Evaluation of an online SBIRT training program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Education
• Psychology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a global shift to online education, increasing demand for accessible substance use disorder interventions.
• Evidence-based training is crucial for healthcare professionals addressing substance use disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an online training program for the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Services (SBIRT) intervention.
• To assess changes in knowledge and self-efficacy among social work students participating in the online SBIRT training.

Main Methods:

• A pre-posttest design was employed with social work students from two universities.
• Participants completed a 4-hour online SBIRT training, including knowledge assessments, self-efficacy measures, and satisfaction scales.
• Mixed Effects Linear regression and linear regression models were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• A nearly threefold increase in SBIRT knowledge was observed post-training.
• Higher SBIRT scores were associated with White, non-Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity and advanced mental health training.
• Participant demographics indicated a predominantly female, White/Caucasian student population with prior higher education.

Conclusions:

• Online SBIRT training is a viable and effective format for increasing student knowledge, comparable to traditional in-person methods.
• Findings suggest potential areas for targeted educational improvements to enhance student outcomes in e-learning environments.
• Recommendations are provided to optimize e-learning strategies for substance use disorder interventions.