The topic of alcohol within the Scottish occupational therapy curricula

Purpose: Scotland has witnessed a large rise in all types of alcohol-related illnesses and death, with societal costs associated with drinking estimated to be 3.6 billion pounds per annum. Despite this escalating problem, previous research in Scotland has demonstrated that gaps exist in the knowledge base of graduate occupational therapists. This study therefore aimed to document the content of alcohol in Scottish occupational therapy curricula. Procedure: This study was conducted during 2010/11 and a questionnaire was sent to the programme leader of all the Scottish Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) offering undergraduate BSc (Hons) courses in occupational therapy, and the only Further Education College (FEI) in Scotland offering a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in occupational therapy. The response rate was 100%. Findings: There is a lack of cohesive approach to alcohol misuse education within the occupational therapy curricula delivered in Scotland. Key proposals of the Scottish Government targeting alcohol misuse are inadequately addressed. Conclusions: The topic of alcohol and alcohol misuse is taught to varying degrees within the curricula offered in Scotland and further emphasis needs to be placed on understanding alcohol misuse and associated potential interventions, irrespective of practice context.sch_occAlcohol Concern (2002) Alcohol misuse among older people. Acquire Alcohol Concern's Quarterly Information and Research Bulletin Autumn, p.i-vi. Available at: http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/assets/files/Publications/Older%20People%20factsheet.pdf Accessed 24.01.13. Alcohol Concern/The Children's Society (2010) Swept under the carpet: children affected by parental alcohol misuse. London: Alcohol Concern. Booth PG, Mulligan CJ (1994) Alcohol Teaching within Occupational Therapy Courses: a Case for Larger Measures. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(9), 354-56. Cassidy C L (1988) Occupational therapy intervention in the treatment of alcoholics. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 8(2), 17-26. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (2011) Excessive Drinking Costs U.S. $223.5 Billion [online]. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AlcoholConsumption/ Accessed on 24.01.13. 28 Clark C (2005) Health and alcohol use: Educational innovations. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 199-206. Corvinelli A (2011) Alleviating Boredom in Adult Males Recovering from Substance Use Disorder. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 21(2), 1-11. Crowder R, Forster S (2008) Working together to reduce harm: the substance misuse strategy for Wales 2008-2018. London: College of Occupational Therapists. Department of Health (2000) The NHS Plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. London: HMSO. Department of Health (2001) Working together - learning together. A framework for lifelong learning for the NHS. London: HMSO. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Regional Training Centers Consortium (2007) Educating Health Professionals about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. American Journal of Health Education, 38(6), 364-73. Ghodse H (2007) Substance misuse in the undergraduate medical curriculum. London: International Centre on Drug Policy. Gill JS, O'May FP (2011) Is it my job? Alcohol brief interventions: knowledge and attitudes among future health-care professionals in Scotland. Alcohol and Alcoholism 46(4), 441-50. 29 Gill J, Maclean F, Renton L, O'May F (2011) Occupational therapy graduates of 2009: knowledge and attitudes relating to their role in the area of alcohol misuse. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(4), 168-75. GROS (2008) Scotland's Population 2007. Edinburgh, National Statistics. ISD (2012) Alcohol-related Hospital Statistics Scotland 2012. Edinburgh: ISD Scotland. Available at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/2012-05-29/2012-05-29-alcoholhospitalstats2012-report.pdf Accessed on 24.01.13. Jirikowic T (2008) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Implications for Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Developmental Disabilities, 31(2), 1-4. Lock CA (2004) Screening and brief alcohol interventions: What, why, who, where and when? A review of the literature. Journal of Substance Use, 9(2), 91-101. McQueen J, Allan L, Mains D (2006) Brief Motivational Counselling for Alcohol Abusers admitted to Medical Wards. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(7), 327-33. NICE (2010) Alcohol-use disorders: preventing the development of hazardous and harmful drinking. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13001/48984/48984.pdf Accessed on 24.01.13. NHS Scotland (2002) Working for health: the workforce development action plan for NHS Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive. 30 NHS Scotland (2003) Partnership for care. Scotland's Health Care White Paper. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive. Nixon J (1988) The role of the occupational therapist in the field of alcohol abuse. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51(10), 259-63. O'Connell H, Chin AV, Cunningham C, Lawlor B (2003) Alcohol use disorders in elderly people - redefining an age old problem in old age. British Medical Journal 327(7416), 664-67. Riley K, Ramsey R, Cara E (1998) Substance abuse and occupational therapy. In: E Cara, A MacRae (eds) Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: A Clinical Practice. Albany: Delmar, 227-60. Rudeen PK, Cook K, Mengel MB, Ulione M, Wedding D, Braddock S, Ohlemiller M (2007) Knowledge and Attitudes about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and Alcohol Use During Pregnancy by Occupational Therapists in the Midwest. Journal of Allied Health, 36(3), e203-e20. Scottish Government (2008) Changing Scotland's relationship with alcohol: a discussion paper on our strategic approach. Edinburgh: Scottish Government. Scottish Government (2009) Scotland's drinking habit. Available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/20161722 Accessed on 24.01.13 31 Scottish Government (2010). The societal cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland for 2007. Edinburgh: Scottish Government. Steed H, Groome M, Rice P, Simpson K, Day A, Ker J (2010) Evaluation of a new core curriculum on alcohol use disorders for undergraduate medical students. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 45(4), 395-97. Stoffel VC, Moyers PA (2004) An Evidence-Based and Occupational Perspective of Interventions for Persons With Substance-Use Disorders. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58(5), 570-86. Stone N (1985) Occupational therapy involvement in assessment and primary individual work with alcohol dependent patients. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 48(9), 263-65. Thompson K (2007) Occupational Therapy and Substance Use Disorders: Are Practitioners Addressing These Disorders in Practice? Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 21(3), 61-77. Wallace C, Black DJ, Fothergill A (2010) Integrated assessment of older adults who misuse alcohol. Nursing Standard, 24(33), 51-57.77pub3140pub