Web-Based Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test Results for the General Spanish Population:...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health
• Substance Abuse Research

Background:

• Information technology offers potential for health screening, particularly in identifying individuals at risk for single-drug use.
• A gap exists in screening tools for concomitant drug use within the general population.
• The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) website was launched in Madrid, Spain, in February 2015 to address this need.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the utilization of a web-based screening tool for drug use.
• To analyze the profiles of individuals identified as drug users.
• To investigate consumption patterns and associated factors among users.

Main Methods:

• Voluntary web-based screening using a Spanish-validated ASSIST tool, promoted through government and press releases.
• Analysis of completed tests within the first six months of the website's operation.
• Data collection from 1657 participants who completed the screening.

Main Results:

• Over 10% of website visits resulted in completed screenings (1657/15,867).
• A high proportion of users (78.87%) screened positive for at least one drug; tobacco (50.69%) and alcohol (26.37%) were most common.
• Concomitant drug use was reported by 31.80% of users, with males showing higher risks for alcohol and cannabis problems, and older individuals (45-65) facing increased alcohol problem risks.

Conclusions:

• Web-based screening tools are valuable for detecting individuals at risk of drug-related issues.
• The detected drug-related problem rates align with existing literature.
• This digital tool can effectively reach individuals who regularly use information technology but do not seek medical care.