MEDICAL-EDUCATION ABOUT ALCOHOL - REVIEW OF ITS ROLE AND EFFECTIVENESS

WALSH RA

Ra. Walsh, MEDICAL-EDUCATION ABOUT ALCOHOL - REVIEW OF ITS ROLE AND EFFECTIVENESS, Alcohol and alcoholism, 30(6), 1995, pp. 689-702

125

INGLESE

Review

Substance Abuse

Alcohol and alcoholism → ACNP

0735-0414

30

6

1995

689 - 702

ISI

0735-0414(1995)30:6<689:MAA-RO>2.0.ZU;2-A

Many reports have described inadequate responses by doctors to problem s associated with alcohol misuse. Low levels of medical knowledge and inappropriate attitudes continue to be documented in the alcohol area. However, in recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on the nee d to improve doctors' skills in relation to alcohol problem detection and intervention. Experiential teaching approaches have been recommend ed and strategies which incorporate feedback methods offer considerabl e promise. In the United Kingdom and Canada, there has been no central ly funded approach to improve alcohol medical education. In contrast, federally funded initiatives in the United States of America and Austr alia have been associated with impressive increases in alcohol-related teaching hours and elective opportunities. Despite the substantial ef fort invested in achieving these curriculum gains, there is a dearth o f research demonstrating impacts on medical behaviours or evaluating t he cost-effectiveness of different educational strategies. Evidence fr om trials in smoking cessation training indicate that well-designed pr ogrammes can alter doctor behaviours in relation to substance abuse. I f the alcohol medical education field is to progress, there is an urge nt need for the development and evaluation of programmes which are bet ter designed and are more informed by theory.