INTRODUCTION: Addiction studies programmes are very diverse around the world. To respond to the public health perspective needs to decrease problems related to drug use, empowering the addiction workforce in a sustainable way is a relevant pathway. The main aim of the study was to describe and compare successfully running academic master’s programmes in addictions with proven sustainability and to find key supporting factors of these programmes. METHODS: The study was conducted in 2022-2023 with selected master’s-level study programmes in addictions actively participating in international collaboration with accessible data from evaluation studies. The selection of the sample for the research was a non-random, intentional selection. Eight programmes were approached, and five programmes participated in the research. The first phase was focused on a website search, collecting information regarding specific characteristics of the university-based master’s degree study programmes in addiction and available evaluations. The second phase was based on semistructured interviews and in-depth analysis of the study programmes. The Grounded Theory method (open and selective coding) and simple descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: The study programmes, generally represented by a two-year follow-up master’s programme, have been developed in the last 40 years. Their establishment was related to the drug situation in the countries and the lack of professionals in the field of addiction, especially those focused on addiction treatment. The curricula were based on existing international standards or curricula. The programmes have a core of common competencies for graduates,
BACKGROUND: Exponential growth of addiction specific services accelerated the need and pressure on professionalizing workforce. It is followed by the increasing number of university and higher education programs specifically focused on substance use, hand in hand with curricula development. In such fast condition changes, emphasis on quality assurance is key. The aim of the paper is to describe and reflect the development process of international quality standards and a competency model for clinically oriented university programs in addictions. METHODS: The study is based on a process evaluation reflecting internal process of developing quality standards and a competency model for tertiary education programs specifically focused on addictions. It was facilitated and led by a working group (2020-2023) established by ICUDDR and NAADAC/NASAC. The process of development has been described, the final documents presented and the main challenges identified. RESULTS: The working group has created the final output represented by international quality standards dedicated to educators and curricula developers and evaluators for relatively narrow profile of study programs: addiction counseling, treatment and rehabilitation. Authors reflected on the process of standards development and focused on broader context of emerging educational programs and formulating a roadmap for continual work where prevention, harm reduction and recovery perspectives are still missing. CONCLUSIONS: There is a global need to continue developing quality standards for tertiary education on substance use and a need to intensify the dialogue between service providers, professional societies, governmental structures and university and higher education providers in maintaining and improving quality of addiction care.
BACKGROUND: The role of physicians is crucial in the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and addiction. The quality of addiction-specific medical education varies, as do postgraduate and continuing medical education programmes in different countries. In order to ensure a high level of quality education, it is necessary to name and define competency-based quality standards that enable physicians to provide the highest quality care to patients. METHODS: The objective of the study will be the identification of quality standards in competency-based postgraduate and continual medical education for physicians in the field of addictions. We will conduct a review of available literature sources, and based on key terms, we will carry out a search in electronic databases PubMed, EBSCO, SCOPUS, Web of Science, in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) methodology, and identify articles related to the topic. From the standpoint of relevance, we will review the abstracts and full texts of studies. RESULTS: Review protocol will enable us to summarize available evidence on postgraduate and continuing medical education in addictions using the methodology of a systematic scoping review for the purpose of mapping relevant literature. The results will be published as academic papers and conference presentations. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review will provide specific insights into the postgraduate and continuing medical education. The findings will inform about the types and frequency of educational processes in addictology within the postgraduate and continuing medical education.
There is a growing trend of development and improvement of education and training in the field of addictions, hand in hand with the increase and changes of substance use-related issues. To ensure a high level of education quality it is necessary to name and define competency-based models and quality standards of different groups of addiction workforce/professionals in various drug demand reduction settings (prevention, treatment/ social reintegration/recovery, and harm reduction) as it is important to guarantee high-quality care to the target group of people dealing with substance use issues and addiction (including behavioural addictions). METHODS: The aim of the study is to identify quality standards and competency-based models in education programmes and training for addiction professionals/workforce. A review of available literature sources focusing on quality standards and competency-based models in training and education in the addiction field is going to be conducted. We will search for any eligible articles from selected electronic databases (e.g., PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus), grey literature, and the internet. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta- Analysis (PRISMA) will be followed for study selection and reporting. Titles and abstracts will be independently reviewed for relevance and full-text studies acquired for analysis. The documents found will be kept in a single file, added to and sorted, and analysed for the types of standards, curricula, and training modules that exist, with a focus on identifying competencies. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study does not include human participants or other subjects requiring ethical approval. The research project is going to be implemented in accordance with ethical standards. The results will be published in a professional journal and presented at the Lisbon Addiction Conference 2024. The next steps would lead to open discussions with relevant stakeholders.
