Barriers to Physician Screening for SUD Among Adolescents

What is it about?

This study examines whether PCPs screen adolescents for substance use disorder and looks at interventions that would improve screening rates. It also looks at whether PCPs provide brief intervention and referral to treatment services when a substance use related risk is identified, and barriers to providing those services.

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Why is it important?

• PCPs may be screening for substance use disorder risk with their adolescent and young adult patients more frequently than suggested by studies of SBIRT provision. Although a majority may not be consistently using standardized screening instruments. • Although PCPs are providing brief interventions following screening, most did not believe that brief intervention was effective and only about half ever received training on providing brief interventions. • Reported barriers to greater use of SBI include sensitivities around how to include parents while maintaining patient confidentiality, the time needed to provide SBIRT, the lack of dedicated staff and technology to conduct the screening, lack of evidence of effectiveness of SBIRT and training in brief intervention, a need for additional reimbursement. A majority of PCPs also reported barriers to referral to treatment