In this activity, you will discuss strategies and approaches that can be implemented to address barriers to substance use care.

Step 1. Review

Review all the learning resources for this lesson.

Step 2. Analyze

Study and analyze some hypothetical testimonials of primary healthcare providers to challenges in integrating and strengthening substance use services into primary care.

In this activity, you will assume the role of a neuropsychiatrist-radio reporter and present a special report on stigma, marginalization, and discrimination towards people suffering from mental/neurological/substance use disorders commonly experienced in one country.

Step 1. Research

Select three countries where stigma, marginalization, and discrimination towards people with mental/neurological/substance use disorders are common. More specifically, for each country, look for the following:

• Documented cases of stigma, marginalization, and discrimination against people with mental/neurological/substance use disorders
• Description of the cases
• Reported reasons why these people are common targets of stigma and discrimination
• Impact of stigma, marginalization, and discrimination
• Preventive strategies and interventions done to address these cases

Step 2.  Respond

Assume the role of a radio reporter who has a formal background in neurology and psychiatry. You are assigned to present a special report on stigma, marginalization, and discrimination towards people suffering from mental/neurological/substance use disorders that are commonly experienced in three countries. You are expected to audio record a 3-7-minute special report that covers all the key points introduced in Step 1. Additionally, the special report should include the following:

• Your own recommendations as a radio reporter/neuropsychiatrist to address the documented cases
• Ways to ensure that a patient understands the proposed treatment for a mental/neurological/substance use disorder by providing free and informed consent for treatment.

Step 3. Rehearse and Record

Rehearse the audio report before making an audio recording of your final work. Ensure that all the necessary and required points are covered by your audio report. Refer to the rubric below as your guide.

Step 4. Share

To share your audio recording, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5. Interact

Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.” You can use the list below as an example:

Item A is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item B is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item C is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item D is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item E is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”

In this activity, you will role-play a practice interview using the ASSIST screening tool between a physician and a patient suffering from substance use disorders and explore other evidence-based models of screening and brief intervention in primary care.

Step 1. Review

Review how to use the ASSIST screening tool from the learning resources in this lesson.

Step 2. Prepare

Prepare the following prior to the role-play:

• The ASSIST-Lite form for general healthcare services (You can download the tool here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assist-lite-screening-tool-how-to-use)
• The patient actor (Ask a friend or a person to play as the patient suffering from a substance use problem)
• The environment where the role-play interview will be simulated
• This can be a recorded face-to-face interview or a recorded virtual interview via Zoom/Skype/Microsoft Teams, etc.

Note: This should be a fictional interview. To respect privacy and confidentiality principles, please do not record an interview with one of your actual patients.

• Gather information for at least two other evidence-based models of screening and brief intervention in primary care.

Step 3. Record

Record a 3-5-minutes audio that exhibits the role-playing of how to administer the ASSIST screening tool to the patient actor, proposed actions/treatments, and your exploration of other evidence-based models of screening and brief intervention in primary care. Make sure that the following will also be demonstrated in the video recording:

• Skills needed/required to screen for substance disorders using the ASSIST screening tool
• Correct administration of ASSIST screening tool

After the role-play screening, by the end of your video, discuss at least two other evidence-based models of screening and brief intervention in primary care. Ensure that the following details are included in the end-of-video discussion:

• Primary and distinct features of at least two other models
• Pros and cons of using these screening models
• Brief guidelines on how to use these models

Step 4. Share

To share your work, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5. Interact

Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.” You can use the list below as an example:

Item A is.....because.....My suggestions for improvement are.....
Item B is.....because.....My suggestions for improvement are.....
Item C is.....because.....My suggestions for improvement are.....
  Item D is.....because.....My suggestions for improvement are.....  
Item E is.....because.....My suggestions for improvement are.....

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”

In this activity, you will write a social media post that talks about the impact of alcohol on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and overall health and common consequences of other substance use.

Step 1. Review

Review all the learning resources for this lesson.

Step 2. Study

Study the given scenario.

Step 3. Respond

Write 200-400 words for a social media infographic post with the following inclusions:

• Prevalence of alcohol and substance use among pregnant, new mothers, and the general population
• Key risk factors for their alcohol consumption and substance use
• Current status of pregnant women, new mothers, and the general population with alcohol and substance use/consumption problems
• Impact of alcohol use on pregnancy and breastfeeding as well as overall health
• Challenges and barriers to treatment and management

• Recommendations 

Note: You can include graphics or pictures if relevant.

Step 4: Share

To share your work, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5: Interact

To complete the activity, you will need to reply to at least two posts made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”

In this activity, you will assume the role of a chief gynecologist of a local hospital and write dialogue as a full response to demonstrate effective communication with patients on maternity and reproductive health care.

Step 1. Review

Review the learning resources for this lesson.

