Lesson 1Timeline follow-back, standard drinks, cocaine use metrics, polysubstance explorationThis lesson covers timeline follow-back methods, standard drink measures, cocaine usage indicators, and mapping multiple substance patterns over time to assess risks, aid diagnosis, and track treatment progress using real-world examples from clinical practice.
Timeline follow-back interview techniqueDefining and calculating standard drink unitsCocaine quantity, purity, and route metricsDocumenting polysubstance patterns over timeUsing metrics to monitor treatment responseLesson 2Psychiatric history and symptom review techniques for mood, anxiety, psychosisThis lesson teaches thorough psychiatric history taking in addiction treatment, covering mood, anxiety, psychosis, and sleep issues, with focus on separating substance-related symptoms, using simple screening tools, and evaluating daily functioning and dangers.
Eliciting past and current psychiatric diagnosesScreening for mood and anxiety in substance usersRecognizing psychosis and substance-induced statesAssessing sleep, cognition, and functional impactUsing brief validated psychiatric screenersLesson 3Social determinants: housing, employment, legal issues, insurance and accessThis lesson tackles evaluating social factors affecting health like shelter, jobs, legal troubles, insurance, and care access, and demonstrates weaving these into treatment plans, advocacy efforts, and links to local community support services.
Housing stability and living environmentEmployment, income, and financial stressorsLegal involvement and criminal justice issuesInsurance coverage and care access barriersLinking patients to social and legal resourcesLesson 4Detailed substance use history: quantity, frequency, pattern, routes, binge/withdrawal signsThis lesson shows how to gather detailed substance use details including start, amounts, how often, methods, binge episodes, withdrawal signs, past treatments, spotting tolerance, loss of control, and matching DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders.
Chronology of first use and progressionAssessing quantity, frequency, and routesIdentifying binge and high-risk use patternsScreening for tolerance and withdrawal signsLinking history to DSM-5 SUD criteriaLesson 5Medication, medical comorbidity, and over-the-counter/substance replacement historyThis lesson reviews collecting histories on medications, co-existing health conditions, over-the-counter drugs or substitutes, noting interactions, liver and heart risks, pain relief, and effects on medication-based treatment choices.
Current and past prescribed medicationsMedical comorbidities relevant to addictionOver-the-counter and herbal substance useNicotine, cannabis, and self-directed replacementDrug–drug interactions and safety concernsLesson 6Working with limited collateral and building engagement with marginalized patientsThis lesson explores ways to manage scarce supporting information and connect with sidelined patients using motivational talks, harm minimisation, trust-building, and handling distrust, shame, and systemic hurdles for ongoing care.
Assessing reliability of self-report dataUsing motivational interviewing micro-skillsHarm reduction framing in early encountersBuilding trust amid stigma and mistrustPlanning follow-up with unstable contactLesson 7Step-by-step addiction-focused interview flow (presenting complaint to collateral history)This lesson maps out a step-wise addiction interview from main concern and substance history through medical, mental, social, and supporting info, stressing order, adaptability, and time handling in varied Ugandan clinics.
Clarifying presenting complaint and goalsSequencing substance, medical, and psych historyIntegrating social, legal, and functional domainsStrategic use of collateral and recordsTime management in brief clinical encountersLesson 8Trauma, intimate partner violence, and safety screening (suicide, homicide, child protection)This lesson details trauma-aware screening for past hurts, partner abuse, suicide, violence risks, and child harm, focusing on safety plans, required reports, records, and teamwork with protection and crisis services.
Principles of trauma-informed questioningScreening for intimate partner and family violenceSuicide and homicide risk assessment stepsIdentifying and reporting child abuse or neglectSafety planning and crisis resource linkageLesson 9Structured opening, consent, and establishing rapport in trauma-exposed populationsThis lesson centres on starting interviews, gaining consent, and creating rapport with trauma-affected folks using teamwork, non-judgemental talk, firm limits, and cultural respect to build trust and avoid re-traumatising.
Structuring the opening minutes of the visitExplaining purpose, limits of confidentialityObtaining informed consent for sensitive topicsUsing empathic, nonjudgmental languageCultural humility and managing power dynamics
