13th Congress of EUSUHM PROTECTING YOUNG GENERATION FROM ALCOHOL

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13th Congress of EUSUHMPROTECTING YOUNG
GENERATION FROM ALCOHOL

• Narcisa Slugan, MD, MSc
• school medicine specialist
• Institut of Public Health Medimurje County
• Dubrovnik, 12 - 15 October 2005.

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INTRODUCTIONTHE COUNTY OF MEÐIMURJE

• populated by aproximately 130.000 with an average
  of 173 inhabitants per km2
• CAKOVEC is the cultural and administrative center
  of the County with the population of 17000
• there are two more towns PRELOG and MURSKO
  SREDIŠCE

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• In the County there are 31 primary schools, 29
  local schools and 6 secondary schools
• They are attended by 11883 pupils in primary and
  4631 in secondary schools

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• The only college type institution is the
  Teacher-training college (Department of
  pre-school and primary school education of the
  Zagreb Philosophic College), attended by 480
  students, situated in Cakovec

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Why alcoholAlcohol is traditionally widely used
in our countyIn Project definition the
importance of sensibilisation and collaboration
with representatives of local authority, schools
and youth was recognized as necessary
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GOALSTo determine the prevalence of alcohol
drinking in youth To investigate their life
style and attitudesTo create and implement the
appropriate prevention program for youth
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SUBJECTS AND METHODS

• 1. THE SURVEY
• THE SAMPLE
• 5847 school children
• age 12-19 year
• 51 female and 49 male
• Method used anonymous questionnaire

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Issues about alcohol

• 90 think that alcohol will harm their health,
  but much later when they get old
• 70 drink to feel better - to forget problems
  with school or parents
• 10 drink because their friends suggest it
• 40 think that alcohol is good for relaxation
  but problem is that other people (parents,
  relatives..) will blame them

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Issues about alcohol

• 60 think that prohibition has no effect (to
  youth younger of age 18)
• 8 drink every day
• 10 have an alcoholic in family
• 15 never drink

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2. THE SURVEY FINDINGS WERE THE BASIS FOR
ACTION (PEER-BASED EDUCATION)

• Group established by volunteers - from primary
  and secondary schools
• Five Primary (1766 pupils) and five Secondary
  schools (4233 pupils) that are located in
  Cakovec, which is recognized as CITY-FRIEND OF
  CHILDREN AND YOUTH

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• They were educated to act as peer-educators
• Teenagers educate their peers in schools
• from 6. grade (12 years) of primary school to
  3. grade of secondary school (18 years)
• The Project started in school-year 2001/02 and
  lasts continually
• Every year new teenagers wanted to be involved in
  the Project

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A group of highschool volounteers
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• Training life skills

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RESULTS

• Beginning to understand
• Many teenagers have been told about alcohol and
  problems that may result from its abuse, but now
  they discuss it deeply with their generation

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RESULTS

• Identifying the problem
• Volunteers-teenagers deliberately identify
  problems that bring alcohol
• Willingness to act
• They want to pass their knowledge and
  understanding to the others in generation

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• Highschool educators in action

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• The audience in class

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• The action OHNETANOL NIGHT
• (Night without alcohol opposite of bambus or
  votka party)
• every school-year finished our Project
• This year it was on 7th May in Youth Club Old
  Oak in Cakovec

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• Invitation for party

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Entrance fee
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• Cheers!

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• Chatting before waiting at tables

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• Our pedagogues from HS are with us

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• Band The stvor in action

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DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

• Readiness to change
• They want responsible community and express the
  readiness to be involved
• They act as the role models, and they will be
  adults soon...

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• Thank you for your attention!