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Appreciative Inquiry: An Innovative New Strategy to Decrease Prescription Drug Abuse on a College Campus

Jeanelle Boyer, Marjorie Droppa, John Finneran, Margaret Smith and Amanda Bernius

Introduction: This article explores the use of an innovative research tool called Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a new method of inquiry to help devise prevention strategies to decrease the non-medical use of prescription drugs by college students. In 2011, 1.7 million college-age adults age 18 to 25 used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, the second highest group for this type of abuse. Recently, New Hampshire (NH) prioritized AI as an evidence-based strategy for prescription drug abuse prevention. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether AI could effectively engage a college campus to decrease prescription drug abuse among its students. Methods: A study was performed at a NH college in 2013 involving 47 college students, faculty, administrators, and community partners. Central to the process was the concept of AI, a participatory research method that enables communities to discover its strengths, enhance interconnections, and use social capital to tackle significant issues. Results: Several grassroots strategies emerged to decrease prescription drug abuse including a vision for the college to be a national leader in prevention. Conclusion: Based on our findings, AI is valuable tools to help communities such as a college campus devise strategies to decrease prescription drug use among its population.