Single-Item Screens for Prescription and Illicit Drug Misuse Largely Identifies Primary Care Patients With Unrecognized Drug Use

Abstract

Background/Aims: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends depression and alcohol screening as part of routine primary care, but not drug screening because brief primary care counseling about drug use does not improved outcomes. However, drug screening might be helpful if it led to identification and treatment of patients with unrecognized substance use disorders. The objective was to describe the prevalence of positive drug and marijuana screens in a primary care population and whether patients who screened positive had previously recognized substance use disorders.