PREVENTION PRACTITIONERS

As a prevention practitioner, you may have an interest in developing and offering science-based programs. The following three measures have been shown, through the rigor of scientific methods such as controlled trials, to be successful in the prevention of underage alcohol use by children of all ages. For additional information, see also Information For You, Health Care Providers and What You Can Do, In the Health Care Setting.

Prevention Strategies

• Curtail the Availability of Alcohol

Alcohol is often socially, economically, and commercially available to minors. They obtain it primarily from parents, older peers, and merchants who sell to older minors. This relatively easy availability contributes significantly to underage drinking. Curtailing access to alcohol is one of the most effective means of preventing underage drinking. Communities can address this in many ways: by promoting responsible adult behavior and holding adults accountable when they provide alcohol to minors; by raising the price of beer, wine, and liquor; and by reducing the number of places where alcohol is sold or served.

• Enforce Existing Laws and Regulations

Consistent enforcement of existing laws, in conjunction with broad community involvement and support, has also been shown to reduce underage drinking. When adults — parents, policymakers, and law enforcement officers — signal their intent to enforce the rules, minors and those who provide them with alcohol change their behavior accordingly.

• Change Norms and Behaviors

The attitude that underage drinking is inevitable, harmless, and/or a natural part of adolescent development helps create an atmosphere in which drinking at a young age is perceived to be acceptable. Effective prevention initiatives use education to change societal norms, and individual attitudes and behaviors, about underage drinking. Education efforts include school-based programs to change attitudes and enhance knowledge and skills, as well as alternative channels, such as the mass media.

Prevention Principles

In addition to the three general strategies described above, the following four general principles should be considered in the development of prevention initiatives:

• In selecting strategies for a prevention initiative, program planners need to consider the evidence about the potential effects of the measure. For example, enforcement of sales to minors actually reduces purchase attempts AND youth drinking. Published scientific research can substantiate this information.

• The continuous monitoring of activities related to underage drinking strengthens prevention efforts. Systematic collection of data on youth attitudes and behaviors, adult attitudes and practices, the availability of alcohol, alcohol-related injuries and fatalities, and the presence and intensity of prevention programs and policies helps target strategies, enhance ongoing efforts, and assess effectiveness.

• The use of a variety of channels to communicate prevention messages increases the effectiveness of those messages. The intensity and duration of the messages also enhance their impact. School programs and media campaigns need to be ongoing and consistent to yield long-lasting effects. To avoid mixed messages, the same message should be delivered and coordinated through multiple channels encountered by young people — the family, the school, the media, community organizations, law enforcement, and health care providers. Ideally, policies and school-based programs to prevent underage drinking should be reinforced with media and community education strategies that increase public awareness and attract community support.

• The value of initiatives aimed at changing attitudes and behaviors among older youth and adults should not be underestimated as a means to prevent drinking in late childhood and early adolescence. Initiatives that curb drinking among older youth and adults influence the overall social climate about drinking. Retailers educated about the seriousness of minimum legal drinking age laws, and the consequences of not complying with those laws, will be less likely to sell alcohol to minors. Older siblings and peers who do not drink are good role models and are not likely to supply alcohol to younger peers.

Resources

Comprehensive lists of resources are on these pages:

• Research