Východiska. Přestože již v minulosti proběhla studie na mapování charakteristiky potencionálních studentů oboru adiktologie, je potřeba sledovat, zda se typický profil uchazeče o obor adiktologie mění, aby bylo možné přizpůsobovat propagační strategie a tak zvyšovat zájem kvalitních uchazečů o studium oboru adiktologie. Cíle. Cílem studie je popsat charakteristiku uchazeče o studium adiktologie na bakalářském a magisterském stupni pro akademické roky 2020/2021 a 2021/2022. Metody. Výzkumný vzorek tvořili uchazeči o studium, kteří si podali přihlášku na obor adiktologie (bakalářské prezenční, kombinované a magisterské kombinované studium) na 1. lékařské fakultě Univerzity Karlovy pro roky 2020/2021 a 2021/2022 (2 soubory: soubor A – 319 uchazečů, B – 204 uchazečů), kteří poslali přihlášku na studijní obor. Data byla sbírána pomocí online dotazníků, následně vyhodnocována v systému Survio a v programu SPSS. Výsledky. Typický profil uchazeče o studium vykazuje tyto charakteristiky: žena od 18 do 30 let věku u všech forem studia (soubor A=84 %, B=84 %). Nejvíce uchazečů u obou souborů u všech forem studia pochází z Prahy (soubor A=31 %, B=26 %) a Středočeského kraje (A=18 %, B=18 %). Uchazeči se dozvěděli o oboru z webových stránek poskytovatele studia (A=50 %, B=46 %), od současných studentů (A=23 %, B=18 %) či známých. U obou sledovaných souborů jsou výsledky totožné. Závěr. Dlouhodobě je možné pozorovat vzrůstající zájem o studium adiktologie. Z výsledků je patrný význam digitálních médií při informování veřejnosti, z čehož vyplývá, že vhodně zvolená forma propagace může přispět k přihlášení kvalitních uchazečů se zájmem o obor.
Background. Although the characteristics of potential addictology students have already been studied, it is important to look for any changes in the typical profile of applicants for the study programme in addictology in order to adapt promotional strategies to increase the interest on the part of quality candidates for the study of addictology. Aims. The aim of this study is to describe characteristics of applicants for the addiction studies programme. Methods. The research sample consisted of applicants for the study programmes in addictology at the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University for the 2020/2021 and 20221-2022 academic years (two groups: A – 319 applicants, B – 204 applicants). Subsequently, the data was analysed using the Survio system and the SPSS program and further described. Results. A typical profile of an applicant shows the following characteristics: a woman from 18 to 30 years of age in all study formats (A = 84%, B = 84%). Most applicants came from Prague (A = 31%, B = 26%) and the Central Bohemia region (A = 18%, B = 18%). The most common way in which applicants had learnt about the study programme was from the website of the study programme provider (A = 50%, B = 46%) and from current students or acquaintances (A = 23%, B = 18%). Conclusion. The results suggest the importance of digital media in informing the general public, which shows that an appropriate form of promotion can help ensure that quality candidates with genuine interest in the field apply for the study.
Východiska. V oblasti studia a výzkumu závislostí existuje po celém světě široká škála odborníků, možností vzdělávání a regionálních rozdílů. Rozmanitost možností vzdělávání představuje výzvu z hlediska navrhování přesné klasifikace vysokoškolských a univerzitních studijních programů způsobem, který by splňoval kritéria léčby založené na kontrole kvality pro všechny, kteří takovou péči potřebují. Cíl. Cílem této studie bylo reflektovat široké spektrum odborníků působících v oblasti závislostí a navrhnout matici vzdělávacích a studijních programů na vysokoškolské a univerzitní úrovni a zapracovat jejich charakteristiky a kritéria do první verze možné typologie. Metody | Byla provedena sekundární analýza dřívějších internetových šetření, která byla zaměřena na konkrétní formáty, modely a profily studia, jakož i další vzdělávací programy vytvořené a poskytované vysokoškolskými institucemi a univerzitami. Výsledky. Definovali jsme šest základních typů vysokoškolského a univerzitního vzdělávání podle tří kritérií: úroveň studia a udělovaný titul/osvědčení, cíloví uchazeči/obory (všeobecné nebo specializované studium) a stěžejní náplň programu a profil jeho absolventů. Na základě těchto kritérií navrhujeme strukturovanou a přehlednou typologii stávajících možností vzdělávání, díky níž budou mít noví uchazeči i ti, kdo v této oblasti již pracují, jasnější představu o možnostech studia adiktologie a dalšího zvyšování kvalifikace v oboru. Závěr. Definování vzdělávacích příležitostí a návrh typologie představuje výchozí bod pro lepší obeznámenost s možnostmi vzdělávání a zvyšování kvalifikace v adiktologii. Navržená typologie nabízí potenciál pro stanovení minimálních standardů pro jednotlivé akademické úrovně, snižování stigmatizace a zvyšování významu prevence a léčby poruch souvisejících s užíváním návykových látek.
Background. A broad range of professionals, training opportunities, and regional differences exist in the addiction study field worldwide. This educational variety poses a challenge in proposing a precise classification of study programs at the higher education and university levels to meet the criteria of quality control-based treatment for those in need. Aim. This study aimed to reflect the broad spectrum of professionals integrated into the addiction field and propose a matrix of training and study programs at the higher education and university levels, organizing their characteristics and criteria in the first version of a possible typology. Methods. A secondary analysis of earlier internet surveys was conducted, focusing on specific formats, models, profiles of study, and other training programs developed and provided by higher education institutions and universities. Results. We defined six basic types of higher and university education according to three criteria: level of studies and degree/certificate awarded; target applicants/disciplines (general or specialized studies), and the main scope of the program and its graduates’ profiles. From these criteria, we propose a structured and clear typology of existing educational options to make addiction education transparent for new applicants and those already working in the field. Conclusion. Defining educational opportunities and proposing a typology presents a starting point for improving understanding of education and training options in addiction studies. The proposed typology offers potential for setting minimum standards for each academic level, reducing stigma, and increasing the importance of substance use disorder prevention and treatment.
