Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Distance Learning Program in the Training of Health Professionals in the screening and Brief Intervention for alcohol and/or other drugs users

• Grant number: 09/12973-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2010
• Effective date (End): February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Maria Lucia Oliveira de Souza Formigoni
• Grantee: Ana Paula Leal Carneiro
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Although there is evidence on the effectiveness of brief interventions (BI) users to risk of alcohol and / or other drugs when applied under controlled conditions by researchers, there are few studies that evaluated it when applied by in person trained health professionals and in real conditions of use, ie, as part of their routine work. However, there are no controlled studies assessing the effectiveness of BI applied by health professionals who were trained by distance learning (DL). Therefore, this study sought to evaluate both the effectiveness of a BI for users of risk of alcohol and / or other drugs, applied by health professionals trained by EAD, as the effectiveness of the training course using distance learning tools in the training of these professionals. To do so we will be invited to participate in this project all health professionals who will complete successfully the EAD course SUPERA (System for detection of abuse and dependence on psychoactive substances: Referral, Brief Intervention, Rehabilitation and social reinsersion) in its 2nd (2009), 3rd (2010) and 4th (2011) editions. It also aims to evaluate the influence of supervision at a distance (by phone, email, skype, etc.), offered to healthcare professionals upon completion of the course and focused on the use and implementation of techniques for screening and brief intervention (SBI). After three months of application of the SBI, the researcher will develop a follow-up evaluation of individual patients (by telephone) to evaluate the outcome. The outcome of the two groups (who will receive or not supervision) will be compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the BI, as well as the influence of the supervision provided to these professionals. We also intend to check the use and applicability of knowledge and techniques learned in their workplaces. We will also analyze the profile of participants enrolled and selected to participate in the ongoing DL SUPERA, their level of satisfaction with the course and their self-perception about their level of training. These data will be used as predictors of their performance (grades in each module) and of the effectiveness of the intervention carried out after the end of the course.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LEAL CARNEIRO, ANA PAULA; OLIVEIRA SOUZA-FORMIGONI, MARIA LUCIA. Country-wide distance training for delivery of screening and brief intervention for problematic substance use: A pilot evaluation of participant experiences and patient outcomes. SUBSTANCE ABUSE, v. 39, n. 1, p. 102-109, 2018. (09/12973-8)