Teaching Basic Knowledge on Substance Use Disorders: The Impact of e-Learning on Health Professionals

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Medical training in substance abuse has lagged due to a shift towards a medical perspective on substance use disorders (SUDs).
• There is a need to enhance foundational knowledge of SUDs among healthcare professionals and medical residents.
• Distance learning offers a flexible solution to bridge this educational gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an e-learning course on the basic knowledge of substance use disorders (SUDs).
• To assess the effectiveness of distance learning as a preliminary educational tool before on-campus training.
• To gauge participant satisfaction with the e-learning module.

Main Methods:

• An e-learning course featuring voiced presentations and supplementary materials on SUDs was developed.
• The course was delivered to two groups: general practice medical residents and continuing education health professionals.
• Pre- and post-course questionnaires assessed knowledge, alongside a satisfaction survey.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated significant improvement in SUDs knowledge, with mean score increases of 5.48 for health professionals and 5.90 for residents.
• Knowledge gains were observed across all educational objectives, irrespective of participants' prior background.
• At least 84.2% of participants reported high satisfaction (rated 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale).

Conclusions:

• This study represents the first evaluation of an online pedagogical tool for SUDs education.
• The positive outcomes and participant feedback support the continued development of this e-learning resource.
• The e-learning module serves as an effective preliminary educational component, overcoming limitations of traditional online courses.