CAF Impact Assessment to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Colombian Children

Based on this concern, CAF—development bank of Latin America—is conducting an impact assessment of the Bogota Pilot City Program, which seeks to reduce alcohol consumption in underage groups, with an impact on socio-emotional skills that may drive them away from alcohol and influencing regulatory values and beliefs about consumption with the aim of raising children’s awareness of the consequences and risks associated with alcohol intake.

The intervention was performed through two programs implemented in 62 schools and more than 7,000 students. The “Sanamente” program aims to increase the perception of risk associated with alcohol consumption and improve regulatory issues through an awareness program implemented in the classroom. The “Goals for a Better Life” program also aims to increase the perception of risk of alcohol consumption and have an impact on certain socio-emotional skills, but using sport as a teaching tool to raise awareness about this issue.

Subsequently, the first phase of both programs was implemented with 6th graders, followed by a second round of surveys to identify preliminary or short-term results. The second phase of the programs in the same student cohort is near completion, who are now in 7th grade, and fieldwork has started for the implementation of the third round of surveys to measure medium-term results. Between the end of this year and early next year, we expect to have more certainty about the benefits of these programs in reducing alcohol consumption in vulnerable groups.  

Very promising preliminary results

The intervention of both programs has shown promising results in the short term, regarding the expected impacts at this stage: increasing perception of the risk associated with consumption and improving policy aspects. Furthermore, the intervention has thus far not been effective in improving consumption-related socio-emotional skills, and there are no impacts on consumption patterns.

An interpretation of these results suggests that providing information on the effects of alcohol consumption makes students more aware of its risks, and therefore have a lower likelihood of consumption in the medium and long term.

Taken together, the two Bogotá Pilot City programs are effective on the perceived risk/benefits of alcohol consumption, and thus, they can contribute to: reducing the frequency of consumption, delaying the age of onset and encouraging more responsible consumption patterns in adulthood.

With the upcoming second stage of the intervention, it will be important to confirm that these early results are maintained and that they eventually result in decreases in alcohol consumption patterns and delays in age of onset.