Community-Based Intervention to Reduce Demand for Drugs in Northern Thai Tribal Villages

This is an evaluation study of a community-based intervention model used in a project designed to reduce the demand for and use of opium, heroin, and other drugs among 85 tribal villages located in Northern Thailand. The Integrated Drug Abuse Prevention (IDAP) Project was conducted from 1995 to 1997...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Substance use & misuse 1999-01, Vol.34 (13), p.1837-1879
Main Authors: Barrett, Mark E., de Palo, Maria-Pia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Community based programmes
Community Development
Community Mental Health Services
Community-based
Developing Countries
Drug Abuse
Drug Addiction
Drug and Narcotic Control
Drug demand reduction
Evaluation
Health Education
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Heroin Dependence - prevention & control
Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation
Hill tribe
Humans
Indigenous Populations
Intervention
Medical sciences
Medicine, Traditional
Mental health
Opiate
Opiates
Opioid-Related Disorders - prevention & control
Opioid-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Opium
Prevention
Prevention. Health policy. Planification
Program Evaluation
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Reduction
Rural Population
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
Thailand
Villages
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Summary:This is an evaluation study of a community-based intervention model used in a project designed to reduce the demand for and use of opium, heroin, and other drugs among 85 tribal villages located in Northern Thailand. The Integrated Drug Abuse Prevention (IDAP) Project was conducted from 1995 to 1997 and used a community-based approach which included innovative methods such as multimedia awareness raising campaigns, networking between villages and local government agencies, and village-based drug detoxification and treatment to assist villages in solving their drug problems. The intervention model was successfully implemented in most villages and demonstrated very good results in improving awareness, decreasing the number of active drug users living in the villages, and preventing new cases of addiction. However, a follow-up study at 6 months after project termination indicated problems with sustainability of demand reduction activities and outcomes. These problems were attributed in part to a lack of empowerment among village leaders to continue activities without assistance from project staff. Also, village leaders expressed problems in resisting drug dealers who returned to the area, which suggested that support from law enforcement is critical to the viability of drug demand reduction programs.
ISSN:1082-6084
1532-2491
DOI:10.3109/10826089909039429