Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral For Treatment Research Articles

Low-Burden Universal Substance Use Screening in a Primary Care Clinic to Lower Implementation Barriers.

Universal substance use screening in primary care can proactively identify patients for intervention, though implementation is challenging. This project developed a strategy for universal low time- and labor-cost screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT) in an HIV primary care clinic at an academic medical center in the Southeastern USA. Screening was implemented using a tablet computer that calculated results in real time and suggested motivational language for provider response. A brief intervention (BNI) was conducted by a trained professional as needed, preventing the need for all clinic providers to be competent in motivational interviewing (MI). More than 1868 patients were screened in 12 months, with an MI intervention conducted for 101 patients with higher risk use. Forty-four patients were referred for in-clinic treatment, compared to nine in the previous year. Computer-based, self-administered screening with real-time linkage to a BNI can allow recommended screening with low provider burden.

70.6 BRINGING SUBSTANCE SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION, AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (SBIRT) TO THE HOSPITAL FLOOR

This brief presentation will describe psychiatric consultation-liaison (CL) procedures for evaluating substance use disorders in medically hospitalized adolescents and the limitations of current procedures for referring such youth to specialized substance treatment. The Teen Recovery Program at Children’s Health is designed to provide specialized services for adolescents with mental health diagnoses and problematic substance use. Established collaboration between medical providers at Children’s Medical Center Hospital in Dallas and the Teen Recovery Program allows for inpatient evaluation of medically hospitalized substance-involved youth on the psychiatry CL service. David Atkinson, MD, will discuss current challenges associated with substance treatment referral and engagement. He will also consider ways in which the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Brief Consultative Evaluation (SBIRE) model may be adapted to enhance treatment engagement in the Teen Recovery Program at Children’s Health providing specialized services for adolescents with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. Dr. Atkinson will present data on the current rates of substance treatment engagement among medically hospitalized youth with problematic substance use referred to the Teen Recovery Program. He will also discuss how the SBIRE model may be adapted in this setting to enhance substance treatment engagement compared to poor rates of treatment engagement using a more conventional Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) protocol used currently. The SBIRE model may be modified or adapted to increase substance treatment engagement among medically hospitalized youth referred to a subspecialty substance treatment program.

Ask, Advise, Assist, and Follow: Alcohol SBiRT Urgently Needed

People are coping with work, school, and pandemic disruption. Alcohol use at home has significantly increased. National guidelines recommend annual alcohol screening. SBiRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment) is an effective way to address unhealthy alcohol use.

Standardized Patient Simulation Using SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment) as a Tool for Interprofessional Learning.

IntroductionSubstance misuse is a critical social and health care issue, and learning how to effectively screen for misuse and perform a brief intervention is useful for all health care professions. As an intercollegiate, interprofessional group, we developed a mechanism for delivering interprofessional education (IPE) using SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment) as a tool to identify potential substance misuse.MethodsA total of 1,255 students from nursing, pharmacy, medicine, physician assistant, social work, dietetics, and occupational therapy programs participated in the training and evaluation of this IPE experience over 2 academic years. The training incorporated asynchronous SBIRT training, in-person student role-plays, and a standardized patient (SP) interaction.ResultsA significant majority of participants indicated that this IPE experience enhanced their interprofessional skills (91%), was useful for interprofessional development (79%), was relevant to their career (92%), and would benefit their clients (93%). Faculty debrief sessions supported the efficacy of SBIRT as a platform for IPE.DiscussionStudents believed that utilizing SBIRT as an interprofessional learning experience enhanced their overall educational experience and assisted with developing interprofessional relationships and that team-based care would lead to improved patient outcomes. Faculty found this learning activity to be effective in developing student insight regarding future professional peers and patient interview skill development through role-plays with peers and SPs.

