Attitudes of nursing students towards substance users and perceptions about religious/spiritual care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on the attitudes of Nursing students towards users of psychoactive substances (excluding alcohol and tobacco) and their perceptions about the religious and spiritual care offered within the health services. METHOD: Quasi-experimental study. We applied a questionnaire before and one month after an intervention about the comprehensive care of substance users, containing: sociodemographic information, knowledge, the Treatment Spirituality/Religiosity Scale, and the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire. For the analyses, we employed the paired Student's t-test and Pearson's Coefficient. RESULTS: 62 students participated in this study. After the intervention, there was improvement in the students' attitudes towards the substance users, but not regarding the perception they already had about the importance of offering religious and spiritual care within the services. CONCLUSION: We verified the effectiveness of the educational intervention on the improvement of attitudes concerning the care of substance users, yet we point out that the students did not show changes in their perception about the inclusion of the religious and spiritual aspects in the care dedicated to this population.

Attitudes of nursing students towards substance users and perceptions about religious/spiritual care / Actitudes de estudiantes de enfermería ante el adicto a sustancias y percepciones acerca del cuidado religioso/espiritual / Atitudes de estudantes de enfermagem frente ao usuário de substâncias e percepções sobre o cuidado religioso/espiritual

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on the attitudes of Nursing students towards users of psychoactive substances (excluding alcohol and tobacco) and their perceptions about the religious and spiritual care offered within the health services. Method: Quasi-experimental study. We applied a questionnaire before and one month after an intervention about the comprehensive care of substance users, containing: sociodemographic information, knowledge, the Treatment Spirituality/Religiosity Scale, and the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire. For the analyses, we employed the paired Student's t-test and Pearson's Coefficient. Results: 62 students participated in this study. After the intervention, there was improvement in the students' attitudes towards the substance users, but not regarding the perception they already had about the importance of offering religious and spiritual care within the services. Conclusion: We verified the effectiveness of the educational intervention on the improvement of attitudes concerning the care of substance users, yet we point out that the students did not show changes in their perception about the inclusion of the religious and spiritual aspects in the care dedicated to this population.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto de una intervención educativa acerca de las actitudes de estudiantes de Enfermería ante el usuario de sustancias psicoactivas (excluyéndose el alcohol y el tabaco) y las percepciones acerca del cuidado religioso y espiritual ofrecido en los servicios sanitarios. Método: estudio cuasi-experimental. Se aplicó un cuestionario antes y un mes después de la realización de una intervención acerca del cuidado integral con el adicto a sustancias, conteniendo: informaciones sociodemográficas, conocimientos, Treatment Spirituality/Religiosity Scale y el Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire. Para los análisis, se utilizó la prueba de t de Student pareada y el coeficiente de Pearson. Resultados: Participaron 62 estudiantes. Después de la aplicación de la intervención hubo mejora de las actitudes de los estudiantes ante el adicto a sustancias, pero no con relación a la percepción que ya tenían sobre la importancia de la oferta de cuidado religioso y espiritual en los servicios. Conclusión: Se verificó la efectividad de la intervención educativa en la mejora de las actitudes con relación al cuidado del adicto a sustancias, pero se llama la atención al hecho de que los estudiantes no presentaron cambios en su percepción sobre la inclusión de los aspectos religiosos y espirituales en el cuidado dedicado a dicha población.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto de uma intervenção educativa sobre as atitudes de estudantes de Enfermagem frente ao usuário de substâncias psicoativas (excluindo-se álcool e tabaco) e as percepções sobre o cuidado religioso e espiritual oferecido nos serviços de saúde. Método: estudo quase-experimental. Aplicou-se um questionário antes e 1 mês após a realização de uma intervenção sobre cuidado integral ao usuário de substâncias, contendo: informações sociodemográficas, conhecimentos, Treatment Spirituality/Religiosity Scale e o Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire. Para as análises, utilizou-se do teste t de Student pareado e o coeficiente de Pearson. Resultados: Participaram 62 estudantes. Depois da aplicação da intervenção houve melhora das atitudes dos estudantes diante do usuário de substâncias, mas não em relação à percepção que já tinham sobre a importância da oferta de cuidado religioso e espiritual nos serviços. Conclusão: Verificou-se efetividade da intervenção educativa na melhora das atitudes em relação ao cuidado do usuário de substâncias, mas se alerta ao fato de que os estudantes não apresentaram mudanças em sua percepção sobre a inclusão dos aspectos religiosos e espirituais no cuidado dedicado a essa população.