Primary Prevention and Education. Lecture Summary

Levels of Prevention:
Prevention may be broad and universal, focusing on educating the general population about a potential risk; it may be selective, targeting populations likely to be exposed to a particular risk; or it may be specially indicated, concentrating on those already at risk. These three levels of prevention (universal, selective and indicated) have been delineated by the Institute of Medicine as a framework for providing a continuum of relevant prevention measures.

Settings:
The prevention of alcohol problems requires education and promotional campaigns at all levels and settings where potential problem drinkers can be reached, including schools, health clinics, highways, bars, television, sports events, family settings, and even barber shops. This talk will provide brief examples of selective and indicated prevention efforts, but will focus primarily on the goals, strategies and effectiveness of universal prevention. With universal prevention, broad campaigns are often designed for the general population, or for patient populations, which carry health messages about the risk of heavy drinking, or the risks of even moderate drinking in special situations. Examples are the alcohol beverage container warning label, public service advertisements on TV, school-based educational programs, and conversations with health care providers.

Self evaluation and training:
This presentation will also present ways that individuals can themselves prevent alcohol problems in their lives, such as: being aware of how large their drinks are compared to "standard" drinks; understanding how much alcohol they can consume for their height and weight without having a blood alcohol level outside the legal limit for driving in their state; appreciation of the role that social pressure can play in problem drinking; and knowing the boundaries of the benefits of moderate drinking.

Are there any Success Stories. Do Primary Prevention and Education work?