What is Prevention?
Prevention is a broad term used in public health to support the health and well-being of people by preventing problems before they start.
Our coalition does this by learning what works and helping our community put those solutions into practice through collaboration on events, policies, educational programs, and resources for youth, families, schools throughout the Franklin County and North Quabbin region.
What Are Risk and Protective Factors?
Risk factors are things that make negative health outcomes more likely — such as developing a disease, being injured, or starting to use alcohol or other drugs at a young age.
Protective factors do the opposite. They lower the chance of negative outcomes and help support strong mental and physical health. Most health issues involve a mix of both.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Diabetes and heart disease: Limited access to healthy, nutritious food is a risk factor. Access to healthy food and regular physical activity are protective factors.
- Youth substance use: There are a variety of risks. One important one is easy access to alcohol and other drugs. Protective factors include positive activities at school and in the community, caring and involved parents/caregivers, and strong social-emotional skills.
Some risk and protective factors are even surprising once you learn more. Explore them here.
Why is preventing and reducing youth substance use so important?
Adolescence is a time of rapid brain development. Alcohol and other drugs can interrupt this process in ways that may affect physical and mental health, learning, and well-being into adulthood. Early and frequent use increases the risk of future problems. If you’re concerned about a young person who is already using substances, strong, reliable support and information can make a big difference.
Research is clear: effective prevention is a community and societal issue, not something that is up to one child or teen. Everyone has a role to play. Families, schools, and caring adults make a real difference in young people’s lives. And at the same time, lasting prevention works best when it also happens on a community and societal level, because the world around young people shapes their choices and opportunities every day.
Why Community-Level Strategies Matter
Young people grow up within systems: families, schools, neighborhoods, online spaces, and communities. These environments have a powerful influence on their health. Community-level strategies matter because they shape:
- Access and availability: How easy or hard it is for young people to get alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and other drugs.
- Norms and expectations: What young people see adults doing, what’s considered “normal,” and what’s encouraged or discouraged.
- Support and opportunities: Whether youth have safe places to spend time, caring relationships, and opportunities to connect, develop skills, and get recognition for positive things they’re doing.
- Marketing and media: The messages they see about substances, both from people they know, public advertising, and online messages.
- Policies and systems: Rules in schools, communities, and at the state level that affect safety and well-being.
When communities work together—creating healthier norms, limiting youth access, supporting families and schools, and building positive opportunities—prevention becomes stronger and more effective. This combined approach is what helps young people stay healthy today and gives them a solid foundation for the future.
What Youth Substance Use Prevention Looks Like
Youth substance use prevention is the science of protecting young people’s health by strengthening the community around them. This includes:
- Supporting parents, caregivers, and other adults with clear, helpful education.
- Advocating for policies that reduce youth access to alcohol and other drugs.
- Fostering environments where young people can thrive, with strong skills, supportive relationships, and opportunities to connect.
- Building youth leadership, so young people can be part of prevention and creating positive change in their own communities.
- Strengthening community norms, such as hosting events that aren’t centered on drinking.
- Using evidence-based school programs, like LifeSkills Training, and promoting school-connectedness.
But prevention is even more than that. Most public health prevention efforts work by supporting overall health and well-being, not just avoiding problems. Strong prevention leads to happier, healthier, more connected young people, and stronger communities for everyone!