TY - JOUR
T1 - A cluster randomized controlled trial of school-based prevention of tobacco, alcohol and drug use
T2 - The EU-Dap design and study population
AU - EU-Dap Study Group
AU - Faggiano, Fabrizio
AU - Richardson, Clive
AU - Bohrn, Karl
AU - Galanti, M. Rosaria
AU - Siliquini, Roberta
AU - Zunino, Barbara
AU - Siliquini, Valeria
AU - Van Der Kreeft, Peer
AU - Coppens, Erwin
AU - Lindahl, Anne Marie
AU - Melero, Juan Carlos
AU - Perez, Tatiana
AU - Wiborg, Gudrum
AU - Yotsidi, Vicky
AU - Vassara, Maro
AU - Burkhart, Gregor
AU - Panella, Massimiliano
AU - Fabiani, Leila
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - Background: The empirical evidence of effectiveness of many school-based programs against substance abuse is rather weak. The EU-Dap study is a multicenter cluster randomized community trial (CRCT) designed to evaluate such a program. This paper presents study design and baseline characteristics of the study population. Methods: 170 schools from 9 centers from seven countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden), stratified according to average social status in the catchment area, were randomized to either three variants of the active intervention (basic curriculum, basic with peer involvement, and basic with parent involvement) or to a control group. The program under evaluation is based on a comprehensive social influence approach, and was delivered during the scholar year 2004-2005 to a population of 12- to 14-year-old students attending junior high school. An anonymous questionnaire administered before and after the intervention was used to track behavioral and attitudinal changes. Results: All in all, we included in the study 143 schools and 7079 students, of which 3547 in the intervention groups and 3532 in the control group. At baseline, 34.9% of students had smoked cigarettes, 24.7% had been drunk, and 8.9% had used cannabis at least once in life. Discussion: EU-Dap is the first European multicenter randomized study to evaluate the effectiveness of a school program targeting tobacco, alcohol and drug use. The baseline assessment showed high prevalence and wide geographical variations of substance use.
AB - Background: The empirical evidence of effectiveness of many school-based programs against substance abuse is rather weak. The EU-Dap study is a multicenter cluster randomized community trial (CRCT) designed to evaluate such a program. This paper presents study design and baseline characteristics of the study population. Methods: 170 schools from 9 centers from seven countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden), stratified according to average social status in the catchment area, were randomized to either three variants of the active intervention (basic curriculum, basic with peer involvement, and basic with parent involvement) or to a control group. The program under evaluation is based on a comprehensive social influence approach, and was delivered during the scholar year 2004-2005 to a population of 12- to 14-year-old students attending junior high school. An anonymous questionnaire administered before and after the intervention was used to track behavioral and attitudinal changes. Results: All in all, we included in the study 143 schools and 7079 students, of which 3547 in the intervention groups and 3532 in the control group. At baseline, 34.9% of students had smoked cigarettes, 24.7% had been drunk, and 8.9% had used cannabis at least once in life. Discussion: EU-Dap is the first European multicenter randomized study to evaluate the effectiveness of a school program targeting tobacco, alcohol and drug use. The baseline assessment showed high prevalence and wide geographical variations of substance use.
KW - Alcohol consumption
KW - Cluster randomized controlled study
KW - Drug-related disorders
KW - Evaluation of effectiveness
KW - Primary prevention
KW - Smoking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33846641319&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.010
DO - 10.1016/j.ypmed.2006.09.010
M3 - Article
SN - 0091-7435
VL - 44
SP - 170
EP - 173
JO - Preventive Medicine
JF - Preventive Medicine
IS - 2
ER -