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  • Author
    Limi Ahmed
  • Discovery PI

    UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM)

  • Project Co-Author

  • Abstract Title

    Understanding the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of UCLA Medical Students Regarding Patients with Substance Use Disorder

  • Discovery AOC Petal or Dual Degree Program

    Masters of Public Health at Fielding

  • Abstract

    Keywords: 

    substance use disorder, KAP (knowledge, attitudes and practices) survey, medical students

    Background: 

    In 2022, approximately 48.7 million people aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD), highlighting the crucial need for a comprehensive public health response to prevention and treatment [1]. Medical students will inevitably encounter patients with SUD during their training, emphasizing the importance of a robust substance use training curriculum.

    Objective: 

    We sought to evaluate medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding patients with substance use disorder, assess their clinical readiness, identify potential gaps in the current substance use disorder curriculum at UCLA, and offer recommendations for curriculum adjustments based on data analysis and literature review.

    Methods: 

    We designed a knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey that assessed expected competencies regarding SUD to identify curriculum gaps across preclinical and clinical years. This survey was completed anonymously and was distributed through medical student professional networks and snowball sampling.

    Results: 

    57 out of 114 survey participants were UCLA medical students. When asked six knowledge-related questions, 54% of UCLA students answered five or more questions correctly, compared to 42% of non-UCLA medical students. Concerning attitudes, 42% of UCLA respondents (n=48) felt their preclinical curriculum did not prepare them for managing substance use disorder patients, in contrast to 27% of non-UCLA students (n=52). Regarding clerkships, 21% of both UCLA (n=48) and non-UCLA (n=39) medical students felt their clerkship rotations did not prepare them to manage patients with SUD. Currently, 37% of UCLA medical students and 31% of non-UCLA medical students feel prepared to clinically manage patients with substance use disorder.

    Conclusions: 

    Medical schools have a crucial role in training students to conduct thorough substance use history exams, utilize motivational interviewing, and engage in shared decision-making with patients. Strategies like integrating standardized patients with SUD in the preclinical curriculum and providing clinical experiences with MAT providers in the clerkship year are just a few ways to enhance competency in treating SUD.

    References:

    1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases. www.samhsa.gov. Published 2022. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/release/2022-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-nsduh-releases