Discussion board #9 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board #9 - Coursework Example As emphasized, â€Å"preventive interventions can provide skills and support to high-risk youth to enhance levels of protective factors and prevent escalation to drug abuse† (U.S. DHHS, 1997, p. 11). As such, the interplay of knowledge, skills, and experience learned and developed by community health nurses would significantly assist in the prevention of substance abuse in children, teens, and even in adults in the community level. From the statistics gathered and revealed by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), it could be deduced that society has not been sufficiently effective in the prevention area. As disclosed, â€Å"illicit drug use continued at elevated rates in 2010, after rising in 2009 to its highest level since 2002, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Nearly 9 percent of Americans aged 12 and older—an estimated 22.6 million people—reported using illicit drugs in the month prior to the survey† (NIDA, 2012, par. 1). The information indicates that there should be more stringest measures and strategies that should be designed and enforced to prevent the use of illicit drugs among populations at risk, especially children and adolescents. Various researches and studies have asserted that â€Å"no single treatment is appropriate for everyone† (NIDA, 2009, p. 1). This fact makes treatment challenging as the approach should cater to the specific needs of an addicted individual. It was likewise revealed that â€Å"medication and behavioral therapy, especially when combined, are important elements of an overall therapeutic process that often begins with detoxification, followed by treatment and relapse prevention† (NIDA: Effective Treatment Approaches, 2009, par. 1). As such, it could be evaluated that the principles of treatment would necessitate a more comprehensive assessment of the historical background that leads to the dependency and addiction problem of the individual.