Step 2. Study

Study the given scenario below:

Step 3. Respond

Write a 300-800-word dialogue as a full response that demonstrates effective communication between a gynecologist and the patients regarding the following:

For the pregnant patient (at least 200 words)

• Assessment of the need for opioid use disorder medications for the pregnant woman
• Potential risks of medication against the benefit of treatment on mother and fetus
• Safety of the medication (stage of pregnancy, route of administration, dose)
• Alternative non-drug measures
• Monitoring the efficacy of medication throughout the exposure

For the breastfeeding mother on contraception (at least 200 words)

• Hormonal and non-hormonal methods of contraception
• Risks and benefits of different methods of contraception, especially for breastfeeding women
• Safe, appropriate, and effective contraception options for breastfeeding
• Planning and monitoring efficacy of the chosen contraceptive method

For the patient requesting a fertility consultation (at least 200 words)

• Assessment of the fertility status of the patient
• Is the patient having a hard time getting pregnant?
• If so, what makes it difficult for the patient to get pregnant?
• Is she taking birth control pills or other medications prior to the consultation?
• Lifestyle changes and supplement options
• Other fertility options
• Pros and cons
• Arrangement of fertility plan for the patient and her partner
• Fertility Test
• Planning and monitoring efficacy of the selected fertility plan

Step 4: Share

To share your work, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5: Interact

To complete the activity, you will need to reply to at least two posts made by your peers in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”

In this activity, you will audio-record a follow-up consultation between a physician and a recovering substance user and demonstrate how to perform a general healthy weight assessment and assist the patient in planning his lifestyle.

Step 1. Review

Review the learning resources for this lesson.

Step 2. Study

Study the given scenario:

Step 3. Record

Record the given scenario through an audio role-play by acting as the physician. As for the patient and his father, you may ask for other persons to act out the roles as long as they are not your actual patients. In the absence of human resources, you may act out all the roles. The simulation video must be within 3-5 minutes. Additionally, it must cover the following:

• General healthy weight assessment of the patient (BMI, weight, height)
• A discussion on the following topics
• Patient’s well-being
• Patient’s social, school, and home environments
• Patient’s lifestyle (nutrition, substance use, physical exercise, and sleep behavior)
• Development of a lifestyle caring plan with the patient
• Changes in diet, nutrition, physical exercise, and sleeping behavior
• Practicing techniques to manage mental health, stress, and other substance use triggers
• Building positive relationships
• Religious/Spiritual/ Recreational involvement

Note: This can be a recorded face-to-face interview or a recorded virtual interview via Zoom/Skype/Microsoft Teams, etc.

Step 4. Share

To share your work, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5. Interact

Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.” You can use the list below as an example:      

Item A is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item B is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item C is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item D is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
 Item E is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are....

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”                                                          

In this activity, you will assume the role of a group therapist and prepare a script as a response to the disclosure of private and distressing information in the given scenario and how to build effective communication and relationship with the caregiver by keeping caregivers informed about the person’s health status, including issues related to assessment, treatment, follow-up, and any potential side effects, while ensuring the patient's consent.

Step 1. Review 

Review the learning resources for this lesson.

Step 2. Study

Analyze and study the given scenario below:

A group therapist was currently conducting a round-robin discussion where the members were being asked to share their triumphs and challenges in their lifestyle plans for this week. The discussion was going well until Imee, a 60-year old patient who has lung cancer and severe alcohol consumption, openly shared a distressing incident that happened in her household. Apparently, she tried suicidal drowning by jumping into the pool when everybody was supposed to be sleeping. At that time, her caregiver was on leave to take care of a personal business. The group therapist arranged individual therapy with the patient to address the incident. After attaining consent from the patient, the therapist decided to arrange a dialogue with Imee’s caregiver to inform him/her about the patient’s worsening condition, including issues related to assessment, treatment, follow-up, and any potential side effects.

Step 3. Reflect and Write

Reflect on the given scenario by thinking about two approaches to building effective communication with the caregiver, potential issues, and advantages of their approaches. Then, write a 300-600-word script that will demonstrate one of the two approaches if you are in the position of the group therapist. To be more specific, it must be able to show your:

• Response to the disclosure of private and distressing information in the given scenario
• Approach of how you will build effective communication and relationship with the caregiver, keep the caregiver informed about the person’s health status, including potential issues related to assessment, treatment, follow-up, and any potential side effects, while ensuring the patient's consent.

Step 4. Share

To share your work, click on the “Add a New Discussion” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).

Step 5. Interact

Evaluate and categorize the work from one of your peers based on items A - E of the rubric below. Provide a rationale for the grade you have provided, as well as comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.” You can use the list below as an example:

Item A is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item B is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item C is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
Item D is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….
 Item E is  .…. because….  My suggestions for improvement are….

OPTIONAL Step 6: Interact (10 minutes)

If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”