DEA - Addiction Medicine Essentials Course- AOA/AOAAM-Assessment of Patients with Substance Use Disorders

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video presentation, Dr. Gregory Landy discusses the assessment of patients with substance use disorders. He begins by introducing the DSM-5 criteria, which is the diagnostic manual used to classify mental disorders. He explains that DSM-5 has made changes to the diagnostic classifications for substance use disorders, including the elimination of the categories of substance abuse and substance dependence. Instead, there are now 11 criteria used to diagnose substance-related disorders, which are measured on a continuum from mild to severe. Dr. Landy also introduces the concept of SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) as an evidence-based approach to identifying and addressing substance use problems. He discusses various screening tools that can be used to assess alcohol and drug use, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST). Dr. Landy explains the process of conducting a screening and interpreting the results. He also briefly discusses biochemical testing for alcohol and drugs, including the use of indirect and direct biomarkers. Dr. Landy concludes by emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive assessment when diagnosing substance use disorders, which includes gathering information from clinical history, self-report assessments, collateral sources, observations, and laboratory testing. He also notes that referral for treatment should be considered based on the severity of the substance use disorder and the patient's preferences.

Keywords

substance use disorders

DSM-5 criteria

SBIRT

screening tools

alcohol use

drug use

biochemical testing

comprehensive assessment

laboratory testing

referral for treatment