259116 A good solution solves multiple problems: Integrating AOD prevention with community prevention efforts

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM

Jeremy Cantor, MPH , Prevention Institute, Oakland, CA
Benjamin Simons, MA , Prevention Institute, Oakland, CA
The approach presented here is the result of a convening Prevention Institute organized with the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs that brought together prevention leaders to discuss integration of alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention into community prevention efforts. AOD prevention is largely isolated from other public health approaches. With the unprecedented nationwide momentum behind chronic disease prevention and developing strategies to achieve community health has come the opportunity to develop more comprehensive approaches that address multiple community health risk factors simultaneously. Many of the issues of concern to AOD professionals are of concern to nutrition and physical activity, tobacco, and violence prevention professionals, such as limiting corner store density. Developing strategies that address multiple community health risk factors will allow for the most efficient use of resources while achieving the greatest impact on improving population health.

In this session, a speaker from Prevention Institute will present on how a good solution solves multiple problems. Using the “2 Steps to Prevention” framework, the presenter will trace the health outcomes of AOD abuse in a community to the exposures and behaviors that lead to the abuse, and then to the community factors that shape and enable those exposures and behaviors. Once these community factors are identified, presenters will highlight other exposures and behaviors and ultimately health outcomes that are linked to those same factors, and analyze the potential for the development of synergistic strategies amongst different public health and prevention constituencies to address these factors.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify opportunities to integrate AOD prevention with community prevention efforts in other fields (i.e. violence prevention, healthy food access, or physical activity) in order to develop comprehensive community prevention strategies 2. Describe why working within silos (i.e. focusing solely on AOD issues) will be less effective than comprehensive, integrated community prevention efforts in improving overall health and wellness outcomes.

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My work focuses on environmental approaches to prevention through projects on community health, land-use and health, health care reform, and alcohol and other drug abuse. I recently helped plan for, develop, and facilitate a convening for the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs on comprehensive community prevention strategies.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.