Short-term effects of the strengthening families Program (SFP 10-14) in Brazil: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: This study reports the evaluation of the short-term effects of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP 10-14), adapted as Famílias Fortes (Strong Families) in Brazil, on preventing adolescent drug use and improving parenting behaviors. METHODS: A two-arm, parallel cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 60 Social Assistance Reference Centers (SARC) from 12 Brazilian municipalities. In each city, the SARC were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. A total of 805 families participated in the study, each contributing data from one parent or legal guardian and one adolescent totaling 1,610 participants. Data collection occurred before intervention implementation and 6 months after baseline collection. Data were analyzed using multilevel mixed-effects modeling with repeated measures in two different paradigms: Intention to Treat (ITT) and Per protocol (PP). The study was registered in the Brazilian Ministry of Health Register of Clinical Trials (REBEC), under protocol no. RBR-5hz9g6z. RESULTS: Considering the ITT paradigm, the program reduced the chance of parents and legal guardians being classified as negligent by 60% (95%CI 0.21; 0.78), increased the use of nonviolent discipline by caregivers (Coef 0.33, 95%CI 0.01; 0.64) and decreased the chance of adults exposing adolescents to their drunken episodes by 80% (95%CI 0.06; 0.54). No program effects were observed on outcomes related to adolescent drug use. Similar results were found for the PP paradigm. CONCLUSION: The positive effects on family outcomes suggest preventive potential of the program among the Brazilian population. Long-term evaluations are necessary to verify if the program can also achieve the drug use reduction goals not observed in the short term.

The role of monitoring skills in mediating the association between parent's hazardous alcohol consumption and adolescents' drinking.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether parental monitoring skills mediate the effect of hazardous parental alcohol consumption on adolescents' lifetime alcohol use. METHODS: This three wave longitudinal study was conducted with 884 families (n = 1,768 participants) to evaluate the effectiveness of a family-based drug prevention program for adolescents and parents across 12 Brazilian cities. We used structural equation mediation modeling to analyze the effect of hazardous parental alcohol consumption at baseline on adolescents' lifetime alcohol use at 12-month follow-up, mediated by parental monitoring skills latent dimension at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: We found a significant indirect effect of parents' hazardous alcohol use on adolescents' alcohol use through parental monitoring (OR:1.18, 95%CI:1.02;1.36). CONCLUSION: Our finding underscores the importance of comprehensive preventive family alcohol approaches targeting adolescent alcohol use, which should consider both parental drinking behavior and monitoring practices.

Substance use and adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: a longitudinal approach.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the changes in alcohol and drug use by Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic (April-August 2021), and to analyze the relationship between alcohol use changes and psychiatric symptomatology. METHODS: A secondary analysis with a longitudinal approach was performed with data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial, conducted in 73 public middle schools in three Brazilian cities, to evaluate the effectiveness of a drug use prevention program. The sample included 535 students (61% girls; Mage = 15.2 years). Data were collected pre-intervention (February-March 2019), after 9 months (November-December 2019), and after 26 months (April-August 2021), when the students were in their first year of high school. The authors analyzed drug use prevalence (alcohol, binge drinking, tobacco, inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, and crack) in a lifetime, past year, and past month periods, and the association between alcohol use change subsamples with psychiatric symptoms. Logistic regressions were adjusted by sex, age, socioeconomic status, city, and group (control and intervention). RESULTS: The present findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in past-year substance use and in past-month substance use frequency, despite the gradually increased (but decelerating) prevalence of lifetime use. However, some adolescents initiated, maintained, or increased the frequency of their alcohol use. Mainly, they were more likely to present behavioral problems, as well as symptoms of inattentive hyperactivity, and peer and emotional problems. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the extensive decline in substance use during the pandemic period, these results suggest an association between previous mental health conditions and behavioral risk factors, leading to increased alcohol consumption and behavioral disorders manifestations.

