INTRODUCTION: The addiction workforce encompasses a diverse group of professionals across various sectors, such as prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. Training for this workforce is highly variable both at local and international levels, influenced by differences in drug policies, regulatory frameworks, and educational systems across regions. The need for a more holistic and inclusive competency framework has become increasingly apparent to address these disparities.

METHODS: This article draws on insights from a transdisciplinary team involved in the WAVE (Workforce...

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...

The Introduction to Evidence Based Prevention (INEP) provides learners with the essential principles of substance use prevention. Developed by Charles University (CUNI) in Prague, the course content is based on the European adaptation of the Universal Prevention Curriculum.

With the support of Charles University, INEP Plus was developed by ISSUP to add value to the INEP content by providing training of facilitators from its National Chapters who could then offer INEP Plus courses in country for beginners in prevention. This course offers participants the flexibility to engage in online...

BACKGROUND: Drug dependence is a public health problem that requires trained professionals to effectively address this issue. The aim of this study was to analyse postgraduate university training programs specialising in addictions in Spain.

METHODS: An exhaustive review of the scientific literature was conducted, and information was collected on university training programs specialising in addictions in Spain. A descriptive documentary analysis of the curricula of Master’s and other postgraduate degrees at Spanish universities was performed. Postgraduate and continuing education programs...

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...

INTRODUCTION: As the prevalence of substance use continues to rise all over the world amidst the ongoing pandemic, substance use prevention professionals are challenged to find alternative ways to enhance their knowledge and competence to use the best practices in the field. In the present global health situation, in which running face-to-face training seminars is extremely difficult, the most feasible option is through online learning. The aim of this study is to explore how the different aspects of a substance use prevention online course affected the overall effectiveness of the programme. ...

BACKGROUND:

During the last ten years, Georgia made several important accomplishments in responding to the country’s drug problem. Specifically, in 2011, an interagency national drug coordinating body was established within the Ministry of Justice; in 2015, the multidisciplinary Addiction Studies MA Program was initiated within Ilia State University; and in 2019, the National Drug Observatory (NDO) was founded.

AIM:

This article reviews these accomplishments within the context of the national drug situation with a special focus on addictology education, following up on two 2011 articles...

Brief Description:

The Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (ES-CICAD) is seeking expressions of interest from experts in the field of alternatives to incarceration and social integration to be trained as Master Trainers for the delivery of the Case Care Management curriculum internationally. Upon successful completion of the Training of Trainers, these Master Trainers will be included on the Case Care Management roster of trainers and can be contacted to deliver the training when scheduled. If interested, please submit your resume and relevant information...

The Ohio Attorney General selected experts from a number of academic fields to the Scientific Committee on Opioid Prevention and Education (SCOPE) to help the State of Ohio in tackling the opioid crisis in the United States. The focus of SCOPE is the application of scientific principles in the development of prevention and educational strategies for reducing substance use disorder (SUD). SUD education for healthcare workers was one of SCOPE's main areas of interest. The objective of the present was to identify the content and extent to which future healthcare professionals are trained in pain...

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, organising their characteristics and...

BACKGROUND

The two-year, multidisciplinary Master’s in Drug Dependence (MDD) at the University of Barcelona was created in 1986, after some years of offering shorter seminars. It was a response to the heroin crisis of the 80s and 90s and Spain’s longstanding alcohol and smoking problems. Addressing the situation required specialised professionals, and a specific curriculum for drug dependence did not exist. As far as we know, the MDD is the longest-running programme of its kind in Europe.

AIMS

To describe briefly the conceptualisation and development of this master’s programme.

RESULTS

Th...