Community action research: who does what to whom and why? Lessons learned from local prevention efforts...

This paper describes lessons learned about community action research, drawing upon papers written and presented at a recent international conference on community action research and the prevention of alcohol and other drug problems. Projects reflected both action and evaluation research traditions and focused on a variety of issues from moderation of drinking to alcohol-related violence, and on range of target populations from youth to specific ethnic groups. The interventions described ranged from policy-based prevention to education and training and to secondary prevention and treatment. Lessons identified in the papers are discussed within three broad areas: the community targeted for change; the implementation of community projects; and community action research projects generally. The common lessons emerging from these diverse projects provide useful lessons on which to base future progress in community action research.