Training Community‐Based Clinicians in Screening and Brief Intervention for Substance Abuse Problems: Translating Evidence into Practice

Abstract

Screening and brief intervention in general health care settings are efficacious but have not been widely adopted. Our objective was to assess the effect of an educational intervention on clinicians' substance abuse-related clinical practices. The study was a telephone survey of practicing physicians, nurses, psychologists, physician's assistants, and social workers who attended a half-day continuing education course on one of four occasions. The course covered the stages of behavioral change and motivational counseling, using primarily role play with standardized patients. Of 87 course attendees, 70 (80%) completed the interview. Months to years after the course, most (91%) reported that the course made an impact on their practice. Most (78%) of respondents reported that they frequently or always asked new patients who drank alcohol a formal screening questionnaire such as the CAGE, and 94% frequently or always assessed their substance abusing patients' readiness to change. Most respondents reported that since taking the course they were more likely (1) to screen patients for alcohol or drug related problems (86%) and (2) to ask patients about their substance abuse on a follow-up visit (96%). After exposure to an active-learning half-day continuing education course, clinicians reported improvement with and high rates of desirable substance abuse-related clinical practices up to 5 years later. Continuing education efforts that incorporate active learning directed toward practicing clinicians show promise for improving rates of brief intervention for alcohol and other drug abuse.

Effectiveness of workshop training for psychosocial addiction treatments: A systematic review

“…One additional study (Saitz, Sullivan, & Samet, 2000) reported a mix of health care workers, psychologists, and social workers. Table 1 shows a summary of the workshops that focused on health care providers.…”

A systematic review of motivational interviewing training for general health care practitioners

“…Several of the studies reported positive findings. Saitz et al [41] showed that training had a significant effect on practice as the participants screened and asked more patients about their substance abuse. Similarly, Sargeant et al [42] observed that participants made specific changes in their counselling approaches and felt more comfortable interacting with patients.…”

The feasibility and acceptability of introducing brief intervention for alcohol misuse in an urban Aboriginal medical service

“…Training in the form of continuing education for GPs and other health professionals in the wider community has been found to increase their willingness to offer alcohol screening and to ask patients about alcohol [18,20]. For these reasons, training was a key feature of this project.…”