The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69336

Salvatore Libretto, PhD, Susanna Nemes, PhD, Hendi Crosby Kowal, MPH, CHES, Christine Zeiler, MS, AnnaCarin Johansson, MS, and Richard Landis, MSW. Danya International, Inc., 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-565-2142, slibretto@danya.com

The Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Screening Instrument for Primary Care (ADASI-PC) is a research-based, computerized, self-administered screening instrument designed for primary care providers to identify youth at risk for substance use and/or abuse. The ADASI-PC also serves as an intervention. Consequences of substance use and abuse include both immediate and such long-term effects as traffic and other accidents, violence and suicide, overdose death, HIV and liver infections, heart and respiratory disease, cancers, mental illness, and addiction. There is an obvious need for preventive and educational messages for adolescents in primary healthcare settings. Studies have shown that adolescents may be particularly responsive to primary care-based prevention messages directed at modifying risky behaviors, promoting healthy habits, and improving health. The ADASI-PC instrument was designed for use in primary care settings to determine a youth's use or no use status, low or high risk status, and experimental or dependent substance use level. This presentation will describe the development of the instrument, including youth focus group and expert panel feedback and a pilot test with healthcare providers to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and perceived value of the instrument. Pilot test participants included primary care clinicians, pediatricians, nurses, and other professionals who work with the target-age population. Finally, a pilot test of the programmed ADASI-PC instrument prototype was conducted with nine 12 to 15-year-olds to obtain constructive feedback on the instrument. The pilot test feedback will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• 1. Identify the steps involved in the process of developing a drug and alcohol screening instrument.
• 2. Recognize the factors that place adolescents at risk for increased substance use or dependence.
• 3. Discuss the use of motivational messages and brief provider interventions to address adolescent drug and alcohol use/dependence.

Keywords: Screening Instruments, Substance Abuse Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.