Environmental Approaches to Prevention

Pacific Institute For Res And Evaluation, Beltsville MD

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

PRC was formed in October 1983 around the Environmental Approaches to Prevention Research Center grant, selected by peer review as NIAAA's national Center for prevention research. The Center focuses upon the environmental prevention of alcohol abuse & related problems. Our mission is to conduct basic & applied research into environmental factors that affect the etiology of alcohol use, abuse & problems. In the proposed Center we offer a research program that builds upon our previous research in 50 cities in California. We focus upon micro- & macro-social ecological conditions that affect use and problems: Component #1: Administrative Core - Provides the supporting infrastructure for Center research. Component #2: Environmental Strategies to Reduce Community Alcohol Problems: A Randomized Trial - Assesses the impacts of environmental prevention programs upon alcohol use & problems using a matched subset of intervention & comparison cities In the 50 city database. Component #3: The Role of Drinking Contexts in Alcohol-Related Problems Among Youth - Examines the day-to-day conditions that affect underage access to & use of alcohol. Component #4: Maladaptive Parenting, Activity Spaces, Alcohol and the Substance Use Environment - Examines the social & behavioral mechanisms by which the routine drinking activities of parents lead to maladaptive parenting & child abuse and neglect. Component #5: Direct, Indirect and Total Spatial Impacts of Alcohol Outlets on Related Problems - Considers the multi-year regional social and economic processes that couple alcohol outlets to problems & provides empirical support to program evaluations for Component #2. Component #6: Education and Dissemination in Support of Community Action - Provides education & dissemination activities directed at the community level & supports interventions in Component #2. The rich & varied ecological conditions for drinking & problems that arise across neighborhoods & cities in California provide an ideal environment in which to conduct these studies. The Center enables us to conduct these integrative & integrated research activities in a suitable multi-disciplinary environment. PRC provides the best coordinating environment in which to study the global social & economic conditions that affect access to alcohol in community settings, the social & behavioral processes that affect adult & youth drinking, & the choice of particular environmental contexts for drinking that all interact to affect drinking & problems.