[Examining substance use disorders in diverse service settings: Initial efficacy of the ICTUS]

The identification of substance use disorders (SUD) can be challenging due to the complexity of symptoms involved and the limited time that non-clinical personnel often have to assess associated symptoms. This study initially explores the efficacy of the Substance Use Disorder Screening Instrument (ICTUS) in identifying symptoms associated with SUD among people living in and out of prisons. The ICTUS was developed by adapting the items of the Simple Screening Instrument for Substance Abuse (SSI-SA) to the DSM-5 criteria. ICTUS shows the ability to effectively identify those who meet diagnostic criteria for SUD when comparing percentages of substance use and diagnosis of SUD according to CIDI, a clinical measure. These results reveal that ICTUS can be considered as an appropriate alternative to objectively assess the symptoms associated with SUD and inform the planning and service provision process.