Please take a moment to answer a few questions about talking with your patients about their drug use.
NOTE: Click box below to view the answer.
1. It is important to ask patients about their past year use of which of following substances listed below:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco products
- Prescription drugs (for nonmedical reasons)
- Illegal drugs
- All of the above
Answer: E. Use this NIDA quick screen question to determine whether additional screening is necessary.
2. If a patient only mentions using tobacco, they aren’t at risk for drug abuse or addiction.
- True
- False
Answer: B. Any current tobacco use places a patient at risk—advise all tobacco users to quit.
3. Depending upon the level of risk determined during the full NMASSIST, clinicians should NOT do which of the following:
- Arrange: Refer all patients to drug treatment
- Advise: Provide medical advice about the patient’s drug use
- Assess: Determine the patient’s readiness to quit
- Assist: Offer help based on a patient’s readiness level
Answer: A. Patients should be referred for specialty assessment and/or drug treatment only if necessary. Use the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator to find a treatment program.
4. What is the acceptable drinking limit for women?
- No more than 2 drinks in one day
- No more than 3 drinks in one day
- No more than 4 drinks in one day
- No more than 5 drinks in one day
Answer: C. Encourage patients who drink to stay within acceptable drinking limits—no more than 4 drinks per day for women, and no more than 5 drinks per day for men. If the patient is an at-risk drinker, please see the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s publication, Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: A Clinician’s Guide for information to help assess, advise, and assist at-risk drinkers or patients with alcohol use disorders.
5. What should you do first if you used the Quick Screen and determined that a patient is at risk for illicit or prescription drug abuse?
- Refer the patient to treatment
- Continue with the NMASSIST online
- Determine the patient’s readiness to quit
- Offer to help based on patient’s readiness level
Answer: B. If the Quick Screen indicates the patient is at risk for illicit or prescription drug abuse, continue with the NIDA-Modified Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (NMASSIST).
6. When prescribing medications with abuse potential, you should:
- Screen for risk factors
- Talk with patients about proper use and disposal of medications
- Check the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PBMP)
- All of the Above
Answer: D. All of the Above.
7. If an at-risk patient appears ambivalent to the idea of changing his/her substance use behavior, you should acknowledge the patient’s uncertainty and the fact that ambivalence is common.
- True
- False
Answer: A. You may also want to state your concern about specific ways that drugs may negatively affect your patient’s health or personal life.
8. In a follow-up visit with a patient who has previously been identified as at risk of drug abuse and/or addiction, the patient shows no progress with change efforts. You should acknowledge that change is difficult and repeat the brief intervention.
- True
- False
Answer: A. Consider discussing other ways to support the patient’s efforts. In addition, make any necessary referrals for patients that did not attend an appointment.
Additional Resources
If you would like more information about NIDA screening tools and resources, curriculum resources, patient materials, or Continuing Medical Education (CME), click the links below.