European drug prevention quality standards

Dr Harry Sumnall, Reader in Substance Use, Angelina Kurtev, Researcher in Public Health, and Lisa Jones, Senior Researcher, all of the Centre for Public Health, are leading an EU funded research project to generate European drug prevention quality standards. The project proceeds in collaboration with partner organisations across Europe, and builds upon academic and applied research conducted by the applicants at national and EU level over the previous years.

Project lead:

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), United Kingdom

Associated partners:

Azienda Sanitaria Locale della Città di Milano (ASL), Italy
Consejeria de Sanidad - Servicio Gallego de Salud (Xunta de Galicia) (CS-SERGAS), Spain
Azienda Sanitaria Locale n. 2 - Savonese (ASL2), Italy
Institute for Social Policy and Labour (SZMI-NDI), Hungary
National Anti-Drug Agency (NAA), Romania
National Bureau for Drug Prevention (NBDP), Poland

Collaborating partners:

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)
Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research (SIRUS), Norway
Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), Germany
Institute for Drugs and Drug Addictions (IDT), Portugal
Studio Consulenza e Valutazione nel Sociale (CEVAS), Italy

Background

The prevalence of substance use in the European Union shows no signs of decline. Whilst most people do not suffer adversely from their use, a significant minority find that drugs negatively impact upon their life, education, career, and relationships. Identifying the best means of supporting young people, and providing help through difficult times in their lives is the objective of contemporary drug prevention.

While quality standards and guidelines for drug prevention interventions are available in some Member States of the EU, a common framework on how to plan and deliver effective evidence-based drug prevention practice is currently missing. The existing national and international guidance varies in terms of its content, methodological rigour, and its applicability to the wider European context. Thus, there is little guidance for practitioners on what are the most effective methods to adopt, and policy makers struggle with how to judge the success of funded initiatives.

EU policy such as the EU Drugs Action Plan, have expressed an intention to develop and implement best practice in drug prevention, without being able to provide a reference framework on how to do this. This research supports two of the main actions outlined in the policy work plan: i) "- development of innovative strategies and best practices concerning prevention and cessation methods focusing on young people and working populations". ii) "- development and improvement of prevention programmes, taking into account gender differences and targeting specific settings".

Aims and Expected Outcomes

This project aims to improve European drug prevention practice by creating an empirically derived reference framework to bridge the gaps between science, policy and practice. The overall objective of the project is to compile, review and analyse drug prevention standards in EU Member States.

The expected outcome of the project is a set of commonly agreed evidence-based drug prevention standards for use in the EU. Adoption of these standards will improve drug prevention practice and efficiency of funding, and reduce the likelihood of implementation of ineffective and iatrogenic interventions. Developing a common methodology and locally relevant guidance will provide an impetus for partners and other EU Member States to review and update standards to reflect the evidence base.

The research will continue until 2010 whereupon it is hoped that further funding will support the research partnership to develop materials, education, and training to allow policy makers and practitioners to put the findings into practice.

Methodology

From a theoretical point of view, the project suggests a distinction between quality standards and practice guidelines. Quality standards focus on formal aspects of general quality assurance, while guidelines give instructions on the content of interventions for specific circumstances. It has been observed that adherence to minimal technical standards improves design and outcomes of prevention interventions. The focus on quality standards therefore allows: (1) transference of knowledge and evidence between different countries, and (2) to establish common ground in public health, where guidelines are rarely as specific as clinical guidance.

The project methodology will proceed across three dependent stages:
(1) Available national and international drug prevention standards and guidelines are collated. Guidelines are reviewed using an adapted version of the AGREE tool. Quality standards are synthesised in a systematic and iterative manner through qualitative content analysis, and a long list of standards is generated.
(2) The standards' relevance is then rated through Delphi rounds and expert focus groups in six European countries, conducted with drug professionals and policy makers. This will highlight the most important items in the long list of standards.
(3) In the final stage, the applicability of the standards to the wider European context is explored. In structured consultations with drug practitioners, the short list of standards generated in the second stage will be assessed in terms of its practical feasibility and usefulness.
As a result of this research, it will be possible to define minimum standards for drug prevention interventions in the EU.

If you are interested in taking part in the stage 2 consultations, please send the completed form "Expression of interest" to Ms Angelina Kurtev at a.kurtev@ljmu.ac.uk. Please note that in order to fulfil sampling criteria we may not be able to accept all expressions of interest.

Timeline

The project started at the beginning of 2009 and will have a duration of 24 months.

Funding

The project is funded by the European Commission (EC) under the Programme of Community Action in the field of Public Health (2003-2008). Project name: "European standards in evidence for drug prevention", Project No. 2007304.

Contact details

Ms Angelina Kurtev
Researcher in Public Health
Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University
Kingsway House, Hatton Garden, Liverpool L3 2AJ
Tel. +44 (0)151 231 8096
Email: a.kurtev@ljmu.ac.uk

Further information

EMCDDA website on drug prevention quality standards http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/themes/best-practice/standards/prevention

Executive Agency for Health and Consumers (EAHC) projects database http://ec.europa.eu/eahc/projects/database.html (Search "Prevention Standards")