Perinatal Substance Abuse Education: A Review of Existing Curricula.

The magnitude of the substance abuse problem in this country requires that health care professionals be appropriately and adequately trained to recognize and care for substance abusing patients, yet didactic and clinical curricular content on the topic remains limited for most of them. Efforts have been made over the past 25 years to develop faculty who have expertise in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse and who can provide leadership in curricular development. Through these efforts, pockets of faculty expertise developed in nursing, medicine, social work, and psychology programs around the country. In addition, a number of printed substance abuse curricula were developed. The purpose of this article is to address issues regarding the substance abuse information needed by health professionals and to review the available educationial curricula, especially as they relate to perinatal substance abuse. Discussion of methods to update information as substance abuse knowledge expands is also included.