Universal family-based prevention programs for alcohol misuse in young people
- Forfatter(e)
- Foxcroft, D. R. Tsertsvadze, A.
- År
- 2011
- Tidsskrift
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
- Sider
- 34
- Kategori(er)
- Rus (alkohol, illegale rusmidler)
- Tiltakstype(r)
- Foreldreveiledning/-terapi
- Abstract
Background : Alcoholmisuse in young people is a cause of concern for health services, policy makers, prevention workers, and criminal justice system, youth workers, teachers, and parents.
Objectives : To systematically review evidence on the effectiveness of universal family-based prevention programs in preventing alcohol misuse in school-aged children up to 18 years of age. To update a part of a previously published Cochrane systematic review.
Search strategy : Relevant evidence ( up to 2002) was selected from the previous Cochrane review. Later studies, to July 2010, were identified from MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Project CORK, and PsycINFO.
Selection criteria : Randomized trials evaluating universal family-based prevention programs and reporting outcomes for alcohol use in students 18 years of age or younger were included. Two reviewers screened titles/abstracts and full text of identified records.
Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers extracted relevant data independently using an a priori defined extraction form. Risk of bias was assessed.
Main results : 12 parallel-group trials were included. The reporting quality of trials was poor, only 20% of them reporting adequate method of randomisation and program allocation concealment. Incomplete data was adequately addressed in about half of the trials and this information was unclear for about 30% of the trials. Due to extensive heterogeneity across interventions, populations, and outcomes, the results were summarized only qualitatively. 9 of the 12 trials showed some evidence of effectiveness compared to a control or other intervention group, with persistence of effects over the medium and longer-term. Four of these effective interventions were gender-specific, focusing on young females. One study with a small sample size showed positive effects that were not statistically significant, and two studies with larger sample sizes reported no significant effects of the family-based intervention for reducing alcohol misuse.
Authors' conclusions In conclusion, in this Cochrane systematic review we found that that the effects of family-based prevention interventions are small but generally consistent and also persistent into the medium- to longer-term.