An overview of prevention of multiple risk behaviour in adolescence and young adulthood

Abstract

The observed clustering, and shared underlying determinants, of risk behaviours in young people has led to the proposition that interventions should take a broader approach to risk behaviour prevention. In this review we synthesized the evidence on 'what works' to prevent multiple risk behaviour (focusing on tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use and sexual risk behaviour) for policy-makers, practitioners and academics. We aimed to identify promising intervention programmes and to give a narrative overview of the wider influences on risk behaviour, in order to help inform future intervention strategies and policies. The most promising programme approaches for reducing multiple risk behaviour simultaneously address multiple domains of risk and protective factors predictive of risk behaviour. These programmes seek to increase resilience and promote positive parental/family influences and/or healthy school environments supportive of positive social and emotional development. However, wider influences on risk behaviour, such as culture, media and social climate also need to be addressed through broader social policy change. Furthermore, the importance of positive experiences during transition periods of the child-youth-adult phase of the life course should be appropriately addressed within intervention programmes and broader policy change, to reduce marginalization, social exclusion and the vulnerability of young people during transition periods.

Developmental Patterns of Adolescent Marijuana and Alcohol Use and Their Joint Association with Sexual Risk Behavior and Outcomes in Young Adulthood

“…If associations prove to be causally related, substance use prevention efforts have the potential to decrease the burden of teenage parenting and sexually transmitted infections in at-risk urban communities. Therefore, it is important that substance use prevention programs monitor their impact on sexual risk behavior as Jackson and colleagues [25] found that few interventions have evaluated their impact on both substance use and sexual risk behavior.…”

“…Both intervention and control students are included in the analysis. These individuals had (1) first grade teacher ratings of behaviors and academic achievement, (2) at least one annual report of past year frequency of marijuana and alcohol use during grades 8-12, and (3) at least one assessment of outcomes during the 7-year period following high school (approximately ages [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Most of the sample (65.5%) participated in all five annual assessments in grades 8-12, whereas 63.5% participated in all seven assessments post high school graduation.…”

Adolescents’ experience of offline and online risks: Separate and joint propensities

“…Yet, it is not clear whether the experience of (multiple) risks online can be traced back to the same common underlying risk factor shared with the experience of (multiple) risks offline and how much (if any) of adolescents' risk experience can be explained by the specific environment (offline vs. online). If a common factor were identified it could account for both online and offline risks and so aid the development of prevention strategies for online risks (Hale & Viner, 2012;Hale, Fitzgerald-Yau, & Viner, 2014;Jackson, Henderson, Frank, & Haw, 2012). …”

A Review of Intersectoral Partnership Strategies for Enhancement of School Health Programs

“…Individual school 1st line safe-net [ Figure 3] Intersectoral partnership of WEE project (Jackson, Geddes, Haw, & Frank, 2012;Jackson, Henderson, Frank, & Haw, 2012;Wells, Barlow, & Stewart-Brown, 2003). …”