Use of integrative and complementary health practices by Brazilian population: results from the 2019 National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: In 2006, Brazil implemented the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices of the SUS. and in 2015, the Brazilian Ministry of Health issued a reinforcement to this policy to increase access to integrative and complementary health practices (ICHP). In this study, we described the prevalence of ICHP in Brazilian adults according to their sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health, and chronic diseases. METHODS: This is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey including 64,194 participants from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey. Types of ICHP were categorized according to their purposes: health promotion (Tai chi/Lian gong/Qi gong, yoga, meditation, and integrative community therapy) or therapeutic practices (acupuncture, auricular acupressure, herbal treatment and phytotherapy, and homeopathy). Participants were classified as non-practitioners and practitioners, who in turn were grouped according to use of ICHP in the last 12 months: only used health promotion practices (HPP); only used therapeutic practices (TP); used both (HPTP). Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to estimate the associations of ICHP with sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health status, and chronic diseases. RESULTS: Brazilian adults showed an ICHP use prevalence of 6.13% [95%CI = 5.75-6.54]. Compared to non-practitioners, women and middle-aged adults were more likely to use any ICHP. Afro-Brazilians were less likely to use both HPP and HPTP, whereas Indigenous people were more likely to use both HPP and TP. We found a positive gradient of association among participants with higher income and educational attainment and access to any ICHP. People from rural areas and those with negative self-perceived health were more likely to use TP. Participants with arthritis/rheumatism, chronic back problems, and depression were more likely to use any ICHP. CONCLUSIONS: We found that 6% of Brazilian adults reported using ICHP in the previous 12 months. Women, middle-aged individuals, chronic patients, people with depression, and wealthier Brazilians are more likely to use any type of ICHP. Of note, rather than suggesting to expand the offer of these practices in the Brazilian public health system, this study diagnosed Brazilians' behavior of seeking for complementary healthcare.

The Indirect Effect of #Tamojunto2.0 Program on Bullying Through Reduction of Alcohol Use Initiation.

PURPOSE: The Brazilian version of the prevention program Unplugged, #Tamojunto, has had a positive effect on bullying prevention. However, the curriculum has recently been revised, owing to its negative effects on alcohol outcomes. This study evaluated the effect of the new version, #Tamojunto2.0, on bullying. For adolescents exposed to the school-based program #Tamojunto2.0, we investigated (1) whether the prevalence of bullying victimization and perpetration was reduced, (2) whether this reduction was moderated by gender, and (3) whether the program's effect on bullying was mediated by adolescents' alcohol use. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted using 5,208 eighth-grade students from 73 Brazilian public schools. Baseline data were collected before program implementation, and follow-up data were collected nine months later. We used a multilevel mixed-effects model to examine the effect of #Tamojunto2.0 on bullying, and a moderation model to test the moderating effect of gender on program outcomes. A mediation analysis was performed to determine lifetime alcohol use as a mediator of the intervention effect on bullying. RESULTS: We found that the positive effect of #Tamojunto2.0 on bullying victimization (ß = -0.019, 95% confidence interval = -0.035; -0.002) and perpetration (ß = -0.027, 95% confidence interval = -0.051; -0.004) was mediated by a decrease in alcohol use, but not moderated by gender. DISCUSSION: #Tamojunto2.0 program can be indirectly effective in the prevention of bullying by decreasing adolescents' alcohol use. Moreover, alcohol and drug use prevention programs might also affect bullying outcomes through mediation, and we suggest that future studies consider this.

Panorama of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Brazil and its Association With Self-Perception of Health: Findings From a National Representative Survey.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a challenge in Brazil. The country holds one of the highest rates of femicide in the world, most of which are preceded by IPV. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 34,334 women, aged 18 to 59 years, from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey to analyze the prevalence of IPV and its subtypes among the Brazilian adult women in the last 12 months, encompassing their health consequences and the use of health services resulting from IPV. We also used logistic regression models to estimate the association of sociodemographic characteristics and self-perceived health status with IPV. The prevalence of IPV among Brazilian adult women in the last 12 months was 7.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] [7.0, 8.2]). Women aged 18 to 39 years, not married, and with income of up to 1 minimum wage (MW), had higher odds of suffering IPV. Among those who reported health consequences due to IPV, 69% reported psychological consequences, and 13.9% sought health care, mostly in primary or secondary health care services in the Brazilian Unified Health System (41.9%). Regarding the self-perceived health variables, women who reported eating problems (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; [1.01, 1.65]), lack of interest/absence of pleasure (OR = 1.41; [1.11, 1.79]), depressive feelings (OR = 1.39; [1.03, 1.88]), feeling of failure (OR = 1.75; [1.36, 2.24]), and suicidal thoughts (OR = 1.73; [1.25, 2.41]) had greater odds of reporting IPV compared to those who did not report these same perceptions. The results show that younger, divorced or single, low-income women with eating problems and mental health disorders were more likely to suffer IPV. IPV often led to health problems, and many abused women sought support from public health services. Health professionals must be trained to identify and care for these women, thereby acting as allies in preventing and reducing IPV.

