Principal Investigator (UT Subcontract):
Mary M. Velasquez, Ph.D.
The objective of this NIAAA-funded study is to train and evaluate resident physicians on screening and brief intervention (SBI) for alcohol misuse in primary care patients. The study uses an innovative training approach which is designed to assist in implementation of state-of-the art SBI techniques in Family Medicine residency programs.
We use a combination of clinician training and systems intervention to train faculty and residents at 8 primary care residency programs to perform SBI in their primary care settings, to test the ability of team learning activities and compliance feedback to reinforce continued use of SBI behaviors, and to prepare residents to perform SBI in their future practices. The study is a before-after comparison of (1) the rates of screening and intervention in 8 residency programs, measuring screening and intervention rates using patient exit interviews and chart audits; (2) clinician motivation and perceived importance and self-efficacy in performing SBI activities. It also uses focus groups to provide a qualitative assessment of barriers to performing SBI in residents’ future practices and surveys clinicians regarding their use of SBI techniques four to six months after residency graduation.
As Principal Investigator of the subcontract with Mercer, Dr. Velasquez holds primary responsibility for overall study oversight for Texas. Her responsibilities include supervision of the Texas regional project director and other Houston-based staff, assisting with training workshops for clinicians and clinic staff, assisting in the direction of focus groups, and coordinating project implementation, data collection, and data analysis at all Texas project sites.
Sponsor:
Mercer University / NIAAA subcontract (1 R25 AA01415, J. P. Seale, PI)