From the 2024 Global Conference held in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Author: Dr. Flavio Marsiglia
Adolescent substance use in Latin America and the Caribbean region is rising rapidly, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality and requiring prevention programs that are evidence-based, scalable, and sustainable. This presentation will provide an overview of a prevention research program led by a binational team of investigators, which is advancing youth substance abuse prevention research in Mexico. It will 1) introduce the Keepin’it REAL (KiR) program, 2) describe its cultural adaptation and evaluation in Mexico, resulting in Mantente REAL (MREAL), and 3) share the findings of dissemination studies of MREAL across Mexico and in other Latin American countries. The presentation will highlight specific strategies applied to make evidence-based prevention interventions accessible and sustainable. Concluding with a set of recommendations for practitioners and investigators interested in conducting substance use prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean region and in other low and middle-income countries where youth substance use is rising.
