Title:	Substance and Alcohol Use Disorder: Clinical, Social, and Political Aspects
Keywords:	Vulnerable groups Public Health Psychosocial Chronic Health Problems Addiction
Country:	Germany
Institution:	Germany - Institute of International Health, Berlin
Course coordinator:	Dr Andrew Scheibe
Date start:	2025-06-02
Date end:	2025-06-13
About duration and dates:	Two weeks (face-to-face teaching period) + three days for a written assignment (to be submitted four weeks after the end of the face-to-face teaching period)
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Face to face
Course location: Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow-Klinikum Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
ECTS credit points:	3.5 ECTS credits
SIT: 108 hours SIT Contact: 60 hours (41 hours lectures/workshops + 5 hours field visits + 4 hour guided group work + 3 hours discussions/ debates + 1 hour video-based reflection session + 3 hours presentation of group work + 3 hours exam) Self-study: 48 hours (27 hours private reading during face-to-face teaching period, including preparation of presentation + 21 hours (equivalent to ca. 3 days) for written assignment after face-to-face teaching period)
Language:	English
Description: At the end of the module students will be able to ● Propose a public health strategy for a country or region of choice to improve the response to AUD/SUD ● Critically discuss the broader health, societal and economic impact of AUD/SUD globally and in different countries and regions, and debate global and selected national/regional health policies for (and against) people who use drugs (“societal and political aspects”) ● Critically discuss treatment and comprehensive care options for people who use drugs (“clinical aspects”) ● Describe the epidemiology of AUD/SUD at a global level and for selected countries at national and/or regional level ● Explain the aetiology as well as intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors contributing to AUD/SUD
Assessment Procedures: A 45 minutes closed book multiple-choice exam (ca. 30 questions, accounting 33% to the overall mark). The exam will cover theoretical aspects of the module. The student passes the exam if ≥ 60% of the questions are answered correctly. Exams will be marked within 7 days after the end of the “face-to-face teaching period” (if not otherwise agreed on) and immediately communicated to the students. If the student fails s/he can re-sit on a date agreed on with the module coordinator (preferably within 4-8 weeks after the module). A second re-sit of the exam is permitted but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as attending the course again in the following year (no additional fees). A written assignment (1500-2500 words, accounting 67% to the overall mark). The assignment assesses the capability of the student to analyse a real world situation and to translate the content of the module into public health approaches. For the assignment students are asked to select a country or region within a country and to: 1. Describe the epidemiology of AUD/SUD in the particular state/region (10% weight in the assignment’s grading) 2. Describe the Health and Societal Impact of AUD/SUD in the particular state/region (20% weight in the assignment’s grading) 3. Assess current responses to AUD/SUD at medical (governmental and non-governmental) and political/ societal level (20% weight in the assignment’s grading) 4. Propose ways to improve the country’s/ region’s response to AUD/SUD (30% weight in the assignment’s grading) and 5. Identify potential barriers for implementation of the proposed interventions and solutions for these (20% weight in the assignment’s grading) Each student will receive individualised feedback on the assignment and a grade using a rubric matrix. Students pass the assignment if they gain 60% or more of the achievable points. If a student fails the assignment, s/he is allowed to revise and resubmit the assignment considering the comments provided by the marker. A second re-submission of the assignment is permitted but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as attending the course again in the following year (no additional fees). Students will receive two grades based on their overall mark: One according to the German (absolute) 6 point decimal grading system (1.0 [excellent/ sehr gut] – 6.0 [not sufficient/ ungenügend], pass mark: 4.0 [sufficient/ ausreichend]), and one according to the (relative) ECTS grading system (A top 10%, B next 25%, C next 30%, D next 25%, E lowest 10%).
