Samenvatting
EUROPEAN
UNIVERSAL
PREVENTION
CURRICULUM
Sara Courteyn
Sociaal Werk 2023 - 2024
, EUPC SAMENVATTING
Oral exam in small groups of 4/5 people on the 5th of June
Handbook (link) + PowerPoint + assignment/ attendance in class
Handbook: https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/manuals/european-prevention-
curriculum_en
CLASS 1: INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS PREVENTION?
There are many definitions of prevention developed by many groups!
Prevention is the application of prevention science to address the health and safety of individuals
through improving socialization processes to enhance self-realization and participation in society
(UNODC, 2013)
Prevention is the application of prevention science to the real world. This recognizes that science
alone is not enough, it needs to be used and not just studied if it is to accomplish its purpose.
That is where you come into the picture. You are the implements who use the results of
prevention science in the conduct of your work.
Prevention science incorporates science and research across many social, behavioral and health
sciences. These include sociology, psychology, epidemiology, biology, physiology and
pharmacology.
To address the health and safety of individuals is a broad and encompassing objective of
prevention. We are focusing on enhancing positive behaviors to improve the quality of life such
as avoiding the use of psychoactive substances and other risky behaviors.
Improving socialization and socialization processes, to provide supportive social environments
that influence decisions about engaging in healthy behaviors.
Enhancing self-realization and healthy and positive participation and integration into society.
Certainly, this is our broader goal – that we are not only trying to prevent the problem behaviors
such as substance use, but we are also strengthening people’s abilities to live up to their
potential in society.
Interventions that have a clear goal (and are therefore developed) and are systematically trying to
prevent a problem. The goal must be to prevent a problem, and this must happen in a systematic way,
not through a one-time intervention but by developing a prevention strategy/ policy.
WHY IS PREVENTION IMPORTANT?
Impact on human welfare
Related to raising national income levels (through children’s education, work productivity and
reducing burden on national health and social care)
, Non-communicable diseases and conditions: 60% worldwide
Therefore: health promotion strategies: engaging and empowering people
GOALS OF SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION
Delay or stop people from beginning to use
Avoid the development of substance use disorders/ health and social problems
Encourage healthy and safe development of children and young people (= helping them positively
engage with family, school, peers, workplace, society…
DEFINITION EPIDEMIOLOGY
… is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including
disease, child abuse….), the onset of the health-related state/ event/ disease (incident), the existing
cases of the health-related state/ event/ disease (prevalence), and the application of this study to the
control of diseases and other health problems (WHO definition).
How often diseases occur in different groups of people and why – science that studies the distribution,
incidence, prevalence and control of disease in population.
Prevalence = refers to the total number of individuals in a population who have a disease or health
condition at a specific period, usually expressed as a percentage of the population.
Incidence = the number of individuals who develop a specific disease or experience a specific health-
related event during a particular time such as a month or a year.
WHY DO WE NEED EPIDEMIOLOGY?
To understand some causes of problems
To identify target populations for prevention
To prepare and evaluate strategies to prevent the disease in general populations
To guide treatment for people who have already developed the disease
To help professionals
Where to target prevention interventions
What substance to target
To whom the interventions should be targeted
When to target the interventions
What the mediators of the prevention intervention should be
EUROPEAN
UNIVERSAL
PREVENTION
CURRICULUM
Sara Courteyn
Sociaal Werk 2023 - 2024
, EUPC SAMENVATTING
Oral exam in small groups of 4/5 people on the 5th of June
Handbook (link) + PowerPoint + assignment/ attendance in class
Handbook: https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/manuals/european-prevention-
curriculum_en
CLASS 1: INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS PREVENTION?
There are many definitions of prevention developed by many groups!
Prevention is the application of prevention science to address the health and safety of individuals
through improving socialization processes to enhance self-realization and participation in society
(UNODC, 2013)
Prevention is the application of prevention science to the real world. This recognizes that science
alone is not enough, it needs to be used and not just studied if it is to accomplish its purpose.
That is where you come into the picture. You are the implements who use the results of
prevention science in the conduct of your work.
Prevention science incorporates science and research across many social, behavioral and health
sciences. These include sociology, psychology, epidemiology, biology, physiology and
pharmacology.
To address the health and safety of individuals is a broad and encompassing objective of
prevention. We are focusing on enhancing positive behaviors to improve the quality of life such
as avoiding the use of psychoactive substances and other risky behaviors.
Improving socialization and socialization processes, to provide supportive social environments
that influence decisions about engaging in healthy behaviors.
Enhancing self-realization and healthy and positive participation and integration into society.
Certainly, this is our broader goal – that we are not only trying to prevent the problem behaviors
such as substance use, but we are also strengthening people’s abilities to live up to their
potential in society.
Interventions that have a clear goal (and are therefore developed) and are systematically trying to
prevent a problem. The goal must be to prevent a problem, and this must happen in a systematic way,
not through a one-time intervention but by developing a prevention strategy/ policy.
WHY IS PREVENTION IMPORTANT?
Impact on human welfare
Related to raising national income levels (through children’s education, work productivity and
reducing burden on national health and social care)
, Non-communicable diseases and conditions: 60% worldwide
Therefore: health promotion strategies: engaging and empowering people
GOALS OF SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION
Delay or stop people from beginning to use
Avoid the development of substance use disorders/ health and social problems
Encourage healthy and safe development of children and young people (= helping them positively
engage with family, school, peers, workplace, society…
DEFINITION EPIDEMIOLOGY
… is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including
disease, child abuse….), the onset of the health-related state/ event/ disease (incident), the existing
cases of the health-related state/ event/ disease (prevalence), and the application of this study to the
control of diseases and other health problems (WHO definition).
How often diseases occur in different groups of people and why – science that studies the distribution,
incidence, prevalence and control of disease in population.
Prevalence = refers to the total number of individuals in a population who have a disease or health
condition at a specific period, usually expressed as a percentage of the population.
Incidence = the number of individuals who develop a specific disease or experience a specific health-
related event during a particular time such as a month or a year.
WHY DO WE NEED EPIDEMIOLOGY?
To understand some causes of problems
To identify target populations for prevention
To prepare and evaluate strategies to prevent the disease in general populations
To guide treatment for people who have already developed the disease
To help professionals
Where to target prevention interventions
What substance to target
To whom the interventions should be targeted
When to target the interventions
What the mediators of the prevention intervention should be
