New Mexico Prevention Network

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Prevention Professionals Advocating and Implementing Evidence-Based Alcohol and other Drugs Prevention Programs, Policies, and Practices

Evidence-Based Prevention; What Does it Look Like?
By Frank Magourilos - Sr. Certified prevention Specialist / Santa Fe County DWI program

We hear it over and over; are you doing evidence based prevention; is your program evidence based?
On and on it goes; the truth of the matter is that you may have an evidence based program and not have the evidence that it is working, or you may have a program that is not designed as evidence - based and you know you are getting results.

In a series of articles I will attempt to clear the air and provide a solid prevention foundation that is easy to understand and based on sound principles.
You can have access to these articles by downloading our newsletter.

Let us start with the most basic yet profound definition of evidence - based prevention I have ever come across.
"The program demonstrates changes or improvements in these three areas: 1) Knowledge; 2) Skills; 3) and or Behaviors." Julie Hogan et al. 2003.
By this definition we can start to see what are the basics for building an evidence - based prevention program. The key word as far as our funders and the public at large are concerned in the above definition is "Demonstrates", we must demonstrate, (through evaluation and record keeping), that our prevention program is working.

One critical area of evidence - based prevention, that is largely overlooked, is Implementation.
A 2005 study of Implementation research by the University of South Florida stated: "Over the past decade, the science related to developing and identifying evidence - based programs and practices has improved - however, the science related to implementing these programs with fidelity and good outcomes for consumers lags far behind...
It has been well documented in many disciplines that major gaps exists between what is known as effective practices (i.e., theory and science) and what actually done (i.e., policy and practice)."

From the above large study, three key facts emerged:
1. Guidelines, policies, and/or educational information alone or practitioner training alone are not effective.
2. Longer - term multi level implementation strategies are more effective, and
3. not enough, is known about the functional component of implementation factors.

At future articles I will expand on the above and address the different levels of evidence and how the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) uses a pyramid concept to designate the effectiveness of evidence - based programs and practices.
However, if you always keep in mind the above definition of evidence, you will be best prepared for your client and in your ability to choose evidence - based programs and practices.