Content: The course will cover the following topics: Day 1: ● Overview of substance use disorder (including the theory of reward deficiency syndrome, and diagnostic criteria for AUD / SUD & understanding the magnitude and individual, societal, political and economic impact of AUD / SUD (lecture/ workshop) (6 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 2 ● Biopsychosocial and developmental models of AUD/SUD (lecture) (3 h) ● AUD/SUD and somatic co-morbidities (HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis) (lecture/ workshop) (3 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 3 ● Treatment of AUD (lecture) (1 h) ● Concepts of treatment: transtheoretical model of behaviour change/ motivational interviewing and abstinence (lecture) (2 h) ● Concepts of “harm reduction” (video)(1 h) ● Concepts of treatment: Opioid Agonist Maintenance Therapy & diamorphine therapy (lecture/ Q&A) (2 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 4 ● Gender and substance use guided group work (2 h) ● Gender, substance use and intersectionality (lecture) (1 h) ● Destigmatising drugs and their use (lecture/ workshop) (3 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 5 ● Cannabis (lecture) (1.5 h) ● Development: Comprehensive care model (lecture) (1.5 h) ● Peer-led interventions for people who use drugs (lecture) (1 h) ● Examples of peer involvement in harm reduction (discussion) (2 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 6 ● AUD/SUD and mental health conditions (lecture) (2 h) ● War and Drugs (lecture) (1 h) ● The War on Drugs and the case for decriminalisation (lecture/ workshop) (3 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 7 ● Psychedelic augmented psychotherapy (lecture) (1 h) ● Ayahuasca and psychobilin as treatment for AUD/SUD (lecture) (1 h) ● Ibogain: a new concept on the horizon (lecture) (1 h) ● Controversies: Evidence based Western vs experience based traditional care for people living with SUD (debate) (3 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 8 ● Responding to the opioid overdose crisis (1 h) ● AUD/SUD – Trauma – Imprisonment – Care behind bars (1 h) ● Field visit (4 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 9 ● Presentations from field visits (3 h) ● Ethics in care of people who use drugs (lecture/ workshop) (3 h) ● Self-study (3 h) Day 10 ● Community harm reduction services in South Africa (Guided group work) (2 h) ● Virtual site visit: drop in centre / harm reduction service (1 h) ● Written exam (1.5 h) ● Feedback & Evaluation & Instructions for essay (1.5 h)
Methods: The course uses participatory learning, based on lectures/ workshops with discussions (45 hrs), field visits (5 hrs), supervised/guided group work (4 hours) and presentation of the field studies and group work (3 hrs) as well as self-directed learning (27 hrs), a written assignment (21 hrs), exam and feedback/discussion (3 hrs)
Prerequisites: ● Registered student of the MscIH programme in International Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin o or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course), o or guest participants with basic knowledge and experience in international health ● English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.
Attendance: Max. number of students: 24 In order to receive a grade report or an attendance certificate, students have to attend 85% of the contact time
Selection: Participants are selected on a first come first served basis. Deadline for application: 8 weeks before module start, deadline for payment: 4 weeks before module start (if not otherwise agreed on). We shall confirm the module 6 weeks before module start, which is subject to a sufficient number of applications (minimum 8). Late applications will be considered as long as places are available. Application forms can be found here: Application form
Fees: 1,225 EUR MScIH and tropEd students and alumni (For Berlin students who started their studies in 2022 or earlier the old scale of fees applies. Please see here) 1,531.25 EUR for others
Scholarships: None
Major changes since initial accreditation: In 2020: ● extension to a two week module in order to accommodate additional contents In 2024: ● New course coordinator ● A session on drug overdose (risks, prevention & mitigation) ● A session on the impact of the war in Ukraine and AUD/SUD ● A session on gender responsive AUD/SUD services
Student evaluation: The first course in 2019 was rated 4,3 out of 5 regarding selection of content and 4,7 out of 5 regarding quality of teaching. The written feedback of the students was overwhelmingly positive highlighting the field visits in Berlin and the enthusiastic discussions and debates. In all evaluations students in 2019 requested to extend the module to at least 2 weeks and expand on the content.
Lessons learned: There is a huge demand to learn more about this topic. This includes the wish to understand the realities of people with AUD/SUD, pathophysiological concepts, up-to-date treatment and care options and standards, and to discuss the political, societal and clinical challenges to assist people with AUD/SUD
tropEd accreditation: Accreditation in Lisbon, January 2019 (2 ECTS). Reaccredited in EC Conference, December 2019 (3.5 ECTS. Re-accredited in EC Telco December 2023. This accreditation is valid until December 2028.
Remarks: Participants might get in contact with people living with AUD/SUD inside and outside therapeutic programs. A non-judgmental and respectful approach to people with experience of AUD/SUD is therefore required. Participants pledge themselves to the principles of medical confidentiality whenever there is contact to people with experience of AUD/SUD. Preparatory reading is not required.
Email Address:	andrew.scheibe@gmail.com
Date Of Record Creation:	2019-02-15 09:51:48 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2019-02-15 15:02:45 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2019-02-15 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2024-09-24 09:47:51 (W3C-DTF)