In 2007, an estimated 19.9 million Americans aged 12 or older (around 8 percent of the population) were current (past month) users of illegal drugs--nearly 1 in 5 of those 18 to 25 years old--and many more are current tobacco or binge alcohol users. The consequences of this drug use can be far-reaching--playing a role in the cause and progression of many medical disorders, including addiction. Yet only a fraction of people who need addiction treatment receive it.
To address this need, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently unveiled its first comprehensive Physicians’ Outreach Initiative, NIDAMED, a tool that gives medical professionals tools and resources to screen their patients for tobacco, alcohol, illicit and non-medical prescription drug use. The NIDAMED resources include an online screening tool, a companion quick reference guide and a comprehensive resource guide for clinicians. The outreach initiative stresses the importance of the patient-doctor relationship in identifying unhealthy behaviors before they evolve into life-threatening medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke or HIV/AIDS, or result in other adverse consequences such as personal relationship, financial or legal problems or job loss.
NIDAMED tools were developed because doctors are in a unique position to discuss drug-taking behaviors with their patients before they lead to serious medical problems or effect workplace productivity and safety problems. Research shows that screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment by clinicians in general medical settings, can promote significant reductions in alcohol and tobacco use. The tools also put physicians in a unique situation for identifying patients who are misusing prescription medications.
The NIDAMED online screening tool provides physicians the ability to confidentially screen a patient to determine whether they may have a substance abuse problem. It is an interactive Web site that guides clinicians through a short series of questions and, based on the patient's responses, generates a substance involvement score that suggests the level of intervention needed. A physician can use this interactive tool during routine office visits. NIDAMED also includes an online resource guide with detailed instructions on how to implement the screening tool, discuss screening results, offer a brief intervention and make necessary referrals. In addition, a quick reference guide has been developed to serve as a prompt to medical professionals to initiate screening.
Employers should take note of this new NIDA initiative because early interventions like this, whether performed by doctors or workplace-based employee assistance professionals, also can help reduce the adverse consequences of substance use. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), seventy-six percent of people with drug and alcohol problems are employed and workplace substance abuse negatively impacts productivity, safety and absenteeism and increases healthcare spending. In addition, employers stand to gain from early intervention efforts with employees who may not necessarily be addicted, since light and moderate alcohol users--higher in number than alcoholics--cause 60 percent of alcohol-related absenteeism, tardiness and poor work quality.1
More information on all NIDAMED products can be found at www.drugabuse.gov/nidamed. Additional information about substance use and prevention in the workplace can be found at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners Web site.
One of the things that should be included in a WHMIS training is the education about mixing substances with working and the safety of the workplace. There will still be people who will use them (like alcohol) neglecting the safety of their co-workers and themselves.
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