Alcohol use disorder has been defined as having two or more symptoms present during the previous year which includes things such as craving alcohol and giving up activities because of alcohol use. The current study aimed to see the impact of an interprofessional symposium on personal knowledge and stigma of alcohol use disorder and to look at reducing stigma and burdens of alcohol use disorder on college campuses.
The symposium took place at a private Midwestern university. There was around 125 students that attended with 100 from the college of pharmacy and health sciences and the rest from other varying colleges. The session lasted around 3 hours and it described the impact of alcohol on campus, the pharmacology of alcohol, the diagnostic criteria of alcohol use disorder, and the treatment. Many speakers presented including an addiction medicine specialist who was currently in recovery. After the symposium, there was a survey sent out to participants with two knowledge-based statements and seven stigma-based statements. The statements looked at preconceived notions of alcohol use disorder and comfort with coworker and peer interactions.
There were 87 baseline questionnaires collected along with 45 post-symposium questionnaires. Results showed that the educational symposium did increase knowledge and was effective at decreasing attendees’ stigma on all questionnaire items. All stigma-based statements decreased in individual respondent stigma of alcohol use disorder as a disease. Students improved understanding of signs of opioid overdose, naloxone administration, and understanding the role in patient care. These findings highlight the potential success of a symposium providing positive changes in attitudes towards alcohol use disorder among college students.
Take Away: The current study aimed to see the impact of an interprofessional symposium on personal knowledge and stigma of alcohol use disorder and to look at reducing stigma and burdens of alcohol use disorder on college campuses. There was around 125 students that attended the symposium and the session lasted around 3 hours. It described the impact of alcohol on campus, the pharmacology of alcohol, the diagnostic criteria of alcohol use disorder, and the treatment. After the symposium, there was a survey sent out to participants with two knowledge-based statements and seven stigma-based statements. There were 87 baseline questionnaires collected and 45 post-symposium questionnaires. Results showed the educational symposium increased knowledge and was effective at decreasing attendees’ stigma. Students improved understanding of many substance related subjects along with their role in patient care. These findings highlight the potential success of a symposium providing positive changes in attitudes towards alcohol use disorder.