Factors associated with attending "open bar" parties amongst early adolescents.

BACKGROUND: "Open bar" parties are events where a flat fee is paid for unlimited alcohol consumption. At these events, alcohol intoxication is frequent amongst attendees. This study explored the prevalence of "open bar" attendance amongst Brazilian youth and the factors associated with this practice. METHODS: Data was collected at the baseline of randomized controlled trial amongst 5,213 8th grade students in three Brazilian cities. Weighted logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: Mean age was of 13.23 years (SE 0.01) and 17.1% of the students have reported attending "open bar" events in the past year. Attendees were wealthier, had higher odds to engage in binge drinking, to use marijuana, to be exposed to alcohol advertising, and to report more alcohol problems and clinical psychiatric symptoms when compared with non-attendees. CONCLUSIONS: The ban on selling alcohol to minors has not been properly enforced. Legislation to restrict alcohol promotions and advertising in Brazil needs to be implemented and effectively monitored.

Externalizing and internalizing problems as predictors of alcohol-related harm and binge drinking in early adolescence: The role of gender.

BACKGROUND: Externalizing problems are commonly associated with alcohol outcomes in adolescence. Nevertheless, findings regarding internalizing problems are mixed, and fewer longitudinal studies have considered the both problems concomitantly and the role of gender. We examined the role of externalizing and internalizing problems in predicting adolescent alcohol-related harm and binge drinking, taking into account the gender differences. We also evaluated if externalizing problems could moderate the association between internalizing problems and alcohol outcomes. METHOD: We used longitudinal data from 2368 8th grade students across 37 public schools in three Brazilian cities. Linear and logistic regressions were performed to analyze the association between alcohol outcomes and the independent variables (externalization and internalization scores, and sociodemographic variables) according to gender. We also tested the same model with an interaction term between externalizing*internalizing. RESULTS: Our results suggest that externalizing problems predict adolescents' binge drinking in both genders; it also may predict adolescents' alcohol-related harms, but only in boys. Internalizing problems seem to be a gender-specific risk factor for binge drinking among girls. All findings are independent of comorbid problems and sociodemographic variables. LIMITATION: The findings should be considered taking into account the short follow-up period from risk factors to the outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the contribution of internalizing and externalizing problems to the development of alcohol-related harm and binge drinking in early adolescence and the need for interventions to prevent early behavioral problems that consider the role played by gender.

Binge drinking in Brazilian adolescents: results of a national household survey.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of binge drinking and other alcohol consumption patterns and analyze the sociodemographic characteristics associated with binge drinking among Brazilian adolescents aged 15 to 17 years. A cross-sectional household survey including 2,315 adolescents from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey who answered a questionnaire on alcohol consumption (weekly frequency, average amount consumed in a drinking day, and binge drinking). A descriptive analysis of alcohol consumption by sociodemographic characteristics and a multivariable logistic regression model were performed. The prevalence of binge drinking (past 30 days) was 8.1% (95%CI: 6.2-10.3). Adolescents who did not attend school (OR = 2.8; 95%CI: 1.6-5.0) had greater odds of binge drinking than adolescents attending school. Higher socioeconomic status (measured via wealth score) was also associated with higher odds of binge drinking compared with lower socioeconomic status (e.g., 5th quintile vs. 1st quintile: OR = 2.9; 95%CI: 1.1-7.7). Girls had lower odds of binge drinking (OR = 0.5; 95%CI: 0.2-0.8) than boys. The prevalence of binge drinking among adolescents, especially boys, who did not attend school and had higher socioeconomic status was high. Monitoring alcohol consumption patterns in adolescents may provide important information on policies or actions to prevent binge drinking.

