11 Mar Excessive Substance Use: Training Family Physicians to Deliver Brief Intervention
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Dagmar Haller, MD, PhD
Médecin adjointe agrégée
Unité Santé Jeunes
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève Suisse
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Haller: One year after a consultation with a family doctor there was a 28% reduction in the proportion of excessive substance users among those who had reported excessive use at the start of the study but there was no significant difference between the group that received counseling and the one that did not.
MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Haller: The natural history of substance use in adolescence is that of an increase with age. Thus the important reduction in the proportion of excessive substance users at follow-up, particularly in the control group, was unexpected.
MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Haller: Consultations by family physicians have the potential to influence adolescent substance use trajectories, but the best way to exert this influence remains unknown.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Haller: Future research should explore the potential role of multisectoral collaborations, including the interaction between a disapproving community environment and interventions in the clinical setting. More research is also needed on the best models for effective screening of substance use in young people attending family practices.
Citation:
CMAJ cmaj.131301; published ahead of print March 10, 2014, doi:10.1503/cmaj.131301
Last Updated on March 11, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD