Substance Abuse Prevention Programs Research Articles

A Qualitative Exploration on Risk and Protective Factors of Substance Use Among Black Adolescent Girls

ABSTRACT Objective While Black adolescent girls use drugs at much lower rates than White and Hispanic girls, Black adolescent girls often have worse health outcomes due to drug use. This study seeks to highlight the voices of Black adolescent girls in order to understand their unique risk factors for substance use and misuse. Methods Utilizing the intersectionality and ecological systems theoretical frameworks, the research team conducted twelve focus groups among a sample of Black adolescent girls (N = 62) between the ages of 13–18 (M = 15.6 years SD = 1.50). Results Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the participant narratives. Four main themes arose: 1) stereotypes of Black adolescent girls; 2) the role of the physical and social environment (feeling unsafe in neighborhoods where they reside); 3) using drugs as a coping mechanism; 4) input on prevention programming for girls with a sub-theme involving family as a protective factor. Discussion Study findings deepen our qualitative understanding of risk and protective factors for substance use among Black adolescent girls. These findings provide insight on girls’ lived experiences for researchers and intervention development to create and implement substance abuse prevention programs that are race- and gender-specific for Black adolescent girls.

Prevention starts here: effectiveness of substance abuse prevention module among adolescent students in Bengaluru- a quasi experimental study.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational module on substance abuse prevention program among adolescents in enhancing their knowledge against substance abuse. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 120 students (mean age: 14.3±1.03 years, 59.2% boys) from two English medium schools. Participants were exposed to a structured module on substance abuse over a month. The study assessed changes in knowledge through pretest and post-test evaluations. Statistical analyses examined improvements in scores and the relationship between class of study and post-test knowledge scores. The intervention significantly improved students' knowledge about substance abuse (p<0.001) across all measured domains, genders, and classes, with the exception of the 7th class. A positive correlation was found between the class of study and post-test scores (Rs=0.288, p<0.001), indicating that higher classes were associated with greater improvements in knowledge. These findings suggest that the training effectively increased awareness and understanding of substance abuse among participants. The substance abuse prevention program successfully enhanced adolescents' knowledge and equipped them with resilience and coping strategies, thus reducing their vulnerability to peer pressure and substance abuse. Despite the lack of significant improvement in the 7th class, the overall positive outcomes underscore the importance of implementing such educational interventions to foster healthy development and well-being among students. Further research is encouraged to explore the specific barriers to effectiveness in younger classes and to refine program content accordingly.

Screening and Retaining Adolescents Recruited Through Social Media: Secondary Analysis from a Longitudinal Clinical Trial.

Social media has become a popular method to recruit participants, particularly for studies with hard-to-reach populations. These studies still face challenges in data quality and, for longitudinal studies, sample retention. However, in addition to aiding in recruitment, social media platforms can help researchers with participant verification and tracking procedures during the study. There is limited previous research describing how longitudinal studies can use social media to screen and retain participants. This paper describes strategies implemented to screen and retain a nationwide sample of sexual minority youth who were recruited through social media platforms for a longitudinal study testing a drug abuse prevention program. Our screening strategies for participants included collecting necessary demographic information (name, phone, email, and social media accounts), verifying this information using publicly available web-based records, and sending confirmation emails to ensure working email addresses and correct dates of birth. Retention strategies included communications designed to develop positive participant relationships, incentives for survey completion, regular updating of participant contact information, targeting hard-to-reach participants, and using social media as an alternative means of contacting participants. During enrollment, although the only demographic data required were a phone number and an email address, 87.58% (1065/1216) of participants provided their Instagram as an alternative means of contact. This form of alternative communication remains the most preferred with 87.40% (1047/1198) of participants continuing to provide an Instagram username as of January 2023, about 3 years after recruitment began. In comparison, other alternative means of contact (eg, Facebook and alternative email) were provided by only 6.43% (77/1198) to 56.18% (673/1198) of participants. Direct messaging on Instagram was used to successfully confirm participant identity, remind participants to take annual follow-up surveys, and update lost participant contact information. Screening and retention strategies used in the study have helped achieve 96.30% (1171/1216) to 96.79% (1177/1216) sample retention across 3 waves of data collection. Though social media can be a helpful tool to recruit participants, attrition and participant authenticity difficulties may be associated with this method. Screening and retention strategies can be implemented to improve retention. Internet searches are effective for screening youth to ensure they meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, social media-Instagram in this study-can help to track and locate participants who do not respond to traditional contact methods. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03954535; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03954535.

