The Authors’ Own Words: Participants' perception of a unique community of practice for substance abuse education in the Caribbean

The Authors’ Own Words: We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Participants’ perception of a unique community of practice for substance abuse education in the Caribbean

Sandra D. Reid, MBBS, MPH, DM (Psych); Erica Downes, BSc, MPH; & Akwatu Khenti, BA, MA

Substance Abuse Vol. 37, Iss. 3, 2016

“In the Caribbean, increased substance abuse and associated harms demand effective training for health and allied professionals. CARIAD is the first ever reported substance abuse training programme based on the principles of a community of practice. CARIAD also has a unique Caribbean cultural component, which gives participants an opportunity to provide cultural insights into local and regional expressions of substance abuse and its management, intentionally generating local knowledge that is important in the understanding and management of substance use disorders. Participants report effective learning and dissemination of knowledge; a positive impact on personal attitudes, collective commitment and motivation; and empowerment in professional practice. This process of learning can be recommended to countries where socio-culturally relevant research is not prioritized and evidence-driven interventions are not always available.”