Substance Abuse & Dependence

What We Do › Substance Abuse & Dependence

"Unhealthy lifestyle choices pose an enormous danger for all segments of the population—especially young people. Throughout Europe, one of every four deaths among adolescents and young adults is caused by alcohol yet we, as a society, remain strangely tolerant of drinking."

Marc Danzon, Regional Director, WHO-Europe, speaking at AIHA’s Partnership Conference in Washington, DC, April 2001

As the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs becomes more prevalent, it takes an increasingly heavy physical, emotional, and economic toll on society. Newly emerging patterns of drinking and drug use are now causing rates of injury, disability, and death to increase, leading to decreased levels of productivity in many regions of the world. These trends are even more alarming given the fact that substance abuse is no longer a predominantly “male” problem, but is fast becoming an issue of concern among women—especially those in their child-bearing years—and youth. As addiction spreads throughout all segments of the population, the societal burden mounts.

All over the world, health systems struggle with the challenges brought on by substance abuse and addiction and it is increasingly important for individuals to take personal responsibility for their own wellbeing. For this to happen, however, healthcare professionals must develop and provide the public with the necessary tools—education, information, and motivation—within the framework of strong and efficient primary care services. Many nations lack the public health infrastructure necessary to develop and implement effective prevention and treatment programs, however, and healthcare providers must increasingly look outside of the traditional medical model for methods of treating and preventing the conditions that threaten the patients they serve.

The strength of AIHA’s partnerships and programs is the network of community-based support services that can be tapped into to as partners collaborate to develop effective strategies for addressing substance abuse and addiction. Working side by side, partners from transitioning and developing nations have the unique opportunity to view many different types of prevention and treatment programs during their professional exchanges and use these models to create new hybrids that are culturally appropriate and target the specific needs of their individual communities.

Projects

AIHA’s efforts to improve partner understanding of and access to medical informatics through specific programmatic activities include:

Substance Abuse and Addiction Information Resources

Disseminating accurate, timely information rooted in evidence-based practices and sharing successful models and lessons learned plays an important role in AIHA’s strategy for sustainable healthcare programs. For more information about substance abuse and addiction, please visit the following links:

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