Why should health practitioners screen for prescription drug abuse and misuse?
Health care professions play an important role in their patients’ lives. A short conversation can present an opportunity to let patients know if and how non-medical prescription drug use may risk their health and well-being. Screening provides an opportunity for health care professions to identify substance abuse behaviors and to intervene early and potentially enhance medical care by increasing awareness of the likely impact of substance use on a patient’s overall health. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests these reasons for drug screening in general medical settings:xvi • Identify drug users early and briefly educate them about the adverse consequences of continued drug use and available resources for quitting • Enhance medical care by increasing awareness of the potential impact of substance use on physical health-more specifically, the interaction of substance use with a patient’s medical care, including potentially fatal drug interactions • Improve linkages betwee
