Assessing the Impact of Group Interventions on Substance Abuse among Rural Communities: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Author(s): Praful Damor* and Amit Kumar Khumawat
Abstract
Background: Substance abuse is a pressing concern in rural communities due to limited access to healthcare and treatment services. Group-based interventions have emerged as promising strategies to reduce dependency and promote behavioral change.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based group intervention in reducing nicotine dependence among adults in rural areas of Vadodara district.
Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was used. A total of 40 adults with a history of substance use participated in weekly group sessions for 3 months, which included peer support, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and health education. Data were collected using the fagerström Test for nicotine dependence. Statistical analysis was done using paired t-tests.
Results: The pre-test mean nicotine dependence score was 3.675 (SD=0.47), which reduced to 2.425 (SD=1.24) post-intervention. Though the p-value was not statistically significant (p=0.477), a clinical shift was observed with high dependence cases dropping from 67.5% to 0%.
Conclusion: Group interventions demonstrated a clinically meaningful reduction in nicotine dependence among rural adults. Despite statistical insignificance, the intervention shows potential for scalable, low-cost addiction management in underserved areas.