Outcomes of an interprofessional SBIRT training program: Knowledge attainment and perceived competence for practice

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Substance Misuse Intervention
• Interprofessional Education

Background:

• Substance misuse is a significant public health issue.
• Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based early intervention strategy.
• Training health professional students in SBIRT is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a semester-long, 50-hour elective SBIRT training program for health professional students.
• To examine the impact of blended online coursework and interprofessional experiences on SBIRT knowledge and perceived competence.
• To determine if background variables predict the application of SBIRT knowledge and skills.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal data from 197 medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work students were analyzed.
• Structural equation modeling was used to assess changes in knowledge and competence.
• The study examined predictors of SBIRT application, satisfaction, and client numbers.

Main Results:

• Student SBIRT knowledge and perceived competence increased significantly (over one standard deviation).
• Higher gains in perceived competence correlated with higher course ratings and more SBIRT clients served.
• Prior substance abuse training positively impacted SBIRT application; interprofessional differences in baseline knowledge and experience were noted.

Conclusions:

• SBIRT training effectively enhances student knowledge and perceived competence in substance misuse intervention.
• Student background characteristics and prior experiences play a significant role in SBIRT learning and application.
• Interprofessional education in SBIRT requires consideration of discipline-specific baseline knowledge and experiences.