NCJ Number
57832
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY THE NEED FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY PREVENTION. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE EFFORTS ARE INCLUDED.
Abstract
PRIMARY DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION INVOLVES INITIATING SUCH ACTIVITIES AS EDUCATION, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, AND PERSONAL AND SOCIAL GROWTH BEFORE DRUG ABUSE ACTUALLY BEGINS. SECONDARY PREVENTION METHODS, USED DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF DRUG ABUSE, INCLUDE CRISIS INTERVENTION, EARLY DIAGNOSIS, CRISIS MONITORING, AND REFERRAL. TERTIARY PREVENTION, EMPLOYED DURING THE LATER STAGES OF ABUSE, INVOLVES TREATMENT, INSTITUTIONALIZATION MAINTENANCE, AND DETOXIFICATION. LACK OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN THESE EFFORTS HAS RESULTED IN DUPLICATION OF ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS UNCLEAR OBJECTIVES WITHIN INVOLVED AGENCIES. NEVERTHELESS, SOME ELEMENTS WITHIN EXISTING PROGRAMS CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS SUCCESSFUL. FOR EXAMPLE, PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF THEY RESULT FROM THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS. SECOND, PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTEGRATED INTO EXISTING ACTIVITIES OF THESE ENTITITIES--SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITY--ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THIRD, SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS COMBINE PERSONAL AND SOCIAL GROWTH, PARTICULARLY AFFECTIVE EDUCATION, WITH DRUG INFORMATION. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PREVENTION RESOURCES OF APPROXIMATELY 60 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BE COMBINED. SECONDARY PREVENTION SHOULD RECEIVE SEPARATE FUNDING TO ALLOW BETTER RESPONSE TO HIGH-RISK MINORITIES. PRIMARY PREVENTION ACTIVITIES SHOULD ATTEMPT TO PREVENT ONLY THAT USE OF DRUGS WHICH MAY HAVE HARMFUL CONSEQUENCES TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO SOCIETY. DIAGRAMS, CHARTS AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)