Does #Tamojunto alter the dynamic between drug use and school violence among youth? Secondary analysis from a large cluster-randomized trial.

The present study investigated how intervention might alter the relationship between perpetrating violence and later drug use. A cluster-randomized controlled trial design involving 72 schools (38 intervention, 34 control) and 6390 students attending grades 7 and 8 was employed in Brazil. Drug use and violence were assessed at three points. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model examined the reciprocal association between drug use and school violence domains across the three data collection waves. For both groups, we found that the cross-lagged effect of perpetration on further drug use in adolescents was stronger than the reverse, but the interrelationship was not statistically significant between #Tamojunto and control schools. The carry-over effects of drug use and violence were also not significantly different between groups. There is a lack of evidence showing that #Tamojunto can modify the dynamics between drug use and school violence across the 21-month period. The direction of the causal effect (i.e., the more perpetration behavior, the more subsequent drug use behavior) is present, but weak in both groups. The trial registration protocol at the national Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials (REBEC) is #RBR-4mnv5g.

Maternal depression trajectories in childhood, subsequent maltreatment, and adolescent emotion regulation and self-esteem: the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort.

This study aimed to examine the impact of maternal depressive symptoms trajectories on 15-year-old adolescents' self-esteem and emotion regulation and test the mediating role of child maltreatment in this association. The 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort is an ongoing cohort study originally comprised of 4231 live births in a southern Brazilian city. We examined a subsample of 1949 adolescents at age 15 years. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Trajectories of maternal depression from 3 months until the 11-year follow-up were calculated using a group-based modeling approach. Child maltreatment at age 11 years was measured using the parent-report version of the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. Adolescent outcomes at age 15 years were assessed by the self-report version of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the Emotion Regulation Index for Children and Adolescents. Path model analysis was conducted using a structural equation modeling framework in Mplus software. All maternal depression trajectories were negatively associated with offspring self-esteem and emotion regulation compared to the reference group (low depression trajectory). There was a significant indirect effect of maternal depression trajectories on emotion regulation mediated via child maltreatment. No evidence of moderation by sex was found for any pathway. The effects of maternal depression on adolescents' emotion regulation are partly mediated by child maltreatment at age 11.

Adherence to healthy lifestyle recommendations in Brazilian cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: We aimed to describe the adherence to healthy lifestyle recommendations (regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, and salad greens; limit the consumption of red and processed meat, fast food, sugary and alcoholic beverages; keeping a healthy body weight, being physically activity, and not smoking) of 2314 cancer survivors and 86,517 adults without cancer diagnosis (general population) from the Brazilian National Health Survey, 2019. METHODS: We developed a score including eight healthy lifestyle recommendations proposed by the World Cancer Research Fund (i.e., the score ranged from 0 to 8; being 0 did not follow any recommendation and 8 followed all recommendations). RESULTS: Cancer survivors had higher healthy lifestyle score than the general population. In contrast, they presented similar adherence to the recommendations of physical activity, healthy body weight, and quitting smoking. Among cancer survivors, women (OR 1.52; 95%CI 1.12 to 2.06) and widows (OR 1.49; 95%CI 1.02 to 2.18) had greater odds of adherence to healthy lifestyle recommendations, adjusted for other sociodemographic characteristics. However, cancer survivors with complete primary education (OR 0.64; 95%CI 0.44 to 0.94) and higher education (OR 0.58; 95%CI 0.40 to 0.83) had lower adherence to the recommendations. CONCLUSION: Our findings may be useful to support counseling and interventions aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for Brazilian cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Healthy lifestyle may reduce mortality and cancer recurrence, and improve quality of life in cancer survivors. Identifying factors associated with the adherence to healthy lifestyle in cancer survivors may be useful to support actions and interventions.