The model for explaining the addiction attitude of clients who are quitting based on emotion regulation strategies and attachment styles with the mediating role of ego capacity

The present study was carried out with the aim of determining the model for explaining the attitude towards addiction of clients who are quitting based on emotion regulation strategies and attachment styles with the mediating role of ego capacity. The method of this study was descriptive-correlation based on the structural equation model. The statistical population of this research included all drug addicts in the process of withdrawal who referred to addiction treatment centers in the 1st district of Tehran, and a sample of 214 people was selected using random cluster sampling method (n = 214). The data collection tool was Markstrom et al.'s (1997) psycho-social ego strength inventory, theoretical addiction attitude questionnaire (1379), Gross and John's (2003) emotion regulation strategies questionnaire, and Hazan and Shaver's (1987) adult attachment questionnaire. Data analysis using structural equation modeling showed that due to the fact that the effect of the direct path is less than the indirect paths, the presence of the mediating variable of ego capacity increases the effect and the mediating role of ego capacity in the present hypothesis was confirmed. Therefore, there is a relationship between attachment styles and emotion regulation strategies with attitude towards addiction of clients who are quitting with the mediation of ego capacity. Knowing the effective factors in a positive attitude towards drug abuse and its consequences is one of the first and most important actions in drug abuse prevention programs. Practical suggestions were presented based on the interrelationships of research variables.

To produce or not to produce? Contrasting the effect of substance abuse in social decision-making situations

Substance use disorders (SUD) have been related to high criminal justice costs, expensive healthcare, social impairment, and decision-making deficits. In non-social decision-making tasks, people with SUD tend to take more risks and choose small immediate rewards than controls. However, few studies have explored how people with SUD behave in social decision-making situations where the resources and profits depend directly on participants' real-time interaction, i.e., social foraging situations. To fulfill this gap, we developed a real-time interaction task to (a) compare the proportion of producers (individuals who tend to search for food sources) and scroungers (individuals who tend to steal or join previously discovered food sources) among participants with SUD and controls with respect to the optimal behavior predicted by the Rate Maximization Model, and (b) explore the relationship between social foraging strategies, prosocial behavior, and impulsivity. Here participants with SUD (n = 20) and a non-user control group (n = 20) were exposed to the Guaymas Foraging task (GFT), the Social Discounting task (SD), and the Delay Discounting task (DD). We found that participants in the control group tended to produce more and obtain higher profits in contrast to substance abuser groups. Additionally, SD and DD rates were higher for scroungers than producers regardless of the group. Our results suggest that producers tend to be more altruistic and less impulsive than scroungers. Knowing more about social strategies and producers' characteristics could help develop substance abuse prevention programs.

The lived psychological experiences of the youth resulting from the use nyaope drug in Sekhukhune District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Substance abuse among the youth is emerging as one of the gravest social and Public Health global concerns. This paper aims to share the psychological experiences of the youth who used a newly invented local drug called nyaope in rural communities, Limpopo province, South Africa. A qualitative study, using focus group discussion was conducted among nyaope users between 18-35 years. Thematic data analysis was applied to develop themes, sub-themes, and categories. Findings indicated that nyaope users encountered devastating psychological experiences such as; self-blame, stress, mental relaxation, drug dependency, and addiction. Furthermore, the life of nyaope users seem to revolve around acquiring more nyaope than seeking rehabilitative interventions to counteract the addiction. The Ubuntu theory was used to guide intervention in combating the nyaope problem. It is essential to recruit, train and capacitate more social workers and social auxiliary workers who would specialize in substance abuse services and prevention programmes. There should also be more rehabilitation centres to curb the growing number of drug addicts in the local communities as well as increased funding for non-government organizations that render substance abuse prevention services. &#x0D; How to reference using ASWNet style:&#x0D; Mamukeyani, E., Mashamba, T. J. &amp; Onya, H. (2023). The lived psychological experiences of the youth resulting from the use nyaope drug in Sekhukhune District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 13(3), 147-154. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i3.3&#x0D; Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

