A survey of educator perspectives toward teaching harm reduction cannabis education.
PLoS One
; 19(5): e0299085, 2024.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38718060
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Substance use is common among youth which can adversely affect youth health. Despite the legalization of cannabis in Canada and much of the United States, there is a lack of harm reduction cannabis education in schools. In addition, educators may not feel prepared to teach students about cannabis.METHODS:
A cross-sectional survey explored educator perceptions toward teaching harm reduction substance use education to students in grades 4-12. Data analysis included descriptive statistics to evaluate demographic variables, ANOVAs to identify subgroup differences, and inductive thematic analysis to establish themes from open-ended responses. From the sample of 170 educators, the majority were female (77%) and worked as classroom teachers (59%).RESULTS:
Ninety-two percent of educators felt harm reduction was an effective approach to substance use education, and 84% stated that they would feel comfortable teaching cannabis harm reduction education to students. While 68% of educators believed they would be able to recognize if a student was under the influence of cannabis, only 39% felt certain about how to respond to student cannabis use, and just 8% felt that their current teacher training allowed them to intervene and prevent cannabis-related harms. Most educators (89%) expressed interest in harm reduction training, particularly interactive training (70%) and instructor-led lessons (51%). Online curriculum resources were preferred by 57%. Responses differed by gender and age group, with females of any age and educators under 40 reporting greater support of harm reduction approaches and more interest in training.CONCLUSION:
Educators expressed considerable support for harm reduction substance use education, but many felt unprepared to address this topic with students. The findings identified a need for educator training on harm reduction substance use education, so that educators can help students make informed choices around substance use, thereby promoting youth health and safety.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Redução do Dano
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article