Factor Structure of the Brief Addiction Monitor in a Non-Veteran Substance Use Disorder Outpatient Treatment Sample.

Background: The Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM) was developed as a comprehensive substance use disorder (SUD) outcome metric to fill a gap in quality measurement. Research to date has only examined the psychometric performance of this measure in veteran SUD populations. The purpose of the current research is to examine the factor structure and validity in a non-veteran SUD population.

Effects of Telehealth on Dropout and Retention in Care among Treatment-Seeking Individuals with Substance Use Disorder: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became a widely used method of delivering treatment for substance use disorders (SUD), but its impact upon treatment engagement and dropout remains unknown. We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult SUD patients (n = 544) between October 2020 and June 2022 among a cohort of treatment-seeking patients at a nonprofit community behavioral health center in Southwestern Ohio. We estimated the likelihood of treatment dropout using survival curves and Cox proportional hazard models, comparing patients who used telehealth with video, telephone, or solely in-person services within the first 14 days of diagnosis.

Validation of the substance abuse screener in American Sign Language (SAS--ASL).

Objective: The study objectives were to adapt and validate a substance use disorder (SUD) screening instrument in American Sign Language (ASL) to be used to identify those deaf individuals who have a high probability of having an SUD. The goal was to develop an accurate screening instrument that balanced sensitivity and specificity while imposing minimal response burden on respondents.

Method: A sample of 198 deaf participants in behavioral health, family social service, and educational programs that provide specialized services for deaf individuals was interviewed to obtain clinical diagnoses for current (past 12 months) SUD according to criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, and completed a 42-item version of the Substance Abuse Screener in American Sign Language (SAS-ASL).