Simple Screening Instruments for Outreach for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Infectious Diseases

Excerpt

This TIP, titled Simple Screening Instruments for Outreach for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Infectious Diseases, addresses the twin epidemics of substance abuse and infectious diseases. Service providers from many disciplines and across many systems and agencies are increasingly encountering individuals with AOD abuse problems, which place them at higher risk for acquiring infectious diseases. The TIP presents two screening instruments - one for AOD abuse and one for infectious diseases - that were designed to be able to be rapidly administered by a wide range of providers and relatively simple to score and interpret. The instruments are flexible and applicable to diverse populations. The TIP describes considerations in the development of these instruments and offers guidelines for their use in field tests. Guidelines for training staff in the use of these instruments are also presented, and legal and ethical concerns, especially in the area of confidentiality, are discussed.