JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Substance use continues to remain a public health issue for youth in the U.S. Black youth living in urban communities are at a heightened risk of poor outcomes associated with substance use and misuse due to exposure to stressors in their neighborhoods, racial discrimination, and lack of prevention education programs specifically targeting Black youth. Since family is a well-known protective factor against substance misuse for Black youth, it is essential to create sustainable programming that incorporates the voices of Black youth and their families to develop a suitable prevention program for this population.

Objective:

To adapt and develop a brief parent-child substance use prevention intervention for Black families

Methods:

The study will take place in New Jersey. We will use the first 3 steps of the ADAPT-ITT framework to begin the development of an intervention for Black families. Three aims will be described in this protocol: Aim 1: Collect qualitative data from Black parents and youth between the ages of 11-17 years from (n=20) parent-child dyads on the challenges, barriers, and facilitators to communicating about substance use. Aim 2: Adapt a selected evidence-based intervention for Black families and develop a family advisory board to guide the adaptation of the intervention. Aim 3: Assess the feasibility of the intervention through theater testing, involving the family and community advisory board, we will enter step 3 of ADAPT-ITT implementation framework).

Results:

The study is a 2-year research pilot study award funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Data collection for this study began in May 2023. For aim 1, data collection is 95% complete. We expect to complete all data collection for aim 1 on or before December 30, 2023 and data analysis will occur immediately after. Study activities for aim 2 will occur Spring 2024. Study activities for aim 3 will likely begin in Fall 2024.

Conclusions:

This study will be one of the few interventions that address substance use among youth and utilizes parents and families in urban communities as a protective factor within the program. We anticipate that the intervention will be beneficial for Black youth not only in New Jersey but across the nation to work on building culturally appropriate, community specific prevention education and building on strong families relationships, resulting in reduction or delayed substance use.