Prevention of alcohol and other drug consumption in intercultural contexts. Interface between anthropology, community psychology, and public policy

Abstract

The article aims to present a proposal that integrates contributions from sociocultural anthropology and community psychology to guide the theoretical and methodological design and implementation of alcohol and drug prevention programs in interethnic and intercultural contexts. It problematizes the notion of culture in order to highlight the need for a complex vision that approaches and considers the divergent rationalities present in the different contexts where the programs are implemented. The necessity of paradigm complementarity between the prevention theory based on protective and risk factors and the sociocultural perspective is established, which visualizes processes, meanings, and relational contexts through the creation of spaces/ temporalities for their inclusion or "anchoring" in preventive intervention dynamics. The training of prevention teams in intercultural competencies is proposed, emphasizing the dimensions of reflexivity and management of rationalities. Along with a review of specialized literature, the analysis also incorporates a process that integrates various initiatives developed at the national, regional, and local levels by the authors. In conclusion, the implementation of a bottomup and transversal approach is justified and proposed, one that incorporates the participation of communities and prevention teams, where the knowledge produced at the intervention level has a greater impact on the guidelines and programs.