title: Universal school-based prevention programs for alcohol misuse in young people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol misuse in young people is cause of concern for health services, policy makers, prevention workers, criminal justice system, youth workers, teachers, parents. This is one of three reviews examining the effectiveness of (1) school-based, (2) family-based, and (3) multi-component prevention programs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review evidence on the effectiveness of universal school-based prevention programs in preventing alcohol misuse in school-aged children up to 18 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized trials evaluating universal school-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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers extracted relevant data independently using an a priori defined extraction form. Risk of bias was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  53 trials were included, most of which were cluster-randomised. The reporting quality of trials was poor, only 3.8% of them reporting adequate method of randomisation and program allocation concealment. Incomplete data was adequately addressed in 23% of the trials. Due to extensive heterogeneity across interventions, populations, and outcomes, the results were summarized only qualitatively.Six of the 11 trials evaluating alcohol-specific interventions showed some evidence of effectiveness compared to a standard curriculum. In 14 of the 39 trials evaluating generic interventions, the program interventions demonstrated significantly greater reductions in alcohol use either through a main or subgroup effect. Gender, baseline alcohol use, and ethnicity modified the effects of interventions. Results from the remaining 3 trials with interventions targeting cannabis, alcohol, and/or tobacco were inconsistent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review identified studies that showed no effects of preventive interventions, as well as studies that demonstrated statistically significant effects. There was no easily discernible pattern in characteristics that would distinguish trials with positive results from those with no effects. Most commonly observed positive effects across programs were for drunkenness and binge drinking. Current evidence suggests that certain generic psychosocial and developmental prevention programs can be effective and could be considered as policy and practice options. These include the Life Skills Training Program, the Unplugged program, and the Good Behaviour Game. A stronger focus of future research on intervention program content and delivery context is warranted.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University, Marston Road, Jack Straws Lane, Marston, Oxford, England, UK, OX3 0FL.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Foxcroft
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsertsvadze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000506:poisoning; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012572:School Health Services; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol