Acceptability and Improvement of a Library-Based Substance Use Prevention Intervention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Substance Use Prevention
• Community-Based Interventions

Background:

• Youth exposed to household challenges face higher risks of early substance use and future substance use disorders.
• Existing community-based prevention programs are limited and may not adequately serve the needs of all youth, particularly Black youth.
• There is a critical need for culturally relevant and accessible substance use prevention strategies for vulnerable youth populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptability and identify areas for improvement of the "Better Together" intervention.
• To evaluate the suitability of a library-based delivery model for a new substance use prevention program.
• To gather feedback from stakeholders (librarians, parents, youth) on the intervention's design and content.

Main Methods:

• Focus groups were conducted with 23 participants, including 9 librarians, 6 parents, and 8 youth.
• Qualitative data were collected to understand participant perceptions of the "Better Together" intervention.
• Feedback was analyzed to identify strengths and areas for enhancement.

Main Results:

• Participants found the "Better Together" intervention to be clear, relatable, and well-organized.
• The intervention demonstrated high acceptability among librarians, parents, and youth.
• Five specific recommendations for intervention improvement were provided by participants.

Conclusions:

• The "Better Together" intervention is a promising, acceptable, and culturally relevant program for preventing substance use among Black youth facing household challenges.
• Partnership with libraries offers a feasible and accessible community-based setting for intervention delivery.
• Further revisions and feasibility assessments are planned based on stakeholder feedback to optimize the intervention.