HIV Insight: Participants' Perception of a Unique Community of Practice for Substance Abuse Education in the Caribbean

BACKGROUND:

Substance abuse is a significant public health challenge in the Caribbean. It is important that health and allied professionals be adequately trained in this field. The Caribbean Institute on Alcoholism and other Drug Problems (CARIAD) was established to provide new knowledge, and share successful best practices in substance abuse in the Caribbean. CARIAD brings together diverse participants from throughout the region in a structured community of practice, and emphasizes local knowledge formation. This paper evaluates the acceptability and perceived impact of CARIAD to/o;n participants.

METHODS:

Authors analyzed anonymous written evaluations of 458 CARIAD participants completed immediately after the programme in 2003-2;012. Questionnaires collected quantitative data on the acceptability of the programme in meeting the learning needs of participants. Perception of programme acceptability and impact on the participant were also obtained from descriptive content analysis of qualitative data obtained through open-ended questions. A 2013 on-line follow up survey collected data about the utilization and dissemination of knowledge acquired at CARIAD from 141 graduates of the same period. Data analysis employed basic descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS:

Participant evaluation immediately following CARIAD showed a high level of satisfaction with the organization, structure, content and usefulness of the programme. Participants valued the programme's cultural relevance and the opportunity for networking and collaboration. They expressed a collective solidarity, and empowerment to address substance abuse problems. Participants reported that CARIAD had impacted positively on their professional practice, and facilitated knowledge transfer to colleagues and communities.

CONCLUSION:

CARIAD is perceived as an effective community of practice, producing a network of graduates who use the acquired knowledge, skills, and motivation to lead in the field of substance abuse in the Caribbean. This process of learning can be recommended to countries where research is not prioritized and evidence-driven interventions are not always available.

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By: Reid SD1, Downes E2, Khenti A2.