Early intervention provides \'greatest opportunity\' Information

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Early intervention provides 'greatest opportunity'

Researchers have said that early intervention provides the best opportunity to reduce the risk of drug and alcohol addiction in later life.

A study by experts at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston required 2,133 12 to 18-year-olds who were receiving outpatient medical care to answer six questions on their alcohol and drug use in order to screen for substance abuse.

The researchers found that 43.5 per cent had used alcohol or drugs and 14.8 per cent had positive results on the substance abuse screening test.

In addition, the findings show that young people were more likely to screen positive for drug or alcohol abuse if they were visiting their doctor because of illness (23.2 per cent) than if they were going for a routine check-up (7.1 per cent).

Writing in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, the researchers noted that drug and alcohol addiction is a chronic disease caused by a combination of genetic, environmental and behavioural factors.

"Early identification and intervention of adolescent substance use presents the greatest opportunity for reducing the burden of addictive disorders later in life," they insisted, adding: "Substance abuse screening should occur whenever the opportunity arises, not at well-child care visits only."

Article published on 07/11/2020 by PCUG Addiction Treatment