Drug and Alcohol Misuse

A collection of training materials compiled by STRADA, Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol.

Effective Interventions Unit : evaluation guide 1 : definition and common concepts

This is the first in a series of Evaluation Guides designed to support improvements in practice. Individuals and organisations are increasingly called upon to evaluate the services they provide for drug users. This is a sensible approach because good evaluation has the potential to improve drug services. It can help to identify what works, what needs to be improved and what is ineffective. However, evaluation needs to be useful, practical and realistic.

Changing Lives: Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review

Report of the recommendations made by the 21st Century Social Work Review Group for the future of social services in Scotland. Published by the Scottish Government in February 2006, it set out a new direction for social work services in Scotland based on the strong core values of inclusiveness and meeting the whole needs of individuals and families. It seeks to equip social work services to rise to the challenge of supporting and protecting our most vulnerable people and communities in the early part of the 21st century.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Drug Education in Scottish Schools

This research examines the effectiveness of drug education in Scottish Schools. The research consisted of a literature review, a survey of schools, classroom observations and qualitative research with young people and was commissioned in response to the School Drug Safety Team’s recommendation for research into the outcomes and process of educating young people on drug related issues. Research was conducted between February 2004 and July 2005.

The societal cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland for 2007

Although alcohol is widely recognised as a major generator of employment and income from exports in Scotland, a considerable (and increasing) amount of harm is associated with its misuse.

The effects of this misuse – which are considered in this paper – are wide, and generate substantial costs not only for the health service, but also for criminal justice, communities, employers, and the wider Scottish economy.

Is the harm still hidden? Inconsistent responses to Hidden Harm in specialist addiction services

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) report Hidden Harm (2003) outlined key deficits in the provision of services to pregnant drug users, drug using parents and to the children of drug using parents, while highlighting the extent of child exposure to parental drug use. In 2007, a follow-up report assessed what had changed in the intervening period focusing on examples of good practice and positive change. This paper is based on the results from a follow-up postal survey of managers of specialist drug services in the UK.

Attitudes towards alcohol: views of problem drinkers, alcohol service users and their families and friends (Health and Community Care Research Programme Research Findings No.12)

Between February and June 2001, the Scottish Executive Health Department undertook a consultation exercise to inform the development of its Plan for Action on alcohol problems. As part of this exercise, various pieces of research were commissioned to explore issues around alcohol misuse in Scottish society.

This paper presents the main findings of a study which obtained the views of problem drinkers,current and former alcohol service users and their families and friends.

Universal Drug Prevention

This review describes research into, and practice of universal drug prevention. It provides information on several different approaches, including school and family based, communities, mass media and generic health interventions. This work is placed in the context of relevant national policy (UK).