Bullying as a Risk Factor for Eating Disorder Behaviors Among Students: Secondary Analysis for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to examine whether being a victim of bullying predicted body dissatisfaction and eating disorder behavior (EDB). In this study, we performed secondary analysis from a cluster randomized controlled trial among 5208 eight grade students from 73 public schools in three Brazilian cities. Data were collected in 2019 through an anonymous self-report questionnaire on bullying, body dissatisfaction, and EDB. We used factor analysis, multivariate linear regression, and multinomial logistic regression to verify whether being a victim of bullying during the baseline results in body dissatisfaction and EDB at the nine months follow-up for the control and intervention groups. Our results showed that being female (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.22-1.63) is a risk factor for dissatisfaction by overweight. Bullying was not a predictor of body dissatisfaction; however, being a victim of bullying (ß 0.40, 95% CI 0.35-0.46) is a predictor of having more EDB, independent of the exposure to the program. Therefore, bullying deserves attention in the school environment.

Changes in alcohol beliefs mediate the effects of a school-based prevention program on alcohol use among Brazilian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms of the #Tamojunto2.0 program that mediated the prevention of lifetime alcohol and drug use, including drug knowledge, behavioral beliefs, attitudes, decision-making skills, and refusal skills. METHODS: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 73 public middle schools in three Brazilian cities. The sample included 5208 students (49.4 % girls; Mage = 13.2 years). The intervention group attended twelve #Tamojunto2.0 lessons conducted by their previously trained teachers. The control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected pre-intervention and at the 9-months follow-up. We performed multiple mediation models (for the whole sample, users, and non-users) with a post-estimation adjustment to standard errors to account for nesting. We analyzed all available mediators simultaneously according to each drug: alcohol, binge drinking, tobacco, marijuana, and inhalant lifetime use. To handle missing data, we used the "full-information maximum-likelihood" paradigm. RESULTS: Outcomes in the whole sample and among non-users showed that #Tamojunto2.0 indirectly prevented lifetime alcohol use and binge drinking by increasing negative and non-positive alcohol beliefs. Only the direct effect on decreasing lifetime alcohol consumption was statistically significant. However, an indirect increase in binge drinking was observed through knowledge about alcohol, but the direct effect was not statistically significant. No effects were reported for marijuana, tobacco, or inhalants. Among users, no statistically significant effects were found for alcohol or drug use. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the #Tamojunto2.0 program was only effective in delaying alcohol consumption via increasing negative and non-positive alcohol beliefs. It seems that mediating mechanisms vary depending on contextual characteristics, differences in socializing among adolescents, features of the educational systems, psychosocial conditions, or, fidelity issues of program implementation.

Effectiveness of D.A.R.E/Keepin' it REAL bullying prevention program among Brazilian students.

INTRODUCTION: Given the growing scientific evidence on the detrimental effects of bullying, several prevention programs have been implemented internationally to prevent this behavior among students. Brazil's Educational Program for Drug and Violence Resistance (PROERD) is an adaptation of US' DARE/Keepin' it REAL program, being the most widespread school-based prevention program in the country. However, it has been offered without any effectiveness evaluation. As such, this study evaluates the effectiveness of PROERD in reducing bullying perpetration and victimization among students. METHODS: Two cluster randomized controlled trials were carried out with 4030 students (1727 5th graders and 2303 7th graders) in 30 public schools in São Paulo, Brazil. The intervention group attended 10 PROERD classes taught by trained police officers whereas the control group underwent no intervention. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires using smartphones at two moments (baseline preintervention and 9-month follow-up). Multilevel analysis included two paradigms, complete cases (CC) and intention-to-treat (ITT), using Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) and Multiple Imputation (MI). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results show no statistical difference between groups, indicating lack of evidence on PROERD's effectiveness in preventing bullying behaviors. The insufficient number of classes on bullying prevention and the lack of cultural adaptation may explain these unexpected results. New in-depth evaluation studies concerning the program's components and process are needed.

