Substance abuse prevention

Steps Towards Prevention

IN THE HOME

As a parent or caregiver, you play a vital role in influencing your child. You serve as a role model on the use of alcohol, control the availability of alcohol in your home, and help set your child's expectations concerning drinking behaviors. A recent study shows that children whose parents are involved in their lives — hold regular conversations, attend after-school events, and listen to their problems — are less likely to drink or smoke.

In the home, these are steps you can take:

• Set a good example for your children regarding the use of alcohol.
• Encourage your children to talk with you about their problems and concerns.
• Get to know your children's friends and discuss ways your children can avoid drinking when they are feeling pressured by peers.
• Talk to other parents about ways to send a consistent, clear message that underage drinking is not acceptable behavior or a "rite of passage."
• Encourage your children to participate in supervised activities and events that are challenging, fun, and alcohol free.
• Learn the warning signs that indicate your children may be drinking and act promptly to get help.
• Make sure you're at home for all your children's parties and be sure those parties are alcohol free.

IN THE SCHOOLS

Whatever your role in the school — teacher, principal, coach, nurse, or guidance counselor — you can play an important role in preventing underage drinking. In the school setting, children draw conclusions about alcohol use from what they see and hear about alcohol from their friends, classmates, and teachers. When schools establish alcohol policies that clearly state expectations and penalties regarding alcohol use by students, they help reinforce the fact that underage drinking is not an acceptable form of behavior.

In the schools, these are steps you can take:

• Assess student drinking to determine the extent of the problem.
• Find out what factors may be contributing to student drinking in your school or community (e.g., easy access to alcohol, peer pressure, adults' failure to address the issue).
• Determine what steps, if any, are being taken within your school system to help young people resist the pressure to drink.
• Educate parents about underage alcohol use.
• Develop an active partnership with the families of your students.
• Implement school policies prohibiting alcohol use on school grounds.

IN THE COMMUNITY

What role do you play in your community? Depending on whether you are a business person, policymaker, or concerned citizen, there are many steps you can take to prevent underage alcohol use.

If you own or manage a business in your community, take these steps:

• Implement a written policy concerning the use of alcohol by your employees.
• Identify specific programs offered to employees and families through the workplace that address alcohol use prevention.
• Learn about community programs that address alcohol use prevention and how you can get involved.
• Support efforts taken in your community to limit underage drinking.
• Support schools and agencies providing positive experiences and opportunities for youth.

AS A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

As a health care provider, you are in a unique position to prevent, detect, or treat alcohol use by young children and early adolescents. Health care professionals are influential members of their communities who can speak knowledgeably about the detrimental effects of underage drinking and ways early alcohol use can be prevented.

As a doctor, nurse, or physician's assistant, take these steps:

• Be alert to signs of underage drinking during routine physical examinations and office visits, and at times of medical emergencies.
• Promote the use of public spaces in health care settings to distribute educational literature.
• Use your knowledge and expertise about the dangers of alcohol to support community education and prevention programs regarding underage alcohol use.
• Talk to parents of youth in your practice about the need to prevent underage alcohol use.