www.thecommunityguide.org

Family-based Interventions Prevent Substance Use Among Youth

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends family-based interventions to prevent substance use among youth. A systematic review of evidence from 60 studies shows interventions reduce initiation and use of the following among youth: Cannabis Alcohol Tobacco Illicit substances Prescription drugs (misuse)

Studies also reported reductions in sexual risk behaviors among youth and improvements in mental health symptoms and school-related outcomes.

What are Family-based Interventions to Prevent Substance Use? These interventions teach parents and caregivers to enhance their children’s substance use preventive skills and practices. Content may address parent-child communication, rule setting, and monitoring, and interventions may include additional substance use prevention activities for youth. Interventions include individual or small group sessions, web-based modules, printed instruction manuals and workbooks, or a combination of these. They may be delivered by health professionals or trained providers in home, school, or community-based settings. Why is this important? Youth substance use is associated with increased risk for delinquency; academic underachievement; teen pregnancy; sexually transmitted infections; perpetration of, or experience with, violence; injuries; and mental health problems.1 Preventing or delaying substance use initiation among youth reduces later risk for substance use, substance use disorders, and overdose.1 In 2021, substance use was common among U.S. high school students and varied by substance. Approximately one third of students (30%) reported current use of alcohol or marijuana or prescription opioid misuse.2 In 2022, more than 3 million middle and high school students reported using a commercial tobacco product,3 and 11.0% of 8th graders reported lifetime use of marijuana.4

Share this information with others!

Intervention Summary—read a summary of the evidence review and CPSTF finding.

News and Announcement—include this story in your newsletter, or share the link with colleagues.

One Pager—use this one-pager as a quick reference.

Social Media Repost @CPSTF messages about the announcement or post the following on X: New! @CPSTF recommends family-based interventions to prevent substance use among youth. Evidence shows interventions reduce initiation and use of cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, illicit substances, and misuse of prescription drugs. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/substance-use-family-based-interventions-to-prevent-substance-use-among-youth.html .@CPSTF recommends family-based interventions to prevent substance use among youth. Interventions also reduce sexual risk behaviors and improve mental health symptoms and school-related outcomes. See systematic review evidence on #TheCommunityGuide website. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/substance-use-family-based-interventions-to-prevent-substance-use-among-youth.html Families are key! A systematic review from @CPSTF shows family-based interventions prevent substance use, reduce sexual risk behaviors, and improve mental health symptoms and school-related outcomes among youth. Read evidence on #TheCommunityGuide website. Share the following on LinkedIn or Facebook: Do you work with young people? A new systematic review from the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) shows family-based interventions reduce initiation and use of cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, illicit substances, and misuse of prescription drugs among youth. Evidence also shows reductions in sexual risk behaviors and improvements in mental health symptoms and school-related outcomes. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/substance-use-family-based-interventions-to-prevent-substance-use-among-youth.html Concerned about adolescent substance use? The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends family-based interventions to prevent substance youth among youth. Evidence shows interventions reduce initiation and use of cannabis, alcohol, tobacco, illicit substances, and misuse of prescription drugs among youth. They also reduce sexual risk behaviors and improve mental health symptoms and school-related outcomes. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/substance-use-family-based-interventions-to-prevent-substance-use-among-youth.html

We encourage you to share these materials with your colleagues and constituents. If you do, please e-mail us at communityguide@cdc.gov with audience information (e.g., who, approximate size), and if possible, a copy of/link to your communication materials. As always, we appreciate your interest and support, The Community Guide

The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide) is a website that is a collection of all the evidence-based findings and recommendations of the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

References 1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Surgeon General. Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. Washington (DC): HHS, 2016. Available from URL: https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-generals-report.pdf. Accessed 7/31/23. 2 Hoots BE, Li J, Hertz MF, et al. Alcohol and other substance use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among high school students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021. MMWR Suppl 2023;72(Suppl-1):84–92. Available from URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7201a10. Accessed 7/31/23. 3 Park-Lee E, Ren C, Cooper M, et al. Tobacco product use among middle and high school students — United States, 2022. MMWR 2022;71:1429–35. Available from URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7145a1. Accessed 7/31/23. 4 Miech RA, Johnston LD, Patrick ME, et al. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2022: Secondary school students. Monitoring the Future Monograph Series. Ann Arbor (MI): Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 2023. Available at URL: https://monitoringthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mtf2022.pdf. Accessed 7/31/23.

TWITTER, TWEET, RETWEET, X and the X logo are trademarks of X Corp. or its affiliates. LINKEDIN and the LinkedIn logo are trademarks of LinkedIn Corporation or its affiliates. FACEBOOK and the Facebook logo are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. or its affiliates.

www.thecommunityguide.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd   Atlanta, GA 30329   1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)   TTY: 888-232-6348 Questions or Problems  |  Unsubscribe