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Columns & Opinion
August 16, 2023
How can a community prevent substance abuse?
By CASEY DENNY OSU COMMUNITY WELLNESS PROGRAMS,

What are the protective and risk factors in substance use prevention?

What are the protective and risk factors in substance use prevention?

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), risk and protective factors are characteristics at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that are associated with a higher or lower likelihood of negative outcomes such as substance use. SAMHSA also recommends, when talking about risk and protective factors, we do not target only one area of risk. It is important to address the whole person and the many diverse social contexts within their life. In relationships, a risk factor can look like having a parent with a substance use disorder or a child who suffers abuse and maltreatment. Protective factors in this context can be having positive role models or parents who practice open communication with their children. In communities, risk factors can include poverty and high rates of substance use. Here, protective factors can include positive after school groups such as clubs or sports teams.

When engaging in conversation with others about substance use affecting our community, we often focus on the risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. Addressing potential harm to community members helps to lower rates of negative outcomes for the future. Some areas of risk include poverty, homelessness, mental health, and domestic abuse. All these areas of concern show to have a high comorbidity rate with substance use disorder. For example, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 17 million U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2020. Often, when left untreated, an individual experiencing the intense burden of a mental health crisis will turn to substances as a form of self-medication.

Though discussing risk factors is an important component to the conversation about substance use, protective factors are equally if not more important. Protective factors create stability and therefore sustainability of prevention efforts. Even if we addressed every risk factor, we would still need a collection of alternative resources for the long-term well-being of our community members. These protective factors can sometimes be referred to as mediating institutions. Mediating institutions give us a sense of belonging that lies between the family institutions we’re born into and the broader societal structures we dwell within. Mediating institutions can look like voluntary associations of all kinds such as churches, schools, fraternal organizations, professional associations, and even clubs. These sorts of groups can be very effective and even crucial in providing services which prove to bolster the health of the individual and community.

How can we promote protective factors in the community?

In today’s modern world, many protective factors are becoming underfunded or disappearing entirely. Protective factors like library children’s programs, community clubs, and faith-based groups are dwindling and in need of your support. It is also important to support resources available to the family, such as crisis lines and programs for individuals with trauma or post-traumatic stress. Within the family you can support wellness by creating positive emotional support and strengthening bonds with members outside your family unit such as friends, neighbors, and elders. Use your resources in financially supporting these programs, becoming involved as members, and dedicating some of your time to volunteering. It is important we all cultivate the belief in one’s ability to control what happens and to adapt to change.

For more information, follow the Okmulgee County Consortium on Facebook as well as the OCC Instagram page under the username occ_community.

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