Lecture 7: prevention and addiction

Question 1

Define drugs

Answer 1

Substances that alter the natural functioning of the nervous system and are used for that reason

Question 2

What types of drugs are there?

Answer 2

Uppers (stimulating)
Downers (calming)
Trippers (altering perception)

Question 3

What are different impacts of drugs?

Answer 3

Acute toxicity
Chronic toxicity
Addidion
Social harm (individual level)
Social harm (population level)

Question 4

What are the most commonly used drugs in NL?

Answer 4

• Alcohol
• Cannabis
• Ecstacy
• Cocaine
• Nitious oxide (lachgas)

Question 5

What are the short and long term risks of alcohol use?

Answer 5

Short term:
- Lowered inhibition
- Hangover
- Memory loss
- etc.

Long term:
- Weight gain
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Addiction

Question 6

How is addiction diagnosed?

Answer 6

Using the DSM-5

Since 2013:
- severity scale (mild, moderate, severe)
- ‘Problems with law’ replaced by ‘craving’
- Behavioral addictions included
- Brain reward system as central component to initiation and maintenance

Question 7

What are the three theories on the development of addiction?

Answer 7

Bioligical theories
- Genetic factors
- Reactivity

Cognitive and behavioral theories
- Modelling
- Coping with stress
- Implusiveness, sensation-seeking, antisocial behavior

Sociocultural theories
- More addiction in people with more stress
- Dependent on culture
- Differences between men and women

Question 8

What are risk and protective factors for alcohol addiction? (Solmi et al., 2021)

Answer 8

Risk factors:
- Parental alcohol supply
- Impulsivity-related personality traits

Protective factors:
- Restrictive parental approach
- Education

Question 9

What are possible treatments for addiction?

Answer 9

Detox (heavy users)

Biological treatment
- Medication
- Methadone
- Heroin (recipe)

Psychological treatment
- Exposure and response prevention
- Cognitive threapy/ CBT
- System therapy
- Relapse prevention

Sociocultural
- AA
- 12-step program

Question 10

What is needed to reduce substance use?

What are possible preventive strategies? 5 items

Answer 10

• Increase knowledge on drugs
• Influence attitude
• Impede drug use
• Postpone first use
• Harm reduction

Question 11

What is the national prevention agreement?

Answer 11

An agreement by the Minestry of Health, Welfare and Sports and >70 societal partners to: reduce smoking, excessive weight and problematic alcohol use in 2040

Question 12

What are two examples of school based programs?

Answer 12

‘Healthy school and drugs’ (old)
‘Helder op school’ (currently used)

Question 13

What is the ‘Healthy school and drug’ program?

What is it about and what are the 4 parts?

Answer 13

A prevention program about:
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Drugs

Consists of 4 parts:
1. Education
2. Involvement of parent
3. Detection of problematic use and offering guidance
4. Rules and consequences

Question 14

How effective was the ‘Healthy school and drugs’ program?

Answer 14

It had some effects on alcohol, but less on cannabis and smoking

Question 15

What were effective components of the Healthy school and drugs program?

6 items

Answer 15

• Interactive methods
• Social influence principles
• Serial approach (not everything at once)
• Peer-led programs
• Parent involvement
• CBT methods

Question 16

What is the ‘Helder op school’ program?

Answer 16

A school based prevention program focused on 4 components:
- Policy
- Education
- Signaling
- School environment

Involves support from health professional

Question 17

What are key aspects of community interventions? and are they effective?

Answer 17

• Usually a combination of different interventions
• In a specific area/ area’s
• Involvement of community members

Positive effects on alcohol (use, violence, firstaid, driving), but there is hardly any evidece on other drugs

Question 18

Provide some examples of mass media campaigns

4 items

Answer 18

• 100% bob, 0% op
• Rookvrije generatie (billboards, tv commercials, paving stones, radio commercials)
• NIX18 (no smoking, no alcohol <18)
• Pictures on sigaret packs

Question 19

What are components of internet/ digital interventions?

3 items

Answer 19

1. Peer normative feedback (PNF)
2. Motivational interviewing (MI)
3. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

And combinations

Question 20

Are internet based/ digital interventions effective for addiction?

Answer 20

Meta-analyses showed that they are effective for:
- Alcohol use in adults
- Cannabis
- Illicit drugs (illegal drugs)

They were also found to be effective for comorbidity (e.g. alcohol and depression)

Question 21

Prevention in addiction - what works?

4 items

Answer 21

1. Small effects for interactive programs
2. Tailored to target population (taking age into account)
3. Not only providing information, but also skills
4. A combination of family focused and community interventions

Question 22

What is Boozebuster?

Answer 22

A preventive mobile intervention to boost responsible drinking behavior in young adults

“Helping young adults to develop healthier drinking habits and simultaniously improve their mood and sleep”

Question 23

Why was Boozebuster developed?

Answer 23

The prevalence of young adult problem drinkers and young adult binge drinkers is very high, which has a significant impact on their mental, social and physical health

AND there was a lack of tailored mobile interventions aimed at preventing problem drinking

Question 24

What is an important part in the Boozebuster app development?

Answer 24

Co-creation: Target group was included in the development
- Better adherence
- Tailored to the needs of the end-users
- Appealing to the end-users

Question 25

What components did the app contain?

Answer 25

• Personalized normative feedback (PNF)
• Protective behavioral strategies (doelen)
• Ecological momentary assessment (dagboek)

AND mindfullness, sleep, appriciation, extra infor, help