🍻 Primer on Alcohol Use Disorder

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Note: You must have completed either the NIMHANS ECHO Certificate Course or the NIMHANS eLearning Certificate Module to be eligible.

Completing this primer requires dedicated time, undivided attention, and concentrated reading. These modules assume foundational knowledge in the subject area and build on existing clinical understanding. Please ensure you are prepared and review the information below before enrolment

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Module Overview 

Module Overview

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a leading public health burden in India. Nearly 15% of the population (approximately 16 crore persons) consume alcohol, of whom about 5.7 crore experience problem use and 2.9 crore are dependent users in India (National Household Survey 2016 MSJE and AIIMS). Despite this scale, the vast majority of affected individuals never receive evidence-based care — largely because the frontline workforce lacks practical clinical knowledge of AUD screening, identification and providing management and referral.

This Primer on Alcohol Use Disorder (P-AUD) is designed as a concise, focused eLearning resource to build foundational knowledge among healthcare providers on AUD. It serves as both a standalone learning resource and a stepping stone into the live ECHO case-based mentoring model i.e. Certificate Module in Alcohol Use Disorder ECHO.

Target Learners

Target Learners

This Module is designed for healthcare providers who encounter patients with alcohol-related problems in their day-to-day clinical practice but may not have formal addiction medicine training. It is particularly relevant for:

Primary learners

• Medical Officers, Doctors, including specialists  (MBBS, MD) in primary, secondary, and tertiary care settings like medical colleges
• Residents of psychiatry, Medicine, gastroenterology, and any one managing Alcohol use disorders
• Nurses and  CHOs working at Ayushman Arogya Mandir / Health Wellness centres

May be beneficial  (secondary learners)

• Counsellors and Social Workers in clinical settings
• Psychologists working in general health or mental health services
• Health workers in government programmes (DMHP, NCD Clinics, NACO-OST) and NGOs (IRCA, OOTS, ATFs etc)
• Paramedical staff and allied health professionals with patient contact

Pre-requisite Knowledge

• No prior specialisation in psychiatry or addiction medicine is required
• Basic clinical training (MBBS / B.Sc. Nursing / Diploma in Counselling or equivalent)
• Access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet connectivity

Module Goals & Learning Outcomes

Overall Module Goal

To equip healthcare providers with foundational knowledge and practical clinical skills for the identification, assessment, and management of Alcohol Use Disorder in diverse healthcare settings.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this Module, learners will be able to:

1. Describe the epidemiology of alcohol use in India and its public health significance
2. Explain the physiology of alcohol and its effects on major organ systems
3. Identify the neurobiological basis of alcohol addiction (alcohol use to addiction) using the reward pathway model
4. Classify alcohol use disorders using ICD-11 and DSM-5 criteria
5. Implement effective screening (AUDIT) and assessment/evaluation techniques for Alcohol Use Disorder in clinical practice.
6. Recognise and differentiate simple from complicated alcohol withdrawal and initiate appropriate management
7. Describe evidence-based pharmacological interventions for AUD including anti-craving agents
8. Explain principles of Brief Intervention and Motivational Interviewing for use in busy OPD settings
9. Outline a practical Relapse Prevention plan for patients with AUD
10. Determine when and how to refer patients to specialist addiction services