IMPACT OF DRUG ABUSE ON THE YOUTHS: A DESK REVIEW STUDY

It appears that drug abused by the youth, seriously impact their lives in many forms, making it hard for them to cope with their expected life routine. The review aims to address these challenges, by identifying the types and degree of drug abuse impact on the youth, and also suggest policy brief areas, which will direct the development of interventions that could reduce it. The review adopts a desktop approach of literature search of published articles. The search was conducted through Google Scholar and other websites with stakes in drug abuse issues, using ‘drug’ and ‘abuse’ search words simultaneously. In all, 26 published records were selected and explored for the narrative. Four categories of drug abuse impact on the youth are identified, thus, health, economic, social, and environmental issues. The issues inhibit the youth’s ability to strengthen and develop the needed skills for an ideal healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, the impact of drug use is difficult to quantified, as such, regional specific impact study should be conducted, for the development of a content specific drug abuse prevention program, grounded on principles of an all-inclusive approach irrespective of age, gender and cultural diversity.

STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI BNN DALAM PROGRAM REMAJA TEMAN SEBAYA ANTI NARKOBA GEN Z DI KOTA BANDA ACEH

The trend of drug abuse in Indonesia is increasing, and one of the areas that have problems with drugs is Banda Aceh. Anti-Drug Peers Youth is a program that is included in the scope of National Priority (PN) activities and is a drug abuse prevention program under the auspices of the BNN main program. The purpose of this studio was to find out how the communication strategy used by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) of Banda Aceh in campaigning for the Anti-Drug Peer Youth Program for Generation Z in Banda Aceh. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, using interview techniques with three informants. The results of the study show that regardless of the communication strategy implemented by youth they are selected and are seen as active and have been competent. They are considered capable of being activists in compiling messages using simple language that is easily understood by teenagers. The message delivery used is through canalizing and educative methods and uses spoken words and printed writing media.

Effectiveness of Digital Health Tools to Prevent Bullying among Middle School Students

Bullying is a widespread public health problem with significant behavioral and mental health consequences. The current study tested the effectiveness of combining interactive digital material for students, educators, and parents with class sessions to prevent bullying among middle school students. Fourteen middle schools were randomly assigned to intervention and comparison conditions. Both conditions received a classroom-based drug and violence prevention program that taught social skills, self-management skills, and social resistance skills. The intervention condition included class material on bullying and an educational video game for students that reinforced the classroom program; it also included digital material on bullying for parents and school staff. All students completed online pre- and post-test surveys to assess bullying-related behavior, knowledge, and life skills. Results indicated that students in the intervention schools reported significantly less bullying and cyberbullying perpetration and increased life skills knowledge relative to comparison schools. This study provides evidence that a school-based drug abuse and violence prevention program, when enhanced with a set of digital tools for students, parents, and school staff, holds considerable potential for addressing bullying among middle school adolescents.

Prevalence of smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug abuse in Iranian adults: Results of Azar Cohort Study.

Substance abuse has significant health impacts on families and society as a whole. We aimed to provide detailed prevalence estimates of substance abuse among the Azar Cohort Study respondents in Tabriz, Iran. Data on 15006 participants of Azar Cohort Study were analyzed. The variables included tobacco smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse, and socio-demographic characteristics. The prevalence of substance abuse (with a 95% confidence interval) was calculated using the direct standardization method. Overall, 9.3% and 6.2% of the participants were regular and heavy cigarette smokers, respectively. Also, 1.9% and 2.1% of participants reported a history of using illicit drugs and alcohol, respectively. Substance abuse was more prevalent among males than females. Substance abuse varied significantly with age and socioeconomic variables. We identified specific demographic and socioeconomic groups with a higher prevalence of all studied behaviors. Such high-risk groups should be targeted when designing substance abuse prevention programs.

