RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a training program for Primary Care (PC) professionals developed to increase knowledge, attitudes, and skills for managing patients with risky alcohol use and in the motivational interview. DESIGN: Multicenter, two-arm parallel, randomized, open-label controlled clinical trial. SETTING: PC of the Andalusian Health Service. PARTICIPANTS: The study was completed by 80 healthcare professionals from 31 PC centers. INTERVENTIONS: In both experimental and control groups, a workshop on managing patients with risky alcohol consumption and the resolution of two videotaped clinical cases with standardized patients were conducted. The experimental group attended a workshop on motivational interviewing. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Knowledge about managing risky alcohol use, clinical performance in patients with this health problem, and assessment of the motivational interview. RESULTS: Mean age was 39.50±13.06 - SD - (95% CI: 36.59-42.41); 71.3% (95% CI: 61.1-80.9%) were women. The average score of both groups in the knowledge questionnaire before the training program was 15.10±4.66, becoming 21.99±3.93 points after the training (95% CI: 5.70-7.92; p<0.001). The experimental group showed an average score of 18.53±13.23 before the intervention with the motivational interview and 28.33±11.86 after this intervention (p=0.002). In contrast, no significant variation was found in the score of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A training program aimed at PC professionals designed to increase knowledge on how to manage risky alcohol use and acquire communication skills in motivational interviewing is effective.
