ALICE RAP Addiction and Lifestyles in Contemporary Europe Reframing Addictions Project

It is the aim of prevention science to better understand the determinants of health compromising behaviour, and to develop and evaluate responsive interventions and policies to promote wellbeing. These activities have typically aimed to determine whether prevention is safe and beneficial, but in a time of financial uncertainty and resource competition, greater priority is being placed on making the economic case for prevention – are the benefits of prevention worth the costs, and does society value these benefits enough to invest in prevention?

The conference will explore the latest findings, methodologies and controversies in the field, but also ask what are the expectations of society towards prevention? Where should our relative priorities lie – for example, on improving population health, saving money, reducing inequalities, or emphasising treatment and law enforcement responses? The conference will also examine the role of economic interests in prevention and how these may hinder or support prevention work.