Willingness of Facial Injury Patients to Change Causal Substance Using Behaviors

Abstract

Many injuries due to interpersonal violence among patients presenting to urban trauma centers for treatment are preventable, with alcohol and illicit drug use presenting as common antecedent risk factors. However, many patients with such problems do not seek treatment. Substance use patients were surveyed to determine how many recognized they had a problem and whether they had previously received treatment for substance use problems. Almost 60% of the patients treated for a facial injury screened for problem alcohol use, and slightly more than 25% screened for problem drug use. Only approximately one-third of patients indicated any movement towards dealing with these problems and of these, only 20% had actually sought treatment. Employment had an effect on treatment seeking, with fewer employed patients seeking help. Utilizing the critical window of opportunity for ED personnel to make referrals may have an impact on treatment seeking for problem level substance use.

United States Emergency Department Screening for Drug Use Among Assault-Injured Individuals: A Systematic Review

“…22 The journal categories of the 26 studies included the following: substance use/addiction (10/26); pediatrics (6/26); emergency medicine (5/26); public health (3/26); and medicine (2/26). Seventeen studies were funded by the NIDA, 15,16,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] 13 by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, [22][23][24][25]30,32,35,[37][38][39][40][41] eight by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 16,[25][26][27]29,31,34,42,43 one by the National Institute of Mental Health, 21 one by the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 44 and one was not listed. 45 Fourteen studies were cross-sectional.…”

“…45 Fourteen studies were cross-sectional. 16,[23][24][25]27,28,33,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42] nine were retrospective cohort, 22,26,[29][30][31][32]34,35,45 two were prospective cohort, 5,44 and one was a case-control. 21…”

“…21,37,38,44,45 Of the remaining 21 studies, 14 used a combination of the NIDA Quick Screen Question and Modified Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), 15,16,22,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][34][35][36] three used the Substance Abuse Outcomes Module (SAOM), 23,24,39 two used questions from the Monitoring the Future study to detect prior-year cannabis use, 40,41 one used questions from the Supporting Adolescents with Guidance and Employment survey to detect past 12-month substance use, 42 and one used the Texas Christian University Drug Screen to determine past 30-day substance use. 33…”

Substance Use and Facial Injury

“…Many of these reasons can be considered differential expressions of denial, which has been described as endemic to substance use disorders. [50] Specific to orofacial injury, Murphy et al [51] found that 60% of patients treated for a facial injury screened for problem alcohol use and slightly more than 25% screened for problem drug use. Yet, only one-third of patients recognized they had a substance use problem and of those, only 20% had actually sought treatment.…”

Substance Use and Facial Injury

“…Specific to orofacial injury, Murphy et al [51] found that 60% of patients treated for a facial injury screened for problem alcohol use and slightly more than 25% screened for problem drug use. Yet, only one-third of patients recognized they had a substance use problem and of those, only 20% had actually sought treatment.…”