New era in addiction (university) education and training: Emphasis on quality assurance and evidence-based approach

Authors

1.Mrs. Amalie Lososová (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

2.Ms. Elizabeth Nováková (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

3.Ms. Vendula Pokorná (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

4.Mrs. Anna Volfová (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

5.Prof. Michal Miovsky (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

1. Department of Addictology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Abstract

Background: Addiction is associated with range of mental and physical health and social functioning burdens. The addiction workforce must respond to new challenges and trends in the field and to the needs of people entering prevention, treatment, harrm reduction and recovery interventions and services.

A wide range of professionals is then necessarily involved in addiction field. Education and training opportunities vary considerably from region to region, and a common criteria and perspective to set minimum standards and evidence-based practice for addiction education are unsufficient.

Aim: The objective is to map and prepare an overview of existing quality assurance tools in (university) addiction education and training with main focus on competencies and educational standards.

Methods: Comprehensive research in scientific databases and grey literature focused on competencies and educational standards in addiction workforce combined with relevant data from ICCUDDR survey realized in 2023.

Results: The contribution brings the key findings extracted from overview of competencies, curricula and quality standards in addiction workforce generally and for selected professions, namely medical doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists performing in addiction field. We tried to diferentiate overlaps of knowledge, skills and competencies among disciplines and specifics of each professions. The results suggest meaningful focus on clinical practice, specifically treatment, compared to other DDR areas and the research.

Conclusion: Although the need of target groups may differ in many aspects, workers should understand fundamental areas such as the process of addiction formation and development, principles of working with clients, transdiciplinary aspects of addictive behaviour and treatment.

This work could help to establish minimal set of core knowledge, sklil and competencies in global perspective on addictions.

Affiliation: Workforce in Addictions-Valorisation in Europe. Project nr. 101045870 JUST-2020-AG-DRUGS.