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Universal school-based interventions to prevent multiple risk behaviours relating to alcohol, tobacco and drug use
Summary of the evidence
A systematic review with meta-analysis (Tinner et al., 2022, 66 studies) assessed the effects of individual-, family- and school-based interventions to prevent multiple risk behaviours relating to alcohol, tobacco and drug use in young people aged 8-25 years. Results show that:
- universal school-based interventions are likely to have little or no short-term benefit (up to 12 months) in relation to alcohol use (OR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.04), tobacco use (OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.15), cannabis use (OR 1.06, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.31) and other illicit drug use (OR 1.09, 95% CI: 0.85, 1.39)
