Preventing Adolescent Alcohol Use Through Community-Based Multicomponent Interventions in Northeast Brazil
1
Department of Nursing, ¹Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
2
Department of Nursing, ²Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
3
Department of Nursing, 10Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
4
Department of Nursing, ³Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
5
Department of Nursing, 4Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
6
Department of Nursing, 5Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
7
Department of Nursing, 6Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
8
Department of Nursing, 7Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
9
Department of Nursing, 8Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
10
Department of Nursing, 9Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
11
Department of Nursing, ¹¹Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
12
Department of Nursing, ¹²Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
13
Department of Nursing, ¹³Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3274
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disability and premature mortality worldwide. Delaying initiation during adolescence is a key primary prevention strategy that requires coordinated action and sustained investment. Multicomponent interventions have the potential to delay experimentation and reduce exposure. PrevAction is a community-based intervention, targeting adolescents aged 11 to 15 years with a focus on preventing alcohol and other drug use. This study aimed to describe the implementation process and preliminary outcomes of PrevAction.
METHODS:
A mixed-methods study, guided by the World Health Organization’s implementation research cycle and using a hybrid type II design, was conducted in two socioeconomically comparable municipalities in Northeast Brazil. PrevAction integrated three components: a school-based program (#Tamojunto 2.0), a family component (workshops with parents/guardians), and locally co-created environmental strategies. Adolescents aged 10–15 years, parents/guardians, and local stakeholders were invited to participate. The school-based component was implemented over six months in five schools by 17 trained teacher-facilitators. Quantitative data were collected at baseline and six-month follow-up to assess alcohol initiation, recent use, and psychosocial mediators. Qualitative data were obtained through focus groups, interviews, and field observations.
RESULTS:
The intersectoral steering committee (n = 18) identified widespread early initiation of alcohol use between ages 12 and 13, strong social normalization within family and community contexts, unrestricted access through local commerce, and peer and family influence as key contextual determinants. At baseline (n = 792), 19.2% of adolescents reported alcohol use in the previous six months (95% CI: 16.6–22.1). At follow-up (n = 614), this proportion decreased to 8.6% (95% CI: 6.7–11.1), indicating a descriptive reduction of approximately 55% in recent alcohol use.
CONCLUSIONS:
Preliminary findings indicate a substantial reduction in recent alcohol use and support the feasibility and relevance of PrevAction as a multicomponent, implementation research–informed intervention.
Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disability and premature mortality worldwide. Delaying initiation during adolescence is a key primary prevention strategy that requires coordinated action and sustained investment. Multicomponent interventions have the potential to delay experimentation and reduce exposure. PrevAction is a community-based intervention, targeting adolescents aged 11 to 15 years with a focus on preventing alcohol and other drug use. This study aimed to describe the implementation process and preliminary outcomes of PrevAction.
METHODS:
A mixed-methods study, guided by the World Health Organization’s implementation research cycle and using a hybrid type II design, was conducted in two socioeconomically comparable municipalities in Northeast Brazil. PrevAction integrated three components: a school-based program (#Tamojunto 2.0), a family component (workshops with parents/guardians), and locally co-created environmental strategies. Adolescents aged 10–15 years, parents/guardians, and local stakeholders were invited to participate. The school-based component was implemented over six months in five schools by 17 trained teacher-facilitators. Quantitative data were collected at baseline and six-month follow-up to assess alcohol initiation, recent use, and psychosocial mediators. Qualitative data were obtained through focus groups, interviews, and field observations.
RESULTS:
The intersectoral steering committee (n = 18) identified widespread early initiation of alcohol use between ages 12 and 13, strong social normalization within family and community contexts, unrestricted access through local commerce, and peer and family influence as key contextual determinants. At baseline (n = 792), 19.2% of adolescents reported alcohol use in the previous six months (95% CI: 16.6–22.1). At follow-up (n = 614), this proportion decreased to 8.6% (95% CI: 6.7–11.1), indicating a descriptive reduction of approximately 55% in recent alcohol use.
CONCLUSIONS:
Preliminary findings indicate a substantial reduction in recent alcohol use and support the feasibility and relevance of PrevAction as a multicomponent, implementation research–informed intervention.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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