers is very low – about 4 %). The second part of needs assessment was focused on key stakeholders. We surveyed with a short original questionnaire 30 persons (local politicians, restaurants’ staff, members of city police, health professionals, teachers, prevention specialists). The survey showed that the problems of underage drinking and alcohol related problems caused by excessive drinkers are perceived as very important to the whole group, and that currently applied regulations are only partly effective. The goals of the STAD intervention were welcomed positively.
In the preparatory phase of the project we are working on implementation of the STAD generic model for application in pilot city. Training materials for responsible beverage service and training materials for the activities of city police were translated into Czech and adapted for with respect to Czech legislation.
The training courses are planned for May/June 2017, and the start of the intervention is planned for August this year. The methods of monitoring of the implementation and outcome are planned together with the interventions, including the definition of direct and indirect measures and the development of monitoring instruments.
For information at national level of the intervention being developed, please contact Hana Sovinova – sovinova@szu.cz or visit our websites.
