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Adolescents' preference for substance abuse screening in primary care practice
John R Knight1, Sion K Harris, Lon Sherritt
1Departmernt of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. John.Knight@childrens.harvard.edu
Substance Abuse
|December 14, 2007
Summary
Adolescents prefer paper or computer methods for substance abuse screening. These approaches enhance honesty in reporting during primary care visits.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Substance abuse screening is crucial for adolescent health.
- Primary care settings offer opportunities for early intervention.
- Understanding patient preferences can improve screening effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate adolescent preferences for substance abuse screening methods.
- To compare preferences across different administration formats (paper, computer, clinician-administered).
Main Methods:
- Survey of 2133 adolescents (ages 12-18) in primary care.
- Utilized the CRAFFT screen and a questionnaire on screening preferences.
- A subset completed the CRAFFT directly via computer.
Main Results:
- Overall, paper questionnaires were most preferred, followed by computer, nurse, and doctor interviews.
- Adolescents using computer screening preferred computer and paper formats over clinician interviews.
- Paper and computer methods were associated with higher self-reported honesty in responses.
Conclusions:
- Paper or computer-based questionnaires are recommended for adolescent substance abuse screening.
- Digital or paper formats may foster greater patient candor.
- Optimizing screening methods can enhance early identification and intervention.
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