Experience report of a course on drug use and dependence

Abstract

Introduction: The progressive increase in drug use and dependence requires the training of physicians and medical students who work or will work in the prevention and treatment of this important public health problem. Objective: the experience of a free online extension course on prevention, repression and treatment of use and dependence on psychoactive drugs. Method: the course lasted one year, with 5 thematic modules taught by scholarship students, administrative technicians and teachers from the medicine and pedagogy courses of a public university. Results: 1605 students were enrolled and exposed to the following themes: general aspects of drug use; patterns of drug consumption; causes, mechanisms of action and pathologies associated with drug use and dependence; prevention and treatment and support networks. To make the most of the modules, at the end of them, questions were asked with a prerequisite of 50% of correct answers to progress along the modules. In case of doubts, chats, e-mail of the organizing team and 24-hour online forums were available during the whole course. Conclusion: the result of the online course was satisfactory, with 76% of those enrolled concluding the course, despite the difficulties and restrictions imposed by the pandemic period.