Assessment is a critical first step in prevention planning. Assessment allows you to pinpoint the nature of the problem in a particular community, which populations are affected, and what intervening variables are in play. Without it, you risk selecting strategies that do not address the true contributing factors.
Systematically gathering and analyzing local data related to opioid misuse will help you do the following:
- Identify the nature and extent of the opioid misuse problem in different community populations, including those defined by age, gender, race/ethnicity, or other demographic characteristics
- Identify the geographic areas where the problem is greatest
- Define one or more target populations
- Identify intervening variables (factors linked to opioid misuse in your community)
- Determine your community’s perception of the problem
- Determine your community or organization’s readiness to address the problem and what additional resources may be needed
These data will also serve as a baseline for program monitoring and evaluation. Assessment comprises six primary tasks: