ABSTRACT
Prevention methodologies involve a variety of strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of alcohol and other drugs of abuse. A primary prevention approach may be one of a legal nature. This is related to law enforcement activities by police or other government officials. Prevention is a term used to acknowledge planned programs of research and activities which are employed to meet specific objectives. Our levels of prevention require a knowledge of specific variables. For example, what are the mitigating circumstances which lead to drug behaviors which are contraindicated to the sound health of the mother and/or yet-to-be-born baby. There are a variety of health belief models which offer a rationale for understanding the nature of causation. Recognition of health belief models is not the end-all nor be-all for developing prevention strategies, but rather a means toward a better understanding of the nature of drug-taking behavior.
