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Impacts of Implementation of Educational Programs on Substance Abuse in Youths

Bradly Pierson

United States University

MSN 563: Evidence Based Inquiry for Scholarship And Practice

Dr. Sandra J. Dotson-Kirn

September 14, 2021

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Impacts of Implementation of Educational Programs on Substance Abuse in Youths

Introduction

The purpose of this project is to identify whether implementing substance abuse

educational programs can help reduce substance abuse among youths aged 14-22 within one

year. An increase in substance abuse and alcohol use among the youth is a global health concern.

This increase is associated with the risk of substance abuse disorders in youths and further public

health problems to their families and society (Carter, 2015). Among the youths aged 14-22, there

is a risk of poor academic performance, dropping out of school, or even taking longer to

complete their studies. The PICOT question for the project seeks to identify the prevalence and

patterns of substance use and alcohol use among the youths. After identifying the situation of the

problem, it will determine if introducing educational programs on substance abuse can be an

effective intervention to reduce these patterns among youths compared to when there are no such

programs. Implementation of the project will take one year to establish if the program leads to

positive outcomes. Therefore, the proposed project will help inform policymakers in the

education and health care systems concerning the importance of implementing educational

programs on substance abuse to help reduce alcohol use and substance abuse among the youths.

Problem Statement

Numerous studies have shown that adolescents and young adults are at a heightened risk

for substance abuse and alcohol use, among other related adverse consequences. The incidence

of substance abuse among the youth is alarming, rendering it a significant public health concern.

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This problem harms not only the users but also their families and society. Various predisposing

factors for substance abuse among the youths include gender, age, family relations and structure,

poverty, and drugs affordability and accessibility (Somani & Meghani, 2016). Substance abuse

encompasses misuse of illicit drugs or regular use of those drugs. The most abused drugs include

charas, hashish, marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, heroin, and psychotropic drugs. However, alcohol,

marijuana, and heroin are among the commonly used globally (Somani & Meghani, 2016). In

particular, substance abuse is incapacitating for young people, and WHO identifies these young

people to be aged 10-24 (Somani & Meghani, 2016). Various risk factors influence adolescents'

use of substances and understanding them is crucial to help the community address this problem

among the youth. Thus, educational programs on the effects of substance abuse among the

youths can help to reduce such risky behaviors.

Therefore, there is potential for numerous questions to arise concerning how prevention

of substance abuse can be achieved among the youth. The development of the PICOT question

addressed in this project follows the recommended practice of identifying the different aspects of

the PICOT question as follows:

P-Youths of ages 14-22 with a history of substance abuse/without a history of substance

abuse

I-Behavior Modification through the implementation of educational programs on

substance abuse

C-No behavioral modification, that is, no educational programs on substance abuse

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O-Reduced substance abuse among youths and improved quality of life

T-One year after implementing the education program on substance abuse

This leads to the formulation of the PICOT question: In youths ages, 14-22 (P), do

educational programs on substance abuse (I) compared to no educational programs C) reduce

substance abuse (O) within one year (T)? The question targets youths aged 14-22 and will guide

in identifying the impact of educational programs on youths about substance abuse. It will help

establish whether such programs increase awareness among youths concerning the side effects of

substance abuse, consequently reducing their use. The plan will use a reference group, the

control group (no educational program), to compare with the intervention treatment. A reduction

in substance abuse among youths in the intervention group compared to the control group will

indicate that the intervention is working. Effectiveness of the intervention means there will be a

reduction in substance abuse among the youths if educational programs on substance abuse are

implemented within the community or schools. Hence, this problem is worth exploring to

identify if increasing youth awareness regarding the consequences of substance abuse helps

prevent them from engaging in such risky behaviors.

The proposed project will significantly contribute to clinical practice in the management

of substance abuse disorders in youths. It will demonstrate the need to concert efforts towards

early identification of substance abuse among youths, coupling it with awareness and prevention

programs and regular monitoring of youths' health. The existing burden and impact of substance

abuse in youths makes it essential to identify and implement effective interventions and delivery

platforms on enhancing youths' awareness of substance use and consequences (Das et al., 2016).

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The educational programs will help improve their problem-solving skills, social skills, and self-

confidence even as they fight these risky behaviors. At the country level, school-based

educational programs on substance abuse will address related behaviors among youths in both

high school and tertiary institutions. Equally, various educational programs should be

implemented via community and health care systems. The focus of these programs should be

targeting modifiable risk factors and promoting protective factors against substance abuse.

Healthcare systems and community-based education programs should focus on case finding,

referrals, treatment, and risk factor reduction.

In conclusion, substance use among adolescents is alarming, and there is a need for

effective interventions for increased awareness, risk factor reduction, and treatment. Educational

programs targeted at school, community, health care system, and national levels effectively instill

antidrug information coupled with self-management skills, refusal skills, social skills, and

problem-solving skills among adolescents. These skills are helpful to adolescents to self-control

themselves from such risk behaviors with a consequent reduction in substance and alcohol use

among adolescents.

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References

Carter, D. (2015). Drug Use Among Young People. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 115 (12),

20. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.naj.0000475279.15417.97

Das, J., Salam, R., Arshad, A., & Finkelstein, Y. (2016). Interventions for Adolescent Substance

Abuse: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59 (4),

61-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.06.021

Somani, S., & Meghani, S. (2016). Substance Abuse among youth: A Harsh Reality. Open Access

Emergency Medicine, 6 (4). https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7548.1000330