Implementation fidelity of a Brazilian drug use prevention program and its effect among adolescents: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Based on the US DARE-kiR, a version of the Keepin' it REAL program, the Drug and Violence Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is the most widely implemented Brazilian prevention program. It originates from the translation of the DARE-kiR, a version of the Keepin' it REAL program. Previous results suggest its inefficiency in preventing drug use among Brazilian adolescents. Since kiR fidelity can impact program outcomes, this mixed-methods study evaluates the PROERD implementation fidelity and its effects on preventing drug use among adolescents. METHODS: Data from two cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCTs) with 4,030 students from 30 public schools in São Paulo (1,727 fifth graders and 2,303 seventh graders), assessed at two-time points, were analyzed quantitatively. After implementing each lesson during the cRCT, 19 PROERD instructors answered fidelity forms. The effect of PROERD fidelity on alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, inhalant, and cocaine use (the last two only among seventh graders) in the six months prior to follow-up assessment was analyzed by logistic regressions for fifth grade and mixed effect models for seventh graders. For qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with PROERD instructors and investigated by thematic analysis. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis showed that PROERD implementation fidelity had no impact on drug use among fifth and seventh graders. Conversely, the qualitative analysis revealed important aspects that may influence implementation fidelity and consequently program effectiveness, such as adaptations made by instructors, school infrastructure, among others, besides program application. CONCLUSION: PROERD requires cultural adaptation to improve its implementation in Brazilian public schools.

Revisão sistemática sobre o efeito do programa escolar de prevenção ao uso de drogas Keepin' it REAL: traduzido e implementado no Brasil pelo PROERD / A systematic review of the effect of the school-based drug prevention program Keepin' it REAL: translated and implemented in Brazil by PROERD

Resumo O Programa Educacional de Resistência às Drogas (PROERD) é o programa escolar de prevenção mais disseminado no Brasil, seu atual currículo é baseado no programa norte-americano Keepin'it REAL (kiR). Não há na literatura evidência de efetividade do PROERD na prevenção ao uso de drogas, sendo necessários estudos complementares que auxiliem a compreensão desses achados. O objetivo do presente estudo é realizar uma síntese das evidências do efeito do currículo que deu origem ao PROERD: o kiR. Através de revisão sistemática encontrou-se 17 estudos que reportaram resultados de efeito de diferentes versões do kiR no uso de drogas e/ou violência. Com exceção do estudo brasileiro, não foram encontrados estudos que avaliassem o efeito no uso de drogas da versão aplicada por policiais (DARE-kiR), a mesma implementada pelo PROERD. Foram encontradas evidências favoráveis do kiR na prevenção ao uso de drogas para o currículo do 7º ano, que contrariam os resultados de efeito nulo do PROERD. Não foram encontradas evidências internacionais do efeito do kiR no currículo do 5º ano, assim como o estudo do PROERD. Sugere-se que revisões no currículo do 7º ano do PROERD para que ele possa refletir os resultados internacionais e que o currículo do 5º ano posso ser repensado considerando as evidências negativas internacionais.

Abstract The Drug Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is Brazil's most widespread school-based prevention program; its current curriculum is based on the North American Keepin' it REAL (kiR) program. There is no evidence of the effectiveness of PROERD in preventing drug use, pointing to the need for further studies to understand these findings. The aim of the study was to synthesis the evidence of the effect of the kiR curriculum (PROERD) through a systematic review. We found 17 studies that reported the effects of different versions of kiR on drug use and/or violence. Except for the Brazilian study, no studies were found that assessed the effect on drug use of the version applied by police officers (DARE-kiR), the same one implemented by PROERD. Favorable evidence of kiR in drug use prevention was found for the 7th-grade curriculum, which contradicts the PROERD's null-effect results. No international evidence of the effect of kiR was found in the 5th-grade curriculum, in the same line as the PROERD's study. It is suggested that PROERD's 7th-grade curriculum should be revised to reflect international results and that the 5th-grade curriculum should be reconsidered in light of the negative international evidence.

A systematic review of the effect of the school-based drug prevention program Keepin' it REAL: translated and implemented in Brazil by PROERD. / Revisão sistemática sobre o efeito do programa escolar de prevenção ao uso de drogas Keepin' it REAL: traduzido e implementado no Brasil pelo PROERD.

The Drug Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is Brazil's most widespread school-based prevention program; its current curriculum is based on the North American Keepin' it REAL (kiR) program. There is no evidence of the effectiveness of PROERD in preventing drug use, pointing to the need for further studies to understand these findings. The aim of the study was to synthesis the evidence of the effect of the kiR curriculum (PROERD) through a systematic review. We found 17 studies that reported the effects of different versions of kiR on drug use and/or violence. Except for the Brazilian study, no studies were found that assessed the effect on drug use of the version applied by police officers (DARE-kiR), the same one implemented by PROERD. Favorable evidence of kiR in drug use prevention was found for the 7th-grade curriculum, which contradicts the PROERD's null-effect results. No international evidence of the effect of kiR was found in the 5th-grade curriculum, in the same line as the PROERD's study. It is suggested that PROERD's 7th-grade curriculum should be revised to reflect international results and that the 5th-grade curriculum should be reconsidered in light of the negative international evidence.

