Goal 3: Prevent and Reduce Alcohol Misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Associated Consequences
NIAAA’s Long-Term Vision
Develop and implement effective and targeted prevention strategies to prevent all alcohol-related problems.
Evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse and the associated consequences are critical for lessening the resulting individual, social, and public health impact. Research is revealing opportunities for developing novel prevention interventions and improving the effectiveness of existing ones.
Alcohol use commonly begins during adolescence, and the earlier a person starts to drink the more likely they are to escalate to alcohol misuse, develop alcohol use disorder (AUD), harm themselves and others while intoxicated, and misuse other substances. As such, prevention strategies that seek to delay and prevent alcohol use among adolescents are a major focus of the NIAAA research portfolio.
Similarly, integration of prevention across a variety of health, community, justice, and social service settings can increase the reach among underserved populations. These interventions typically occur at the individual, family, school, community, and policy levels, and focus on preventing or delaying the initiation of alcohol use or preventing escalation to more serious problems.
Additionally, promoting awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), adopting culturally informed prevention strategies, and evaluating policies that also reduce stigma around seeking treatment can support efforts to prevent alcohol use and reduce consequences among individuals who are or may become pregnant. The Cross-Cutting Research Program on FASD explores this research area.
Goal 3 research topics are integrally linked to the Cross-Cutting Research Themes. Examples of NIAAA research priorities in this area include the following objectives.