소년 마약류 사범의 약물 남용 방지를 위한 대처 방안 - 일본의 소년 약물 재남용 방지를 위한 대응을 참고로 -

This study examines community based treatment and care for juvenile substance abuse in Korea. When he or she abused drugs during adolescence, the psychological and physical harm they suffer is far greater than that of adults. In addition, there is an undeniable link between substance abuse and delinquency. Recently, with the increase of juvenile substance abuse, it is necessary to revise criminal system for juvenile substance abuse. Japan also has a problem of juvenile substance abuse. In particular, cannabis abuse has been increasing, especially in their 20s and 30s, so that measures to prevent drug dependence against cannabis abuse among adolescents are being discussed. And to prevent juvenile substance abuse, criminal justice and relevant institutions run treatment program for substance abuse. Youth detention center, probation offices, and offenders rehabilitation facilities support the treatment program to prevent relapse into substance abuse, and each local government strengthens preventive education. However, there are limits that there is no substance abuse prevention program for all delinquents, the treatment program conducted by probation is mainly for adults, there are some restrictions on the implementation of the treatment program, and there is no intervention in the early stages of substance abuse. Referring to the community based treatment and care for juvenile substance abuse in Japan, we can improve our strategy to eradicate substance abuse by young people. Officials should accurately understand the system to prevent substance abuse and implement it properly. In addition, it is necessary to introduce substance abuse treatment at offenders rehabilitation facilities, and focus on substance abuse prevention education.

Psychoactive Substance Effect on Mental Health and Well-Being Focusing on Student-Aged Lithuanian Cohort of Sexual Minorities

Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. However, significant research gaps are still found in disclosing the disparities in mental health outcomes between heterosexual and sexual minority (SM) individuals during the period of 20–24 years of age. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the association between the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and the severity of anxiety or depressive symptoms, and well-being across SM and non-SM student-aged populations (N = 1330). This cross-sectional study was conducted in Lithuania over the period of fifteen months following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study concentrated on the mental health symptomatology, well-being status, and the prevalence of the psychoactive substance use, which were measured by three screening instruments. In terms of negative well-being, mental health problems, and health-risk behaviors, it was found that the SMs were potentially more exposed than the non-SMs. The current study also revealed a significant impact of substance use (alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking) on the symptoms of anxiety (adjusted odds ratios (AOR) 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–2.6), AOR 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0–2.2)), and negative well-being (AOR 1.7 (95% CI: 1.0–2.8), AOR 1.7 (95% CI: 1.1–2.5)) across the SM student-aged group. The association between the increased self-administration of cannabis and positive mental health outcomes appertained to milder anxiety symptoms amid SMs has been identified (AOR 0.5 (95% CI: 0.2–0.9)). Given that minority stressors could play an important part in mediating between the sexual orientation and negative outcomes of mental and behavioral health in student-aged populations, health strategies should focus on the development of effective substance abuse and drug prevention programs, both student-centered and SMs-centered, aimed to reduce health-risk behaviors in emerging adulthood.

또래선택과 또래영향이 청소년 음주 및 흡연에 미치는 영향

Objectives: This study was the first to investigate the role of peer selection and peer influence in adolescent alcohol use and cigarette smoking over three time periods.&#x0D; Methods: Panel data were collected from students in two middle schools in Gyeonggi province for three consecutive years. Starting from their 1st grade, the survey was conducted yearly through the 3rd grade. Social network data were collected by asking students to nominate their five best friends. Peer selection was operationally defined as the proportion of peers with drinking . smoking experiences of the peers a particular student selected as friends, and peer influence was operationally defined as the proportion of peers with drinking (smoking) experiences of the peers who selected a particular student as a friend. Lifetime alcohol use and cigarette smoking were measured.&#x0D; Results: Peer selection significantly impacted adolescent lifetime alcohol use and cigarette smoking. Selecting users as friends predicted drinking as well as smoking.&#x0D; Conclusion: The findings suggest that future adolescent substance abuse prevention programs need to include a stronger focus on peer group formation.

Healthcare needs and infrastructure obstacles for a state-recognised Indigenous tribe in the United States.