A hypertension emergency department intervention aimed at decreasing disparities: Design of a randomized clinical trial

Effective interventions to identify and treat uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), particularly in underrepresented populations that use the emergency department (ED) for primary care, are critically needed. Uncontrolled HTN contributes significantly to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is more frequently encountered among patients presenting to the ED as compared to the primary care setting. EDs serve as the point of entry into the health care system for high-risk patient populations, including minority and low-income patients. Previous studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of uncontrolled/undiagnosed HTN in patients presenting to the ED is alarmingly high. Thus ED engagement and early risk assessment/stratification is a feasible innovation to help close health disparity gaps in HTN. A Hypertension Emergency Department Intervention Aimed at Decreasing Disparities (AHEAD2) trial, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is a three-arm single site randomized clinical pilot trial of adults presenting to the ED with Stage 2 hypertension (blood pressure [BP]>160/100) comparing (1) an ED-initiated Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) focused on HTN, (2) the same ED-initiated SBIRT coupled with a Post-Acute Care Hypertension Transition Consultation by ED Clinical Pharmacists, and (3) usual care. The primary outcome is mean BP differences between study arms. Secondary outcomes are proportion of participants with BP control (BP<140/90mmHg), and improvements in HTN knowledge and medication adherence scores between study arms. The objective of this report is to describe the development of the AHEAD2 trial, including the methods, research infrastructure, and other features of the randomized clinical trial design.

Substance abuse screening in adolescents.

Substance abuse among adolescents is a significant public health challenge. This article reviews changes to the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy statement recommending the use of SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment) to screen adolescents for substance abuse.

A controlled trial of screening, brief intervention and referral for treatment (SBIRT) implementation in primary care in the United Arab Emirates.

Substance use is increasing in the United Arab Emirates yet there has been no formal primary care intervention. SBIRT was considered an appropriate model given its endorsement by the WHO. A controlled trial (two intervention and two matched control clinics) was undertaken. Intervention physicians (n=17) were trained in SBIRT. Physicians' attitudes were measured before and after training and eight months after implementation. Target recruitment was 900 patients. Inclusion criteria were: consenting UAE national, ⩾18 years, using the 'walk-in' primary care clinic. Patient data was collected by physician-administered questionnaire. Prevalence of drug use was measured through electronic patient records. Findings A total of 906 patients were screened, aged 18-82 years and 496 (55%) were female. Of these, 5.7% reported use of amphetamine, 3.9% alcohol, 3.3%, sedatives, 1.7% opioids and 1.1% cannabis. In all, 21 people had a moderate/high ASSIST score and received a brief intervention, but did not attend follow-up; three high-risk people were referred for specialist treatment. Physicians' attitudes towards patients with problematic substance use and providing treatment improved after training, but returned to pre-training levels after eight months. Including the 21 individuals identified from intervention screening, the prevalence of substance use increased to 0.208% (95% CI 0.154-0.274), significantly higher than in control clinics (P<0.001). In conclusion, physicians were generally positive towards SBIRT and SBIRT increased recorded drug related conditions at a practice level. However, poor patient attendance at follow-up requires investigation.

Video Modeling of SBIRT for Alcohol Use Disorders Increases Student Empathy in Standardized Patient Encounters.

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of adding video models of brief alcohol assessment and counseling to a standardized patient (SP) curriculum that covers and tests acquisition of this skill. The authors conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of third- and fourth-year medical students between 2013 and 2015. All students completed a standardized patient (SP) encounter illustrating the diagnosis of alcohol use disorder, followed by an SP exam on the same topic. Beginning in August 2014, the authors supplemented the existing formative SP exercise on problem drinking with one of two 5-min videos demonstrating screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT). P values and Z tests were performed to evaluate differences between students who did and did not see the video in knowledge and skills related to alcohol use disorders. One hundred ninety-four students were included in this analysis. Compared to controls, subjects did not differ in their ability to uncover and accurately characterize an alcohol problem during a standardized encounter (mean exam score 41.29 vs 40.93, subject vs control, p = 0.539). However, the SPs' rating of students' expressions of empathy were significantly higher for the group who saw the video (81.63 vs 69.79%, p < 0.05). The findings did not confirm the original hypothesis that the videos would improve students' recognition and knowledge of alcohol-related conditions. However, feedback from the SPs produced the serendipitous finding that the communication skills demonstrated in the videos had a sustained effect in enhancing students' professional behavior.

Development and use of a clinical decision support tool for behavioral health screening in primary care clinics.

Screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT) for behavioral health (BH) is a key clinical process. SBIRT tools in electronic health records (EHR) are infrequent and rarely studied. Our goals were 1) to design and implement SBIRT using clinical decision support (CDS) in a commercial EHR; and 2) to conduct a pragmatic evaluation of the impact of the tools on clinical outcomes. A multidisciplinary team designed SBIRT workflows and CDS tools. We analyzed the outcomes using a retrospective descriptive convenience cohort with age-matched comparison group. Data extracted from the EHR were evaluated using descriptive statistics. There were 2 outcomes studied: 1) development and use of new BH screening tools and workflows; and 2) the results of use of those tools by a convenience sample of 866 encounters. The EHR tools developed included a flowsheet for documenting screens for 3 domains (depression, alcohol use, and prescription misuse); and 5 alerts with clinical recommendations based on screening; and reminders for annual screening. Positive screen rate was 21% (≥1 domain) with 60% of those positive for depression. Screening was rarely positive in 2 domains (11%), and never positive in 3 domains. Positive and negative screens led to higher rates of documentation of brief intervention (BI) compared with a matched sample who did not receive screening, including changes in psychotropic medications, updated BH terms on the problem list, or referral for BH intervention. Clinical process outcomes changed even when screening was negative. Modified workflows for BH screening and CDS tools with clinical recommendations can be deployed in the EHR. Using SBIRT tools changed clinical process metrics even when screening was negative, perhaps due to conversations about BH not captured in the screening flowsheet. Although there are limitations to the study, results support ongoing investigation.

Comparing the Motivational Interviewing Integrity in Two Prevalent Models of Brief Intervention Service Delivery for Primary Care Settings

This quasi experimental study compared the motivational interviewing (MI) integrity in two prevalent brief intervention (BI) service delivery models for drug abuse. Routine primary care providers (RCPs) and non-routine care providers (NRCPs) performed BIs using an MI style within the same medical setting, patient population, and Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) protocol. Interventionists (9 RCPs and 6 NRCPs) underwent similar MI training and performed a total of 423 audiorecorded BIs. We compared the MI integrity scores for all audio recorded sessions from these two SBIRT models for up to 40months post MI training.Both groups met the lower standard (beginning proficiency in MI) on 4 of 5 MI integrity scores, but NRCPs met more of the higher standards (competency in MI) than RCPs. There may be limitations with regards to MI fidelity when using RCPs to conduct BIs in some primary care settings. Further experimental investigation is warranted to replicate this finding and identify casual factors of observed differences in MI fidelity.

A pilot study of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) in non-treatment seeking smokers with HIV

IntroductionPLHIV have higher rates of smoking and lower motivation to quit smoking; thus to impact smoking rates, cessation interventions need to be acceptable to a wider range of PLHIV smokers as well as feasible to implement in a busy clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and effects of a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) model in an HIV/AIDS clinic among a sample of PLHIV. MethodsPLHIV smokers (N=40) were randomized at baseline, irrespective of their self-reported discrete smoking cessation motivation status, to receive either 8-weeks of combination nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in conjunction with brief counseling (SBIRT framework) (n=23) or usual care (n=17). Smoking outcome measures included cigarettes smoked per day, nicotine dependence, smoking urge, and smoking withdrawal symptoms. ResultsThe SBIRT intervention appeared to be acceptable and feasible, and produced medium to large reductions in cigarettes smoked per day, physical nicotine dependence, smoking urge, and smoking withdrawal symptoms, even for smokers not ready to quit within 6months. ConclusionsFindings provide preliminary support for the integration of an SBIRT model in an HIV/AIDS clinic setting to screen and provide active treatment to all smokers, regardless of readiness to quit smoking. Given the high prevalence and incredible health burden of continued smoking in this population, identifying brief and effective interventions that are easily translated into clinical practice represents an enormous challenge that if met, will yield significant improvements to overall patient outcomes.

Development of a Screening and Brief Intervention and Referral for Treatment for ED Patients at Risk for Undiagnosed Hypertension: A Qualitative Study

Providing a screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT) may encourage patients to obtain provider follow-up for definitive evaluation and treatment of undiagnosed hypertension (HTN). The aims of this study were to determine characteristics of an intervention that would persuade patients to follow-up with a primary care physician for further blood pressure (BP) evaluation, and encourage ED clinicians to provide an SBIRT for patients with elevated BP with no known history of HTN. Qualitative methods were used to analyze individual interviews with ED clinicians and patients. Questions focused on participants' opinions of the meaning of elevated BP, and facilitators and barriers to recommending referral for follow-up (clinicians) or facilitators and barriers to making and keeping a follow-up appointment (patients). Three reviewers coded the interviews using grounded theory. Clinicians identified time constraints and patient-specific factors such as difficulty securing follow-up as major barriers. Some clinicians considered an electronic reminder as a potential facilitator to providing counseling. Patients reported family support and information about complications of uncontrolled HTN such as stroke would increase the likelihood of follow-up. Patient-specific barriers to follow-up included inability to obtain time off from work, forgetfulness, and wait time for an appointment. An SBIRT-HTN could be developed to target patients with elevated BP during an ED visit. The intervention must be simple, easy to implement, and include automated processes to remind clinicians to deliver the intervention. The intervention should include a description of the complications of untreated HTN and an outpatient physician referral.

