Health
Brief intervention makes a difference in substance abuse treatment
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 17, 2008
The Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment program has been shown to reduce illicit drug use among patients seeking medical care in a wide variety of health care settings, including hospitals, physician offices and community clinics.
Specifically, a report published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, which was available online in October, found that rates of illicit drug use dropped 67.7% six months after patients using illicit drugs had received help through a SBIRT program. In addition, heavy alcohol use dropped by 38.6%.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/11/17/hlbf1117.htm.