“Why bother with evidence?" by Dr Gregor Burkhart, Principal Scientific Analyst Public Health Unit, The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), Lisbon, Portugal.
Thursday 3rd April 2025, 11.00 am to 12.00 pm - Online
Abstract
This presentation explores evidence-based approaches to substance use prevention and developments within Europe, emphasizing systemic and environmental strategies over traditional individual-focused interventions. Key themes include the "Vulnerability Matrix," which highlights the cumulative impact of psychosocial, structural, and environmental factors on health outcomes. The presentation critiques reliance on outdated methods and advocates for evidence-based interventions that focus on key determinants of human behaviour. Environmental prevention strategies, such as regulating substance availability, visibility, and promotion, are showcased as effective in reducing harm. Challenges in policymaking, including the need for cultural adaptation, stakeholder engagement, and rigorous evaluation methodologies of interventions are discussed. The findings underscore the importance of creating nurturing environments, empowering local decision-makers, and integrating research-based frameworks to achieve impactful and sustainable prevention outcomes.
Speaker
Gregor Burkhart is since 1996 responsible for prevention responses at the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), formerly known as European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) in Lisbon. He developed databases of evidence-based programmes (Xchange), evaluation and prevention mapping tools and is currently implementing the European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) in Europe and beyond. His main activities are to develop common European indicators on the implementation of prevention strategies and programmes in member states, to promote across European countries a better understanding of universal, selective, indicated as well as environmental prevention and to support the implementation of evidence-based prevention approaches. He is co-founder (2010) and currently the president of the European Society for Prevention Research, EUSPR. He holds a doctoral degree in medicine (medical anthropology) on the influence of culture on the classification and perception of body and diseases in the Candomblé cults of Bahia, Brazil as well as an MPH degree from the University of Düsseldorf.
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