Searching For Answers: Proper Prescribing of Controlled Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug abuse is increasing at alarming rates in this country. Most often drugs are obtained through relatives or friends. An important step in addressing this problem is educating healthcare providers in the proper prescribing of scheduled drugs. Physicians and other healthcare workers receive little training in proper screening for substance abuse, proper prescribing of scheduled drugs, and referral for those needing treatment. Continuing medical education is one venue for addressing this problem. However, screening, brief intervention and referral for treatment (SBIRT) should be taught in medical school and residency.

The Impact of Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral for Treatment in Emergency Department Patients' Alcohol Use: A 3-, 6- and 12-month Follow-up

Aims: This study aims to determine the impact of Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) in reducing alcohol consumption in emergency department (ED) patients at 3, 6, and 12 months following exposure to the intervention. Methods: Patients drinking above the low-risk limits (at-risk to dependence), as defined by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), were recruited from 14 sites nationwide from April to August 2004. A quasi-experimental comparison group design included sequential recruitment of intervention and control patients at each site. Control patients received a written handout. The Intervention group received the handout and participated in a brief negotiated interview with direct referral for treatment if indi- cated. Follow-up surveys were conducted at 3, 6, and 12 months by telephone using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. Results: Of the 1132 eligible patients consented and enrolled (581 control, 551 intervention), 699 (63%), 575 (52%) and 433 (38%) completed follow-up surveys via IVR at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Regression analysis adjusting for the clustered sampling design and using multiple imputation procedures to account for subject attrition revealed that those receiving SBIRT reported roughly three drinks less per week than controls (B=�3.00, SE = 1.06, P< 0.05) and the level of maximum drinks per occasion was approximately three-fourths of a drink less than controls (B= -0.76, SE = 0.29, P< 0.05) at 3 months. At 6 and 12 months post-inter- vention, these effects had weakened considerably and were no longer statistically or substantively significant. Conclusion: SBIRT delivered by ED providers appears to have short-term effectiveness in reducing at-risk drinking, but multi-contact interventions or booster programs may be necessary to maintain long-term reductions in risky drinking.

The Impact of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment on Emergency Department Patients' Alcohol Use

We determine the impact of a screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT) program in reducing alcohol consumption among emergency department (ED) patients. Patients drinking above National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism low-risk guidelines were recruited from 14 sites nationwide from April to August 2004. A quasiexperimental comparison group design was used in which control and intervention patients were recruited sequentially at each site. Control patients received a written handout. The intervention group received the handout and a brief intervention, the Brief Negotiated Interview, to reduce unhealthy alcohol use. Follow-up surveys were conducted at 3 months by telephone using an interactive voice response system. Of 7,751 patients screened, 2,051 (26%) exceeded the low-risk limits set by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; 1,132 (55%) of eligible patients consented and were enrolled (581 control, 551 intervention). Six hundred ninety-nine (62%) completed a 3-month follow-up survey, using the interactive voice response system. At follow-up, patients receiving a Brief Negotiated Interview reported consuming 3.25 fewer drinks per week than controls (coefficient [B] -3.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] -5.76 to -0.75), and the maximum number of drinks per occasion among those receiving Brief Negotiated Interview was almost three quarters of a drink less than controls (B -0.72; 95% CI -1.42 to -0.02). At-risk drinkers (CAGE <2) appeared to benefit more from a Brief Negotiated Interview than dependent drinkers (CAGE >2). At 3-month follow-up, 37.2% of patients with CAGE less than 2 in the intervention group no longer exceeded National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism low-risk limits compared with 18.6% in the control group (delta 18.6%; 95% CI 11.5% to 25.6%). SBIRT appears effective in the ED setting for reducing unhealthy drinking at 3 months.