Although Indigenous groups continue to experience extensive health disparities, little research explores the role of structural barriers in contributing to health disparities for state-recognised tribes, who do not receive healthcare services from the Indian Health Service. In addition, much research focuses on discrete physical health outcomes, without utilising community-based approaches to allow participants to identify healthcare priorities and needs in their own voices. In partnership with a community advisory board, a qualitative descriptive methodology was used to conduct 31 life-course interviews with participants of a state-recognised tribe in the Gulf South region of the United States to explore healthcare experiences. Participants identified unmet healthcare needs and healthcare infrastructure barriers. Some of the most common barriers and unmet healthcare needs included: Long Distance to Healthcare Services and Difficulty in Accessing Specialists, Need for Increased Communication, Long Hospital or Appointment Wait Times, Unmet Mental Health Needs, Need for Substance Use or Abuse Prevention Programs and Need for Health Education. These findings highlight some of the structural barriers that exacerbate existing health disparities and suggest important areas of intervention, such as including a focus on mental health needs. Increased healthcare resources and recognition of sovereignty for this state-recognised tribe are also needed to begin to address these barriers. In addition, because of the long history of exploitation of Indigenous communities, healthcare interventions should meaningfully include Indigenous tribes in the development and implementation of any healthcare programs.

Developing Personal and Social Life Skills to Protect Children and Youth From Substance Addiction

This article focuses on life skills training within the scope of substance abuse prevention programs. The paper clarifies prevention programs and their importance withing the scope of teaching life skills to children and youth. Life skills, and life skills training programs and approaches specifically related to addiction prevention in America and Turkey are briefly covered. This paper presents an extensive and in-depth literature review of the information from pertinent documentation related to substance abuse, life skills, life skills training and the effective implementation of such programs in a number of countries. Finally, based on the textual analysis, recommendations on life skills education on addiction prevention are offered for application in Northern Cyprus.

Effectiveness of a hybrid digital substance abuse prevention approach combining e-Learning and in-person class sessions.

BackgroundEffective school-based programs for preventing substance abuse offer considerable public health potential. Yet limited class time and uneven implementation fidelity can be barriers to widespread adoption and high-quality implementation. A hybrid digital approach may be effective and help address these barriers.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid substance abuse prevention program for middle school students consisting of e-learning modules and in-person class sessions.DesignTwenty-three United States (U.S.) middle schools were randomly assigned either to an intervention condition (13 schools) or a treatment-as-usual control condition (10 schools) where standard health education material was delivered. There were 1,447 participants who completed the pre-test and post-test assessments, of which 48.3% were male and 51.7% female.InterventionThe hybrid digital intervention consisted of 14 brief e-learning modules and six classroom sessions adapted from an evidence-based program designed for classroom implementation to increase knowledge of adverse consequences of substance use and improve social skills, personal coping skills, and skills for resisting social influences to smoke, drink, or use drugs.MeasuresParticipating students completed online pre-test and post-test surveys to assess substance use, knowledge, and life skills.ResultsThere were significant reductions in substance use for the hybrid digital condition compared to the control condition as well as significant increases in health knowledge, skills knowledge, and life skills.ConclusionsA hybrid digital approach to substance abuse prevention is effective and offers potential for overcoming common barriers to widespread adoption and high-quality implementation.

A Logistic Regression Model to Assess Factors Influencing Schizophrenia Symptoms in Namibia

Schizophrenia is a common mental disorder in Namibia and affects about 20 million people worldwide. Risk factors for schizophrenia in Namibia have not been extensively investigated. The objective of the study was to establish prevalence and factors influencing schizophrenia symptoms based on secondary data from the 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Descriptive statistics were computed to profile the background characteristics of the sample. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess association between socio-demographic variables and schizophrenia symptoms. Binary logistic regression was performed to establish determinants of schizophrenia symptoms. The prevalence of schizophrenia symptoms was 12.4% (13.6% among females and 11.0% among males). Regression results indicated that females (OR=1.159, 95% CI: 1.022-1.314, p=0.021) were more likely to have schizophrenia symptoms compared to their male counterparts. Those who resided in urban areas (OR=0.699, 95% CI: 0.609-0.803, p&lt;0.001) were less likely to have schizophrenia symptoms compared to those who resided in rural areas. Those with no formal education (OR=0.378, 95% 0.273-0.523, p&lt;0.001); those with primary education (OR=0.646, 95% CI: 0.501-0.834, p&lt;0.001) and those with secondary education (OR=0.619, 95% CI: 0.495-0.775, p&lt;0.001) were less likely to have schizophrenia symptoms compared to those with higher education. Results also showed that those who had never married (OR=0.275, 95% CI: 0.225-0.335, p&lt;0.001); the married (OR=0.229, 95% CI: 0.184-0.284, p&lt;0.001); and those living with a partner (OR=0.283, 95% CI: 0.225-0.355, p&lt;0.001) were less likely to have schizophrenia symptoms compared to those who were on separation. Respondents who did not consume alcoholic drinks (OR=0.597, 95% CI: 0.526-0.677, p&lt;0.001) were less likely to have schizophrenia symptoms compared to those who consumed alcoholic drinks. Schizophrenia symptoms were not significantly influenced by wealth index (p&gt;0.05). There is need to step up gender-specific mental health programs especially in rural areas. Efforts to stabilize marital relationships at national level should be strengthened. Mental health could also be improved through drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation programs.

Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review

BackgroundDrug abuse is detrimental, and excessive drug usage is a worldwide problem. Drug usage typically begins during adolescence. Factors for drug abuse include a variety of protective and risk factors. Hence, this systematic review aimed to determine the risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents worldwide.MethodsPreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was adopted for the review which utilized three main journal databases, namely PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science. Tobacco addiction and alcohol abuse were excluded in this review. Retrieved citations were screened, and the data were extracted based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria include the article being full text, published from the year 2016 until 2020 and provided via open access resource or subscribed to by the institution. Quality assessment was done using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tools (MMAT) version 2018 to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Given the heterogeneity of the included studies, a descriptive synthesis of the included studies was undertaken.ResultsOut of 425 articles identified, 22 quantitative articles and one qualitative article were included in the final review. Both the risk and protective factors obtained were categorized into three main domains: individual, family, and community factors. The individual risk factors identified were traits of high impulsivity; rebelliousness; emotional regulation impairment, low religious, pain catastrophic, homework completeness, total screen time and alexithymia; the experience of maltreatment or a negative upbringing; having psychiatric disorders such as conduct problems and major depressive disorder; previous e-cigarette exposure; behavioral addiction; low-perceived risk; high-perceived drug accessibility; and high-attitude to use synthetic drugs. The familial risk factors were prenatal maternal smoking; poor maternal psychological control; low parental education; negligence; poor supervision; uncontrolled pocket money; and the presence of substance-using family members. One community risk factor reported was having peers who abuse drugs. The protective factors determined were individual traits of optimism; a high level of mindfulness; having social phobia; having strong beliefs against substance abuse; the desire to maintain one’s health; high paternal awareness of drug abuse; school connectedness; structured activity and having strong religious beliefs.ConclusionThe outcomes of this review suggest a complex interaction between a multitude of factors influencing adolescent drug abuse. Therefore, successful adolescent drug abuse prevention programs will require extensive work at all levels of domains.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG THE ADOLESCENTS

The Ministries of Justice and Education have implemented adolescent substance abuse prevention programs for many years. Rates of substance abuse among high school students continue to rise in spite of such programs. Drug abuses affect the entire society irrespective of their age group. As alcohol is the drug of choice of youth, underage drinking becomes a leading public problem in India.

Developing strategies to improve the community readiness level to prevent drug abuse in adolescents: Based on the community readiness model, Eghlid City, Iran, 2019.

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of readiness of Eghlid city community for adolescents' substance abuse prevention programs, and to develop strategies to improve community readiness levels based on the community readiness model (CRM). In this two-stage qualitative study, a 36-item semi-structured CRM questionnaire, was used to interview 11 key informants in Eghlid city, Iran, 2019. The interviews were analyzed and scored by two independent researchers. Strategies for increasing the level of readiness were developed and prioritized by participants using the nominal group method. The readiness levels to prevent substance abuse in community efforts and leadership dimensions were at stabilization and preparation stage. In terms of community awareness of efforts, community space, and public awareness of the issue, the readiness level was at the pre-planning stage, and in the resources for prevention efforts dimension, it was at the vague awareness level. In the strategy development section, the key participants focused on using traditional methods such as holding face-to-face training programs and festivals, using IRIB platform, local media, and lectures. The general level of readiness is at a moderate level. It seems necessary to focus on resources and areas related to public information.