Peer-reviewed article
Adolescent attitudes to illicit drug use, education and support: a qualitative study in the United Kingdom
Chris Retzler, Aqsa Naser, Rachel Byrne, Osahon I. Ogbeiwi, Zoe McCluskey et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This qualitative study spoke with 97 young people in the United Kingdom who lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. It used focus groups and interviews to ask what they know about illicit drugs, what prevention education they would find useful, and what helps or blocks access to support. The authors conclude that prevention should be non-stigmatizing, based on harm reduction, and offered as early as possible. The findings are intended to help design prevention interventions that young people find relevant.
Key points
- Prevention strategies are likely to appeal to young people if they use non-stigmatizing, harm-reduction approaches to education.
- Prevention education should be provided as early as possible.
- Interventions should give young people the skills for autonomous decision making.
- Interventions should consider including parents and families in education.
- Trusted sources of support, such as people with experience and knowledge of substance use, should be included.
Limitations
The abstract describes only young people in disadvantaged areas of the UK, so the views may not apply to other groups or countries. It reports attitudes and preferences, not whether any intervention reduces drug use, and gives no details on age range or setting.
Abstract
Background This study aimed to explore young people's knowledge and attitudes around illicit drug use, its prevention, and the barriers and facilitators to accessing support, with the aim of informing the development of preventative interventions that resonate with young people and address their specific needs and concerns. By drawing on these insights, interventions can be tailored to be more engaging, relevant and impactful for young people. Methods A qualitative approach was used to analyse data collected from focus groups and interviews with young people ( N = 97) in the United Kingdom, living in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. Questions focused on the knowledge of young people around substances, the sort of substance use prevention education, or interventions, they would see as beneficial, and the obstacles and facilitators to accessing support for issues around substance use. Findings The findings suggest that prevention strategies which are likely to appeal to young people should provide non-stigmatizing, harm-reduction approaches to prevention education, which are provided as early as possible. Interventions should provide the skills to enable autonomous decision making, consider including parents/families in education and include trusted sources of support such as those with experience and knowledge of substance use. Conclusions This study informs the development of preventative interventions for young people by providing insight around the knowledge and views of young people in the United Kingdom. It highlights the importance of taking a multifaceted approach to prevention that considers individual, social, and systemic factors.