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Prevention of Problem Gambling
October 1998, Vol I, Issue 6

*A Monthly Newsletter on Problem Gambling Prevention Information, Research, and Initiatives*

"No progress has ever been made against an epidemic by treating only the casualties."

A MORE THOROUGH LOOK AT PREVETION STRATEGIES

In the last issue of this newsletter, we highlighted the six general prevention strategies: information and community awareness; education and skill building; alternative activities; community development, capacity building and institutional change; social policy; and early intervention of high risk groups. We stated that successful prevention efforts are those that develop programs that utilize each of the strategies with several different populations within a community. Beginning with this issue, and continuing over several issues, there will be a more in-depth examination of these prevention strategies and highlight some of the present efforts in Connecticut and Massachusetts that fall under each one.

Prevention Strategy 1:
Information and Community Awareness

William Lofquist has defined prevention as "an active process of creating conditions and fostering personal attributes that promotes the well-being of people." Both halves of this statement, creating conditions (an environmental approach) and fostering personal attributes (a personal approach) connote change. As we have discussed in the last issue, these six prevention strategies have differing capacities to effect change. When speaking of information and community awareness strategies, which are low impact strategies, we mean those strategies that inform the public in a passive way.

Some examples of the use of this strategy in Connecticut and Massachusetts include:

In Massachusetts - a public service announcement (PSA) campaign that included two 60 second radio spots played on 37 stations and a 30 second TV spot aired on ten stations; mailed information packets; posters produced by interns from local colleges; information packets mailed to callers and TV/radio and print media interviews.

In Connecticut - PSAs aired statewide as well as on local cable stations through a collaboration with Regional Action Councils; press releases; information packets; materials developed for the CT Clearinghouse (a statewide clearinghouse for information); pamphlets and brochures; posters and films.

There is a danger, however, that should be addressed here. Prevention initiatives that rely heavily or exclusively on this strategy alone have received criticism for their lack of effectiveness. There were even studies done in the late 1970's that showed that some substance abuse prevention efforts, where information and community awareness was the only strategy used, resulted in an increase of substance use! Therefore, if, for example, we were to only provide information and awareness on gambling issues in a high school, we might very well be creating a larger body of educated consumers with ready access to those behaviors we are trying to prevent!

The answer to this paradox is a question of balance. In any prevention effort, especially one in the beginning stages, information and community awareness efforts are indispensable. They lay the foundation upon which the other strategies are built. It would indeed be difficult to develop community efforts, advocate for policy or build capacity in populations characterized by a lack of awareness or indifference. The balance is achieved by moving ahead from the successful use of awareness efforts to build commitment toward change and engage a community in the planning and delivery of higher impact strategies. We will be addressing these in future issues, paying particular attention to education and skill building in next month's newsletter.

Last month's issue began a more in-depth examination of prevention strategies by focusing on information and community awareness. We will continue this series by discussing education and skill building strategies.