From evidence to impact: how to design quality and sustainable addiction prevention

This webinar addresses how to move towards addiction prevention that is not only evidence-based, but also implementable, assessable, and sustainable in real-world contexts with limited resources. It starts from a key idea: the proven effectiveness of an intervention can be diluted if the implementation is irregular or if there is no minimum quality system that guarantees coherence, fidelity and continuous improvement.

From there, a practical itinerary is presented to guide decision-making in prevention: diagnosis of needs and assets of the context, selection of interventions with evidence and reasoned adjustment to the territory, training and support to teams, evaluation (scope, fidelity, results and equity), and planning for sustainability beyond financing (governance, organizational capacities, alliances, data and communication of results).

Operational criteria for defining "quality" in prevention will be discussed (from theoretical coherence and protocolisation to a minimum panel of indicators useful for management) and common barriers that compromise sustainability (isolated actions, dependence on key people or subsidies, lack of evaluation and communication of results, or pressure for attractive but ineffective interventions) will be analysed. The objective is for participants to acquire a clear framework to prioritize what works, reduce the gap between science and practice and maximize the population impact of prevention, increasing its continuity and technical legitimacy before decision-makers and the community.

Target audience:

• Prevention professionals and managers in education, social services, and community health; municipal technicians; third-sector organisations; trainers; researchers; and postgraduate students in prevention and addictions.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: 

Understanding the framework of evidence-based prevention, quality and sustainability 

• Distinguish between "having evidence" and "generating impact" in real contexts. 
• Identify how the science-practice gap affects outcomes when implementation is patchy. 

Apply clear criteria for selecting and implementing preventive interventions

• Recognize the elements that define a quality preventive intervention (theoretical coherence, empirical evidence, protocolization and adaptation to the context). 
• Differentiate between fidelity, reasoned adaptation and "drift" of the program, understanding its implications. 

 Strengthening the sustainability and scalability of preventive actions

• Recognize the pillars that support continuity (governance, capabilities, financing, partnerships, communication, and continuous improvement). 
• Identify common risks to sustainability and propose mitigation strategies. 

References:

• Becoña, E. (2023). Guide to good practices and quality in the prevention of  drug dependencies and addictions . 

• European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). (2020). European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC). 

• Villanueva-Blasco, V. J., Pozo-Marmolejo, I., & Isorna-Folgar, M. (2024). Systematic review of family drug prevention programs: Efficacy and indexing in best practice portals. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 

• Villanueva-Blasco, V. J., et al. (2025). School prevention programs for  problematic Internet use , problematic gambling and video game addiction  in Spain: a systematic review . Addictions. 

• Sixto, A., Villanueva-Blasco, V. J., & Vidal-Infer, A. (2018). Characteristics and perspectives of teachers in the prevention of addictions in the school environment in the city of Valencia. 

• Arias, F., & Orio, L. (Coords.). (2023). Evidence-based   clinical guide on behavioral addictions.   

• P'TAC Prevention. (2024). The evidence in prevention of the tobacco-alcohol-cannabis triad . 

• NIDA. (n.d.).  Which terms to use, which to avoid and why  (non-stigmatizing language ). 

Presenter:

Dr. Víctor José Villanueva-Blasco 

Director of the Master's Degree in Prevention of Drug Dependencies and other Addictive Behaviours   (VIU) and Principal Investigator of the GI-SAPS. 

Moderator:

Antonio Vidal Infer

Director of ITTC Spain. 

Antonio Vidal Infer is currently an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valencia. He is a professor of Epidemiology in the master's program in Drug Addiction: Research, Treatment and Associated Pathologies (University of Valencia). She holds a master's degree in clinical psychology, a doctorate in psychology, and a specialization in qualitative research.

Webinars and online events presented and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.