Training primary health care staff about alcohol: A study of alcohol trainers in the UK

TY - JOUR

T1 - Training primary health care staff about alcohol: A study of alcohol trainers in the UK

AU - Albery, IP

AU - Durand, MA

AU - Heuston, J

AU - Groves, P

AU - Gossop, M

AU - Strang, J

PY - 1997/7

Y1 - 1997/7

N2 - It has consistently been emphasised that maximal identification and management of alcohol abusers requires a major commitment by primary health care workers. Although evidence suggests that brief alcohol interventions delivered in general practice may be successful, research also shows general practitioners (GPs) to be reluctant to work with alcohol patients. Training has been proposed as a means to overcome any barriers to intervention with some empirical support. However, limited evidence shows primary care workers to be under-represented among those attending alcohol training programmes. This study examines the proposal that primary care practitioners are not being attracted into training not because they themselves remain unmotivated to learn, but rather that trainers hold a set of beliefs about such workers' training needs which makes them unattractive for recruitment. In general, although trainers believed GPs to be the most appropriate profession to train about alcohol, training frequency for these subjects was lower than for other health-care groups. Other results showed a belief that it is more important to train all worker groups with respect to attitudes when compared with alcohol-related skills and knowledge. Finally, training across addictive substances was not perceived to be necessarily the optimal approach.

AB - It has consistently been emphasised that maximal identification and management of alcohol abusers requires a major commitment by primary health care workers. Although evidence suggests that brief alcohol interventions delivered in general practice may be successful, research also shows general practitioners (GPs) to be reluctant to work with alcohol patients. Training has been proposed as a means to overcome any barriers to intervention with some empirical support. However, limited evidence shows primary care workers to be under-represented among those attending alcohol training programmes. This study examines the proposal that primary care practitioners are not being attracted into training not because they themselves remain unmotivated to learn, but rather that trainers hold a set of beliefs about such workers' training needs which makes them unattractive for recruitment. In general, although trainers believed GPs to be the most appropriate profession to train about alcohol, training frequency for these subjects was lower than for other health-care groups. Other results showed a belief that it is more important to train all worker groups with respect to attitudes when compared with alcohol-related skills and knowledge. Finally, training across addictive substances was not perceived to be necessarily the optimal approach.

KW - GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS

KW - BRIEF INTERVENTIONS

KW - PSYCHIATRIC SKILLS

KW - DRUG

KW - MANAGEMENT

KW - MISUSE

M3 - Article

SN - 0968-7637

VL - 4

SP - 173

EP - 186

JO - Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy

JF - Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy

IS - 2

ER -