P-033 - The Impact of an Interprofessional Educational Summit on Healthcare and Law Enforcement Professionals’ Perceptions and Readiness Regarding Collaborative Substance Misuse Prevention and Treatment

Abstract Title: The impact of an interprofessional educational summit on healthcare and law enforcement professionals' perceptions and readiness regarding collaborative substance misuse prevention and treatment

Background: The escalating challenge of substance misuse, particularly with substances like fentanyl, underscores a critical need for comprehensive interprofessional approaches in public health responses. This is especially critical in Alabama, where the opioid prescribing rate is the highest in the nation. However, little work has been done within the state to bring together multiple professions involved in prevention and treatment of substance use disorder. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Substance Misuse Summit was an educational initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare and law enforcement professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration and the risks of substances like fentanyl. These summits, held in-person annually in 2023 and 2024, catered to a diverse group of professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health specialists, first responders, and law enforcement, emphasizing collaborative learning and understanding in substance misuse prevention. Through targeted education, the summits aimed to address the state’s urgent concerns regarding drug misuse, with a specific focus on fentanyl and its associated risks.

Purpose/Objectives: This study investigates the effectiveness of the Substance Misuse Summit in modifying participants' perceptions and readiness for interprofessional collaboration (IPC), particularly focusing on their teamwork and collaboration and professional identity related to patient care and interprofessional problem-solving in the context of substance misuse prevention.


Methods: Recruitment for the summits was conducted via email by ADPH, targeting healthcare and law enforcement professionals across Alabama. Participants completed anonymous pre- and post-summit online surveys during dedicated time at the summit using unique personal codes to maintain confidentiality. The survey instrument was developed by the investigators and adapted from the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) to assess attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration in the context of substance misuse prevention. Primary outcomes included two modified RIPLS subscales: 1) Teamwork and Collaboration (TCIP; 6-items); and 2) Professional Identity (PI; 5-items). Outcomes were measured on a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Internal consistency of the RIPLS scale and subscales was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha at pre- and post-summit. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and baseline attitudes, and RIPLS items were summed and averaged to create mean overall scale scores. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were utilized to compare mean TCIP, PI, and overall RIPLS scores pre- and post-summit. Multiple linear regression was used to identify key professional and sociodemographic factors influencing post-summit TCIP and PI subscale scores, controlling for baseline scores (alpha = 0.05).

Results: A total of 178 individuals completed both pre- and post-summit evaluations (2023 n=122; 2024 n=56). Participants had a mean age of 54.7 years, were predominantly female (66.3%), and primarily identified as White (78.1%). Internal consistency of the TCIP, PI, and overall RIPLS was high, with Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.88 for all scales at pre- and post-summit. At pre-summit, the total mean (SD) RIPLS score was 3.6 (1.1), demonstrating a moderate readiness for interprofessional collaboration, which remained consistent at the post-summit (mean [SD] = 3.6 [1.1]). Notably, the TCIP subscale score decreased slightly from pre- (3.6 [1.1]) to post-summit (3.4 [1.0]; p < 0.001; Hodges-Lehmann effect size (ES) = -0.1667). Conversely, the PI subscale score increased between pre- and post-summit (3.6 [1.2] to 3.8 [1.2]; p = 0.018), although the effect size was nominal (ES = 0). Furthermore, after controlling for baseline pre-summit scores, linear regression analysis revealed that professional affiliation significantly influenced post-summit TCIP and PI scores. Specifically, law enforcement professionals had a statistically significant negative association with post-summit TCIP scores (β = -0.181; p = 0.004; adjusted R² = 0.5753) and post-summit PI scores (β = -0.213; p = 0.002; adjusted R² = 0.5246).

Conclusions/Implications for future research and/or clinical care: The ADPH Substance Misuse Summit effectively enhanced healthcare professionals' attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration in substance misuse prevention in several key areas. In particular, the summit fostered positive attitudes towards IPC as a whole as evidenced by consistent overall RIPLS scores before and after the event, as well as an increased positive sense of professional identity. However, the significant decrease in the TCIP subscale score, as well as the negative association with TCIP and PI among law enforcement professionals post-summit, indicates a need for future targeted strategies to improve readiness for interprofessional collaboration within this group. Addressing these specific professional differences can further optimize the summit’s impact and foster a more collaborative approach to substance misuse prevention.


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