The extent to which health workers see it as their responsibility to prevent or manage Alcohol Use Disorders would depend on their context. For instance, if their training curriculums cover how to prevent, screen for or manage Alcohol Use Disorders, if guidelines on Alcohol Use Disorders are disseminated to guide those practising, and if there is clarity on when and where they can refer patients who need help. It is possible to change the mindset of already established health workers but this will need to be approached through various channels including making changes to policies, training curriculums and funding.
HIFA profile: Oluwakemi Akagwu is a public health physician and researcher who has worked on several public health projects aimed at optimizing reproductive, maternal and child health outcomes through enhanced population practice of positive health behaviors including utilization of health services and supporting health care workers to provide quality care. Her research interests include digital health interventions and understanding/addressing how social determinants of health, service provider behavior and patient experience of care influence population health outcomes. At present, she is undertaking research focused on enhancing a digital intervention model to reduce the harm caused by alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy at the University of Surrey. She is a member of the HIFA working group on Alcohol Use Disorders. https://www.hifa.org/support/members/oluwakemi oakagwu AT gmail.com
