Biomedical subjects

R K Hersch

Publications and source records attributed to R K Hersch.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Methodological issues in workplace substance abuse prevention research.

Substance abuse among working adults represents billions of dollars in preventable health care costs and industry financial loss. Therefore, it is imperative to develop and test effective substance abuse prevention programs for the workplace. However, applied workplace substance abuse prevention research is fraught with numerous methodological challenges. This article highlights a number of these challenges, which include (1) reaching a broad audience with prevention messages, (2) handling the concerns of the employer, (3) collecting substance use data in the workplace, (4) accessing and using records-based data, and (5) linking survey and records-based data. Using examples from the authors' ongoing research assessing a workplace health promotion and substance abuse prevention program, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the authors address these challenges.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Brief substance use screening instruments for primary care settings: a review.

Chemical dependence, including nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Primary care physicians and nurses routinely provide preventive health care and rely on routine screening to detect diseases and promote wellness. These primary care practitioners are in a unique position to assess and detect such dependence at its earliest stages. However, previous research indicates that little such screening is actually conducted. This literature review gathered and examined substance use screening instruments in four categories to assess their feasibility for use in primary care settings. Although substance use screening tools are available, most are not appropriate for screening in a primary care setting. There clearly remains a need for the development of a valid, reliable screening instrument that can be easily incorporated into the practices and procedures found in primary care settings.

Alcoholism↗