Improving Medical Students’ Attitude toward Patients with Substance use Problems through Addiction Medicine Education

Abstract

Background: Patients with addiction often encounter negative attitudes from health care professionals, including medical doctors. Addiction medicine training might improve medical students' attitudes toward patients with addiction problems and change the way they think about addiction. We evaluated the effect of comprehensive addiction medicine training on students' attitudes and illness perceptions and explored which perceptions are most relevant for attitude development. Methods: In a quasi-experimental non-randomized study, fourth-year students (n ¼ 296) participated in either addiction medicine training (intervention) or one of three other blocks (control). We used the Medical Condition Regards Scale to measure attitudes and the Illness Perception Questionnaire Addiction version for perceptions. We analyzed the effect of the intervention using repeated measures MANOVA. The contribution of illness perception to attitude was explored in the intervention group using linear regression analysis. Results: Addiction medicine training improved students' attitudes toward patients with addiction, compared to the control group. After the training, students expressed a less demoralized perception, a stronger perception of a coherent understanding of addiction, addiction as a cyclical condition, and attributed addiction more to psychological factors, compared to the control group. In the intervention group, attitude and emotional representation before training and illness coherence after the training were associated with attitude after the training. Conclusions: Addiction medicine training is effective in improving medical students' attitudes toward patients with addiction and changing their illness perceptions of addiction. The development of an understanding of addiction might be particularly relevant for attitude improvement. These findings underscore the relevance of addiction medicine training as part of medical curricula and argue for including aspects related to attitude development in the curriculum.

The Impact of Stigma on People with Opioid Use Disorder, Opioid Treatment, and Policy

“…Structured education that focuses on opioid use disorder treatment and emphasises recovery, as well as programs that include contact with patients in one-on-one or small group settings, has been found to decrease stigma and increase confidence and interest in providing OAT in later practice. [101][102][103] Much has been written about the need to address the restrictive and coercive elements of OAT delivery. 39,40,68 The recent introduction of long-acting injectable depot buprenorphine may offer an alternate approach to how OAT treatment could be delivered.…”

Education and training on addiction psychiatry in low and middle income countries: Observations from existing literature and recommendations going ahead

“…Another quasi‐experimental non‐randomized study among 296 fourth‐year students using the Medical Condition Regards Scale showed that addiction medicine training improved students' attitudes toward patients with addiction, reduced demoralized perception, and increased the perception of a coherent understanding of addiction. This study concluded that addiction medicine training was effective in improving attitudes of medical students toward patients with addiction and their perception of addiction (Ayu et al, 2020). Pal Singh Balhara and Singh (2019) documented the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of an online course to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and attitude of the participants on behavioral addictions involving Internet use.…”

“…of the 17 studies included in this review, eight explored the effect and perceptions of training in addiction psychiatry/medicine (Ayu et al, 2020;Pal Singh Balhara & Singh, 2019;Chikezie et al, 2021;Khan et al, 2020;Mahadevan et al, 2020;Mehrotra et al, 2018;Nolan et al, 2018;Pahuja et al, 2020). A descriptive evaluation of a novel grant funding mechanism for tobacco training programs showed that 19 grants were awarded by Global Bridges to organizations in low-and middle-income countries across all six WHO regions.…”

Bridging the Gap: Dual Fellowship Training in Addiction Medicine and Digestive Diseases

“…Addiction medicine training in the form of didactic and experiential learning is associated with increased knowledge and improved attitudes toward patients with SUD among medical students and trainees [ 54 – 56 ]. There is a growing array of resources available for medical providers who are interested in gaining knowledge and skills in addiction treatment, short of completing a fellowship.…”