Community prevention trials: a respectful partnership.
OBJECTIVE
To review the theoretical basis for a systems approach to community prevention of alcohol problems and the policy options that this approach suggests.


METHODS
A community systems prevention project used 4 environmental strategies to reduce heavy drinking.


RESULTS
The Community Trial, using an environmental approach to prevention, achieved a statistically significant reduction in alcohol-involved traffic crashes in addition to lower sales of alcohol to young people and greater number of policies against serving alcohol to intoxicated persons.


CONCLUSIONS
This trial demonstrated that a respectful partnership between researchers and community members is essential. Prevention planners and policy makers must understand how various aspects of the community influence alcohol and other drug use, thereby contributing to alcohol and other drug problems.
Holder
H D
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Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. holder@prev.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019058:Community Networks; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans