Encouraging physicians to screen for and intervene in substance use disorders: obstacles and strategies for change.

The scientific literature was reviewed to identify obstacles and effective ways to improve primary care physician screening, interventions, and management of patient substance use disorders (SUDs). Major obstacles identified are physician lack of skills and self-efficacy in patient counseling, inadequate training at all levels of medical education, and lack of reimbursement and other health care systems support for services to patients. Physician abuse of drugs does not appear to be a major obstacle.

Reactions to a concept for physician intervention in adolescent alcohol use.

Purpose: This study was designed to understand adolescent and parental perceptions, receptivity, and reactions to the concept of screening and brief intervention that primary care physicians can use to reduce alcohol consumption by their non-alcohol-dependent adolescent patients.

Methods: A total of six nation-wide computer-assisted telephone focus groups were conducted; three with low-to-moderate risk for alcohol problems adolescents aged 15-17 years and three with parents of such adolescents.

Results: Parents and adolescents held similar views on the prevalence and harms of adolescent alcohol consumption, but different levels of concern about them.

The neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students.

Background: Adolescents and college students are at high risk for initiating alcohol use and high-risk (or binge) drinking. There is a growing body of literature on neurotoxic and harmful cognitive effects of drinking by young people. On average, youths take their first drink at age 12 years.