Best practice portal – evidence database

This database gives you access to the latest evidence on drug-related interventions. The information is based on systematic searches is updated regularly. To get started use the search boxes below. Click here for more information about the Evidence database (including methods).

List of Evidence Summaries
Title Area Substance Target group(s) or setting(s) Evidence rating
Opioid withdrawal with antagonists under minimal sedation to retain patients and reduce relapses Treatment opioids Unknown effectiveness
Drug consumption rooms (DCRs) to reduce harms for homeless and vulnerably housed persons Harm reduction amphetamines, opioids PWID – people who inject drugs Unknown effectiveness
Workplace-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of problematic substance use Prevention Unknown effectiveness
Primary care behavioural interventions to prevent or reduce substance use in children and adolescents Prevention not-drug specific communities, young people Unknown effectiveness
Psycho-social treatment (including contingency management) to improve crack-cocaine users employment conditions Social reintegration cocaine Unknown effectiveness
Behavioural activation (BA) interventions to reduce substance use and depressive symptoms Treatment co-morbidity dual-diagnosis patients Unknown effectiveness
Targeted school-level interventions to prevent multiple risk behaviours relating to alcohol, tobacco and drug use Prevention alcohol, cannabis, tobacco school Unknown effectiveness
School-based generic prevention programs in preventing alcohol misuse in school-aged children up to 18 years of age Prevention alcohol school Unknown effectiveness
Community interventions to reduce harms from alcohol and other drug use Prevention alcohol, not-drug specific, cannabis communities Unknown effectiveness
Telemedicine-delivered treatment interventions for substance use disorders Treatment alcohol, opioids, tobacco communities, dual-diagnosis patients, emergency department, ethnic minority, families, law enforcement, pregnant women, PWID – people who inject drugs, school, women, prison, young people, partygoers/nightlife Unknown effectiveness
School-based eHealth interventions to prevent risk behaviours Prevention not-drug specific young people Unknown effectiveness
Opioid withdrawal for adolescent opioid users Treatment opioids young people Unknown effectiveness
Needle and syringe programmes in prison to prevent HIV and HCV infection and reduce injecting risk behaviours Harm reduction opioids prison Unknown effectiveness
Brief interventions delivered in general medical settings to reduce use and harms Treatment alcohol, cannabis Unknown effectiveness
Occupation-based interventions to improve recovery outcomes Social reintegration Unknown effectiveness
Cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) to reduce stimulant use Treatment amphetamines, cocaine Unknown effectiveness
Employer-led interventions to reduce use and adverse effects Social reintegration not-drug specific Unknown effectiveness
Family and individual-based interventions to prevent multiple risk behaviours relating to alcohol, tobacco and drug use Prevention alcohol, cannabis, tobacco families Unknown effectiveness
School-based brief interventions to reduce substance use and delinquent-type behaviours Prevention alcohol, cannabis school Unknown effectiveness
Neurostimulation techniques in the treatment of cocaine dependence Treatment cocaine Unknown effectiveness
Assertive community treatment (ACT) for substance use disorders Treatment alcohol, co-morbidity, not-drug specific, amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, new psychoactive substances (NPS), opioids, prescription medicines, tobacco communities, dual-diagnosis patients, emergency department, ethnic minority, families, law enforcement, pregnant women, PWID – people who inject drugs, school, women, prison, young people, partygoers/nightlife Unknown effectiveness
Psychotherapy to improve mental and treatment outcomes in patients with comorbid bipolar and substance use disorders Treatment not-drug specific dual-diagnosis patients Unknown effectiveness
Brief interventions in patients with comorbid substance use Treatment co-morbidity Unknown effectiveness
Substitution treatment for adolescent opioid users Treatment opioids young people Unknown effectiveness
Pub-watching schemes to reduce alcohol-related crime against property Prevention alcohol law enforcement, partygoers/nightlife Unknown effectiveness
Opioid substitution treatment (OST) to prevent HIV and HCV in prison Harm reduction opioids prison Unknown effectiveness
Therapeutic communities to improve treatment outcomes Treatment not-drug specific Unknown effectiveness
Permanent supportive housing (specifically Housing First) to reduce harms Harm reduction, Social reintegration not-drug specific communities Unknown effectiveness
Psycho-social treatment (including contingency management) to improve crack-cocaine users housing conditions Social reintegration cocaine Unknown effectiveness
Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol use among people who use illicit drugs Treatment alcohol Unknown effectiveness
Therapeutic workplace (TW) to improve employment outcomes Social reintegration not-drug specific Unknown effectiveness
Standalone knowledge-based school interventions to improve knowledge and reduce use Prevention not-drug specific school Unknown effectiveness
Spiritual/religious (S/R) interventions for substance use disorders Treatment alcohol, co-morbidity, not-drug specific, amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, new psychoactive substances (NPS), opioids, prescription medicines, tobacco Unknown effectiveness
Digital interventions to reduce cannabis use among adolescents and young adults Treatment cannabis young people Unknown effectiveness
Pyschosocial interventions versus comprehensive standard care for pregnant women for treatment and obstetrical outcomes Treatment cocaine, opioids women Unknown effectiveness
Restricting opening hours to reduce alcohol related injuries Prevention alcohol partygoers/nightlife Unknown effectiveness
Pharmacological vs non-pharmacological treatment to reduce use and criminal activity in drug-using offenders Treatment not-drug specific prison Unknown effectiveness
Scare-tactics and fear-based messages to inform choices on substance use Prevention Unknown effectiveness
Family focused interventions that address parental domestic violence and abuse, mental ill-health, and substance misuse Treatment not-drug specific families Unknown effectiveness
Drug consumption rooms to reach most marginalized injecting drug users and to facilitate access to health care services Harm reduction amphetamines, opioids PWID – people who inject drugs Unknown effectiveness
Standalone anti-alcohol/tobacco peer programmes Prevention alcohol, tobacco school Unknown effectiveness
Needle and syringe programmes in prison to reduce injecting risk behaviours Harm reduction opioids PWID – people who inject drugs Unknown effectiveness
Pharmacotherapies to reduce stimulant use in comorbid opioid users Treatment cocaine, opioids Unknown effectiveness
Culturally sensitive substance use treatment for racial/ethnic minority youth to reduce use Treatment not-drug specific ethnic minority, young people Unknown effectiveness
Multicomponent programmes to control alcohol sales Prevention alcohol partygoers/nightlife Unknown effectiveness
Pharmacological treatment (OST) vs placebo treatment to reduce use in female drug-using offenders Treatment opioids women, prison Unknown effectiveness
Nonpharmacological adjunctive treatment for postpartum women to reduce opioid use Treatment opioids women Unknown effectiveness
Employment-based interventions for vulnerably housed persons Social reintegration not-drug specific Unknown effectiveness
Pharmacotherapies for cannabis use disorder Treatment cannabis Unknown effectiveness
Job Seekers Workshop (JSW) to improve employment outcomes Social reintegration not-drug specific Unknown effectiveness
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