Examining Racial Differences in the Effects of the Brazilian State-Level Police Substance Use Prevention Program in Schools: a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.
Alessandra A S Menezes, Sandro Barbosa de Oliveira, Zila M Sanchez et al.
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In 30 seconds
This analysis of two cluster-randomized controlled trials conducted in 2019 examined whether the PROERD school-based substance-use prevention program had different effects across racial groups. Participants were fifth- and seventh-grade students in public schools on the outskirts of São Paulo, with race based on self-identification. At nine months, Black seventh-grade students had a higher risk of initiating alcohol and tobacco use than White students. The study found no significant preventive effect of the program on either substance in any racial group at either grade level.
Key findings
- After nine months, Black seventh-grade students had a higher risk of initiating alcohol and tobacco use than White counterparts.
- No significant preventive effect on alcohol or tobacco use was found in any racial group within either grade level.
Why it matters
The findings indicate that a school-based prevention program may not have equivalent or detectable benefits across racial groups in this setting. They also highlight the importance of examining outcomes by race and considering how prevention approaches address the distinct risks faced by minority adolescents, rather than assuming a uniform effect.
What to keep in mind
The evidence comes from public schools on the outskirts of São Paulo and may not generalize to other settings or populations.