O Programa Educacional de Resistência às Drogas (PROERD) é o programa escolar de prevenção mais disseminado no Brasil, seu atual currículo é baseado no programa norte-americano Keepin'it REAL (kiR). Não há na literatura evidência de efetividade do PROERD na prevenção ao uso de drogas, sendo necessários estudos complementares que auxiliem a compreensão desses achados. O objetivo do presente estudo é realizar uma síntese das evidências do efeito do currículo que deu origem ao PROERD: o kiR. Através de revisão sistemática encontrou-se 17 estudos que reportaram resultados de efeito de diferentes versões do kiR no uso de drogas e/ou violência. Com exceção do estudo brasileiro, não foram encontrados estudos que avaliassem o efeito no uso de drogas da versão aplicada por policiais (DARE-kiR), a mesma implementada pelo PROERD. Foram encontradas evidências favoráveis do kiR na prevenção ao uso de drogas para o currículo do 7º ano, que contrariam os resultados de efeito nulo do PROERD. Não foram encontradas evidências internacionais do efeito do kiR no currículo do 5º ano, assim como o estudo do PROERD. Sugere-se que revisões no currículo do 7º ano do PROERD para que ele possa refletir os resultados internacionais e que o currículo do 5º ano posso ser repensado considerando as evidências negativas internacionais.

Applying a Pattern-Centered Approach to Assess the Effect of a School-Based Drug Use Prevention Program in Brazil: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a drug and violence resistance educational program (Programa Educacional de Resistência às Drogas e à Violência-PROERD) on latent substance use profiles over a 9-month follow-up period. Two PROERD curricula were evaluated through a cluster randomized controlled trials with two parts that included a total of 4030 fifth-and seventh-grade students in 30 public schools in São Paulo. The intervention groups received 10 PROERD classes delivered by trained police officers, while the control group received no intervention. The primary outcome measures were drug use (any alcohol use, binge drinking, tobacco, marijuana, and inhalants) in the past 6 months, which was assessed using a pretest and a posttest 9 months later. Latent transition analysis was employed to investigate the effect of the intervention on the probabilities associated with the transition across drug use profiles. Latent drug use profiles are underlying subgroups of individuals similar to each other regarding their pattern of polysubstance use. Two different latent drug use profiles were revealed among the fifth graders (abstainers/low users and alcohol users/binge drinkers) and three drug use profiles among the seventh graders (abstainers/low users, alcohol users/binge drinkers, and polydrug users). For both, there was no evidence of the effect of PROERD on drug transition probabilities. In conclusion, the intervention was not successful in changing transitions across adolescent drug use profiles. Thus, the failure of the intervention to affect students' substance use profiles suggests that it should be reconsidered before it is implemented further in Brazilian schools.

Patterns of alcohol consumption in Brazilian adults.

In this study, we aimed to describe the patterns of alcohol consumption in Brazilian adults by sociodemographic characteristics and states according to sex. Cross-sectional study including 87,555 adults from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey who responded to a questionnaire on alcohol consumption and were classified as non-drinkers (0 g/day), light (1-12.5 g/day), moderate (12.6-49.9 g/day), and heavy drinkers (≥ 50 g/day). Of the Brazilian adults, 73.5% were non-drinkers. Among the drinkers, 14.8% were light drinkers. 82.6% of heavy drinkers were men. White participants drank more than non-white participants, except black women who were 38% more likely to be moderate drinkers than white women (ROR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.76). Unmarried were more likely to be drinkers. Women over 55 and men over 65 years old were less likely to be drinkers. Compared to participants with none or incomplete primary education, both men and women with higher educational attainment were more likely to be light and moderate drinkers. The largest consumption of alcohol was found in Sergipe and Mato Grosso for men, and Mato Grosso do Sul and Bahia for women. Our findings may be useful to inform policies for reducing alcohol consumption in Brazil.