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Substance use history taking by trainee psychiatrists: “There is a tide in the affairs of men…”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Alistair Grandison ,
Hugh Williams ,
Adenekan Oyefeso  and
Luiz Dratcu
Alistair Grandison
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, York Clinic, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 3RR, England
Hugh Williams
Affiliation:
Substance Misuse Service, South Downs Health NHS Trust, 26 Ditchling Rd, Brighton BN1 4SF andDepartment of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 ORE, England
Adenekan Oyefeso
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 ORE, England
Luiz Dratcu
Affiliation:
South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, York Clinic, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 3RR, Senior Lecturer, Joint Division of Psychiatry and Psychology, GKT, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 3RR, England
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Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the extent and quality of substance use history taking by trainee psychiatrists.

Method: A retrospective clinical casenote audit of admissions to an acute inner city psychiatric unit during three randomly selected months. Data on substance use history taking was recorded by means of a specially designed study checklist.

Results: In almost three-quarters (45, 73%) of admission episodes trainee psychiatrists had made some mention of substance misuse. However, substance use history taking often occurred subsequent to the initial clinical assessment and varied greatly in quality.

Conclusions: The need for a brief, standardised substance use screening questionnaire, easily incorporated into the existing psychiatric interview format is highlighted.

Keywords

Psychiatric assessmentSubstance misuseDual diagnosisTrainee psychiatrists.
Type
Audits
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2001 , pp. 24 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

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