Implementation of Community-Based Alcohol Prevention in Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract

Aims: The present paper aims at examining the implementation fidelity of a community-based substance use prevention program in the district of Karlsruhe (Germany). Methods: Based on an inventory assessing the formal implementation of preventive activities, communities were divided into two groups with high and low implementation fidelity, respectively. A school survey was conducted to assess the visibility, knowledge and participation in the intervention in grades 9 and 10. The sample size was 892 (response rate 21.7 %). Results: Each study group was composed of 16 communities. The major focus of the prevention activities was on the components „structure“, „communication/public relation“ and „youth protection“. More students in the group with high implementation fidelity had seen the intervention slogan (58.4 % vs. 44.6 %) and knew at least one program activity (47.8 % vs. 35.8 %). Only a minority of students had direct contact to the intervention in the past year with no differences between the two groups. Conclusions: The intervention focuses on networking and the establishment of decision-making. Differences between communities with high and low implementation fidelity vanish when adolescents are asked for program exposure. Overall program reach can be considered low.