STAGE 2. Analysing feasibility

What steps should be completed?

Step 3: Assess the community environment

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS

The background of drug demand reduction interventions in the area may favour or hinder new interventions. An intervention is usually accepted or not according to whether it achieved the results that were expected with reasonable effort by the various people involved. When this does not happen, it can be because:

• Expectations of the results were not realistic.
• The intervention lacks the support required to carry it out.
• There has been a generalised sense of weariness among the various stakeholders, which will undoubtedly affect their involvement in future interventions.

It is therefore advisable to explore whether similar interventions have been carried out (or are being carried out) in the area, even on other health issues. For example, if resources are being allocated to treat problematic drug users, data must be produced that illustrate the actual use of these resources and their results. 

At this point, it is also very important to search the scientific literature for similar interventions and to review how they were conducted and their results. This information is very useful when designing intervention activities (at a later stage of the planning process). However, this information is essential in the feasibility analysis to support the quality of the intervention being planned, and it ultimately helps to justify the intervention.

In summary, it is important to understand how previous activities were conducted, the people involved, results achieved and perceptions of them. It is advisable to use the scientific evidence available to understand the characteristics of effective interventions and use this information to justify and design the action plan. One Step@a Time suggests that you review the information in the application on "Available evidence on drug demand reduction interventions".