Related Experiment Videos
Urine drug screening in adolescents
1Central Ohio Poison Center, Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology and Medical Toxicology, Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, A-514, Columbus, OH 43205-2696, USA. casavant@chi.osu.edu
Pediatric Clinics of North America
|May 8, 2002
Summary
Urine drug screens are valuable in adolescent medicine but have ethical and technical challenges. Physicians must understand test limitations and communicate with labs, as testing is only one part of substance use assessment.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Clinical Toxicology
Background:
- Urine drug screening is a common practice in adolescent medicine.
- Its application involves significant ethical and technical considerations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the critical aspects of urine drug screening for physicians.
- To emphasize the importance of understanding test limitations and laboratory communication.
Main Methods:
- Review of ethical and technical issues surrounding urine drug screens.
- Discussion on the role of laboratory communication and therapeutic alliance.
Main Results:
- Physicians must be aware of the specific tests and their limitations.
- Effective communication with laboratories is crucial for accurate interpretation.
- Laboratory testing is a component, not a replacement, for patient assessment.
Conclusions:
- Urine drug screening requires informed physician use, considering its limitations.
- It should be integrated with, not substitute for, a therapeutic relationship.
- Testing is a valuable but insufficient standalone tool for substance use assessment.