Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGPClinical Lead • iatroX
For identifying substance use disorders in primary care settings, specific screening tools are recommended for alcohol misuse, while the approach for drug misuse involves targeted questioning based on presenting symptoms NICE CG51,NICE CG115.
- Alcohol Misuse: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is recommended as an identification tool for suspected alcohol misuse NICE CG192,NICE CG115. It also serves as a routine outcome measure NICE CG115.
- Drug Misuse: In primary care, staff should consider asking individuals about recent drug use if they present with symptoms that suggest the possibility of drug misuse NICE CG51. Examples of such symptoms include acute chest pain in a young person, acute psychosis, or mood and sleep disorders NICE CG51. Biological testing, such as urine or oral fluid samples, can be used as part of a comprehensive assessment of drug use, but it should not be the sole method of diagnosis and assessment NICE CG51.
While recent literature discusses empirically validated screening tools for adolescent substance use disorders (Waligoske et al. 2022; Levy et al. 2023), the specific names of these tools are not detailed within the provided context.
Key References
- CG192 - Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance
- CG120 - Coexisting severe mental illness (psychosis) and substance misuse: assessment and management in healthcare settings
- CG51 - Drug misuse in over 16s: psychosocial interventions
- CG115 - Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence
- (Waligoske et al., 2022): Empirically Validated Screening Tools for Adolescent Substance Use Disorders.
- (Levy et al., 2023): Assessment of Screening Tools to Identify Substance Use Disorders Among Adolescents.