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Drug Brief Intervention for Young Adults and Adolescents in the Emergency Department

Lleras M, Pardo M and Matali JL

The scientific literature and annual reports show that drug use has increased, not just among adults but also among young people, and the ages of substance use initiation have decreased. Together with this, consumption patterns have also changed. This new pattern in conjunction with drug use increase has raised the number of emergency room visits related to drug consumption. Psychoactive substance use amongst adults and children is one of the most common reasons for visits to emergency departments. Brief Intervention (BI) has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing and preventing drug use among adults and adolescents in multiple settings. The main goal of this BI is detection and intervention of drug use depending on the pattern of consumption and patient needs. Emergency department visits provide the opportunity to identify drug consumption patterns and may afford access to BI, and the nurses' involvement is an important component in the achievement of this objective.