Health Promotion and Prevention of Addictions Centers of Attica: Interventions and recent developments

Abstract

Background: Health Promotion and Prevention of Addictions Centers (HPPACs) in Greece design, implement and evaluate prevention programs targeting at students, aiming to improve the psychosocial health of the community members and develop actions of social impact in order to raise awareness of several health promoting issues. Twenty HPPACs operate in the prefecture of Attica with the collaboration of OKANA. Interventions: In 2014, 245 schools were approached and health promoting actions were realized. Regarding interventions at students (of all levels), 770 short-term and long-term interventions were applied, whereas 142 groups for parents ran either at schools or the Prevention Centers. Methods: 5,487 students from the primary level and 9,183 students from the secondary level of education took part in these interventions. Participants were from different areas of Attica (covering a wide range of SES and needs). Regarding the number of parents that participated in group-sessions, there were 3,484 parents. Finally, 1,956 individuals received counselling concerning issues like family problems, addictions and poor psychosocial health. Generally, experiential learning is the preferred method. Discussion: HPPACs implement programs to cover the contemporary community needs.