Task Description: The focus for the major essay is the effectiveness of a substance use prevention program of your choice.
Prevention activities in the substance use field can (like other fields) be thought of as primary, secondary or tertiary prevention programs (see Module 8: Prevention Programs). Some prevention activities in this field are referred to as 'harm reduction'. Harm reduction programs, such as needle and syringe programs, can be considered a subset of secondary prevention programs.
Here are a few examples of essay topics. You are welcome to use one of these topics, or develop one of your own choice:
- Court-based drug diversion programs reduce drug use among young people who commit drug-related offences
- Needle and syringe programs are effective for reducing the incidence of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs
- School based education programs lead to reductions in the uptake of cannabis use among adolescents.
You should be reasonably specific in framing your question, with regard to the type of prevention program and the population group and outcomes you will focus on.
When developing your essay, you should consider any specific elements of the prevention program that contribute to or detract from its success. It's also important to consider the characteristics of the target population, and the extent to which the program is appropriate for the population. Your topic can be framed either as a hypothesis or a conventional question.
If you choose your own topic, it is advisable that you consult with the course lecturer to ensure that it is suitable.
You are required to develop an argument which directly addresses the question, with the aim of reaching your own conclusion based on the evidence. Please refer to the Assessmen tandards and Marking Criteria for additional guidance.
Use APA referencing style.
Submission: Your essay (with cover sheet) is to be submitted via the Turnitin link provided on the course site. Your essay must be saved as either a word document or a PDF.