Learning About and Destigmatizing Substance Use Disorders: a Video-Based Educational Module Using Simulated Patients

Abstract

Objective: The authors developed and tested video clips depicting three paradigmatic substance use disorder (SUD) clinical scenarios, each portrayed by a different simulated patient interacting with the same clinician.

Methods: The authors embedded 21 short video clips (with a cumulative duration of 27 min) into a 2-h session on SUDs. The didactic was delivered online through synchronous videoconferencing with Zoom. The primary outcome compared learners' scores on the Attitudes and Confidence in the Treatment of Patients with Substance Use Disorders (ACT-SUDS) before and after participating in the didactic.

Results: Fifty-eight second-year medical students participated and completed the survey prior to the didactic; 42 (72%) of them completed the survey immediately after. Compared to baseline, ACT-SUDS increased after the didactic: from 3.7 ± 0.5 to 4.0 ± 0.4 (mean difference = 0.4 [95% confidence interval = 0.2-0.5], paired-t = 5.75, p < 0.001), as did each of its four subscales: confidence, enjoyment, SUD as a medical disorder, and attitudes toward Alcoholics Anonymous (AA; t ≥ 3.0, p ≤ 0.005).

Conclusions: The video-based educational module proved easy to implement in the virtual classroom and led to measurable changes in perceptions and attitudes toward SUDs. The module is available to view or freely download and is amenable for adaptation by end-use instructors.

Keywords: Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA); Didactic; Simulated patients; Stigma; Substance use disorders (SUDs).

Fig. 1

Word clouds based on the prompt “provide the first three words or short phrases that come to mind when you think of someone with a substance use disorder.” A Time 1 (n = 174 words); B time 2 (n =151 words). Word sizes are proportional to the frequency of their occurrence.