Dynamic Assessment and Referral System - Evaluation

Summary

The investigators study will use a randomized controlled design. Eligible and consenting participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) DARSSA Intervention condition, or (2) Minimal Intervention Control condition. All enrolled participants will undergo the DARSSA baseline assessment and will be interviewed immediately following their ED discharge to assess relevant outcomes, such as whether they were asked about substance use and given a referral during their visit. This is referred to as the post-visit interview. All risky substance users enrolled during all phases will be interviewed again at 1- and 3-months post-visit to assess substance use, treatment engagement, and other outcomes. The primary difference between the two conditions is that, for the DARSSA Intervention condition, the subjects will have their reports printed and will be given the option of receiving the dynamic referral, while for the Minimal Intervention Control condition the subjects will undergo the assessment and will receive the standard substance abuse treatment referral list currently in use clinically at each site. The number of assessments and interactions with research staff will remain equal between the two conditions, with the only difference being the active intervention of the DARSSA reports and referrals, and any counseling by healthcare providers this engenders. The remainder of this section describes each phase of the study and enrollment procedures.

Conditions

• Smoking
• Alcohol Abuse
• Drug Abuse

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Self-administered computerized assessment for tobacco, substance abuse, and alcohol use.

All patients that give consent to participate in the study ("participants") who are randomly assigned to the control condition will complete the computerized DARSSA for assessment purposes only.

BEHAVIORAL

Self-Administered Computerized Assessment and Counseling for Tobacco, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse

All participants randomized to the DARSSA Intervention will be given instructions for how to complete the assessment. Once completed, the treating emergency physician will be expected to (1) give substance using patients the Patient Feedback Report, (2) recommend they review it carefully, and (3) encourage them to consider following up with the referrals.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Massachusetts, Worcester

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Edwin Boudreaux, PhD · UMass Medical School

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2010-06-30

Primary Completion

2015-04-30

Completion

2015-04-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations