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Additional Screening Resources

NIDA Drug Use Screening Tool Quick Screen: For all patients

The NIDA Drug Use Screening Tool is an interactive web tool that offers a single question Quick Screen to identify patients with recent substance use.

"In the past year, how many times have you used alcohol, tobacco products, prescription medication for nonmedical reasons, or illegal drugs?"

What to do next if your patient...

  • Had one or more days of heavy drinking in the past year, see "Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: A Clinician's Guide" for information to help assess, advise, and assist at-risk drinkers or patients with alcohol use disorders.
  • Used any tobacco products in the past year, advise them to quit. For more information on smoking cessation, please see "Helping Smokers Quit: A Guide for Clinicians."
  • Used illegal drugs or prescription medications for nonmedical reasons one or more times in the past year, give them a full screen. Use the NIDA Modified ASSIST (NM ASSIST) or another validated screening tool.
  • Did not use in the past year, reinforce patient's behavior and offer continuing support.

NIDA Modified ASSIST: For at-risk patients

For patients that have been found to be at risk using the Quick Screen, continue with the NIDA Modified ASSIST (NM ASSIST). Based on the World Health Organizations's Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), the NM ASSIST guides clinicians through a short series of screening questions and, based on the patient's responses, generates a substance involvement score that suggests the level of intervention needed.

Cover image for: Screening for Drug Use in General Medical Settings - Resource Guide

Clinician's Resource Guide

This guide supplements the NIDA Drug Use Screening Tool by providing more detailed instructions to clinicians on how to use the tool, discuss screening results, offer brief interventions, and make necessary referrals. It also includes information on conducting biological specimen screening and locating substance abuse treatment facilities.

Cover for: Screening for Drug Use in General Medical Settings - Quick Reference Guide

Screening Tool: Quick Reference Guide

Designed to fit into a coat pocket, this guide provides an abbreviated, handy version of NIDA’s Drug Use Screening tool and instructions on its use.

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