Reducing Alcohol Problems Through Community Action Research Projects: Contexts, Strategies, Implications, and Challenges

• NCJ Number: 181251
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 35 Issue: 1-2 Dated: January 2000 Pages: 31-53
• Author(s): Norman Giesbrecht; Judith Rankin
• Editor(s): Stanley Einstein Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 23 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Earlier version of paper presented at the Fourth Symposium on Community Action Research on the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems, 1998, Russell Bay, New Zealand.

Annotation

Because community-based action research projects targeting alcohol abuse may include a number of challenges and may embrace important but unrealistic goals, attention to team development, priority setting, and project design and evaluation issues is essential.

Abstract

Many projects downplay conceptual issues, such as understanding the nature of communities, organizations, systems, social change, and crime prevention models. Therefore, a focus on populations, community members and leaders, change agents, funding agencies, and policymakers can contribute to project success. The authors specifically consider social and political contexts and capacity of projects, the development of realistic perspectives on capacity, project goals and objectives, project design, alcohol-related problem identification strategies, education and information disseminated, social change models and concepts, and project outcomes and implications. 54 references