• In thinking about an accurate alcohol and drug assessment, many human service agencies also require clients to take a drug or alcohol test to help verify the accuracy of the client’s self report about abstinence from drugs or alcohol. In reading the information below, what are some benefits and drawbacks to each of these methods? Why do you think that some agencies would continue to use urine drug tests when other options are available? Which method do you think is the more accurate and useful in your opinion?

Drug Testing Methods Comparisons or copy and paste the URL in your browser: https://blog.averhealth.com/optimal-specimen-types-for-drug-testing
Saliva vs Blood or copy and paste the URL in your browser : https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/10_03.pd

NOTE: You must make at least 1 substantial posting and 2 substantial replies to this thread. You must participate in the Unit discussion board (making postings/replies) at least 3 days per unit to qualify for full credit and also have at least 1 posting by Wednesday at midnight. You also must use APA style in your posting and replies so please use in-text references and provide a reference to give proper credit to the authors.

DB 5.3

• In working with clients who have a very difficult and complicated past, how do you know “where to start” when it comes to treatment? Should you treat the addiction first? Should you treat the mental illness first? How do you know what to do? Please find at least one website or journal article that can give us some insight into this topic and helps support your claims of “what should we do first.”

NOTE: You must make at least 1 substantial posting and 2 substantial replies to this thread. You must participate in the Unit discussion board (making postings/replies) at least 3 days per unit to qualify for full credit and also have at least 1 posting by Wednesday at midnight. You also must use APA style in your posting and replies so please use in-text references and provide a reference to give proper credit to the authors.

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DB 5.1: Drug Assessment Measures

As human service professionals, selecting the appropriate drug assessment measure is crucial for effective client care. This discussion compares and contrasts three common drug assessment measures: the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST), the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).

Firstly, MAST is functional and is widely validated and, therefore, accurate for detailed data on alcohol consumption, which is essential in long-term planning. However, it is lengthy and can take a lot of time and resources to administer it. Furthermore, it only applies to alcohol and thus presents a difficulty when dealing with clients who use more than just alcohol (Tevik et al., 2021).

Second, DAST is short and can thus be used in preliminary screening in different facilities, like emergency settings. However, unlike other assessments, it may be less specific in revealing the kind or degree of substance use problems a client with a complex service history might have. This may prove to be desirable in cases where an intricate assessment is needed.

Lastly, the AUDIT tool assesses hazardous drinking and alcohol dependence and is used worldwide because it does not assume that cultural uniformity exists in the method of dealing with alcohol consumption. However, it is specific to alcohol and does not include any provisions on drug use, which can make it unideal for use for clients who are dependent on both alcohol and drugs. It is useful in multicultural clinics, but its vision is too limited that it sometimes loses usefulness in various situations related to substance use (Nickenig et al., 2023).

HSV534 Unit 5 Introduction Discussions

Overall, all three assessment measures have benefits and drawbacks. MAST and AUDIT tools are highly effective for alcohol assessments but unsuitable for other substances, while the DAST tool is more versatile and briefer but may lack depth.

References

Nickenig, R., Friedman, K., Nayara Malheiros Caruzzo, Pestillo, L., Pauley, A., Siddhesh Z., Menegassi, V., Sakita, F., Boshe, J., Staton, C. A., & Mmbaga, B. T. (2023). Clinical evaluation of the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) in Moshi, Tanzania. PLOS ONE, 18(11), e0287835–e0287835. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287835

Tevik, K., Bergh, S., Selbæk, G., Johannessen, A., & Helvik, Anne-S. (2021). A systematic review of self-report measures used in epidemiological studies to assess alcohol consumption among older adults. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0261292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261292

DB 5.2: Drug Testing Methods

Various kinds of drug testing have distinctive benefits and drawbacks. Such distinctions are crucial when deciding on the suitable method for a given context. This discussion compares urine, saliva, and blood tests.

To begin with, the most widespread, painless, and easiest to perform are urine tests, which can be employed in settings like the workplace for pre-employment testing. However, these types have a short detection period and, therefore, cannot be relied upon for identifying recent drug users (Informed Health, 2019). For instance, they may fail to note recent usage, such as testing after an accident or within the previous day.

Second, swab tests are the least invasive, are easily done, and provide a good parameter in determining recent use; hence, they are good for a roadside sample. However, these tests only detect short-term drug use since they have a short detection life cycle, like the urine tests. This is a major drawback of screening drugs since they are not as effective in the early detection of long-term substance abuse.

Third, blood tests are the most accurate and show recent use; thus, they are popular in medical contexts where high accuracy is necessary, like in hospitals for overdoes. However, they are invasive and need professional staff and venipuncture, so they are less suitable for large-scale screening (Srikanth & Lotfollahzadeh, 2021).

In sum, while urine tests are common and cost-effective, they may not be ideal for recent drug use detection. Saliva tests offer immediate detection but are limited in their detection window. Conversely, blood tests provide accurate results but are invasive and less practical for routine use.

References

Informed Health. (2019, October 24). Understanding urine tests. Nih.gov; Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279350/

Srikanth, K. K., & Lotfollahzadeh, S. (2021). Phlebotomy. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574569/

DB 5.3: Treating Clients with Complex Histories

When working with clients who have both addiction and mental illness, determining where to start treatment can be challenging. As such, this discussion explores whether to treat the addiction first, the mental illness first, or both simultaneously.

Integrated Treatment Approach

Recent studies, such as the research by Yule and Kelly (2019), suggest that an integrated approach is most effective, as addressing both issues simultaneously improves overall outcomes. For example, a client with depression and alcohol dependence can receive concurrent treatment for both conditions, reducing the risk of relapse and improving overall outcomes.

Sequential Treatment Approach

Sequential treatment plans imply that primary diagnosis has to be embraced so that the subsequent diagnosis can be addressed with a concrete foundation. For example, a client whose depressive disorder is severe may be treated for this condition first and later treated for substance use once the client’s condition is stable (Bains & Abdijadid, 2023). This approach may be useful where one state is considerably worse.

Simultaneous Treatment Approach

Integrative treatment entails that the individual receives treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders at once. For instance, integrated therapy, where the client is treated for both disorders in a single session, enables the clients to learn ways to deal with the two problems. In conclusion, while an integrated treatment approach is often the most effective, the choice of treatment should be tailored to the individual client’s needs and circumstances.

References

Bains, N., & Abdijadid, S. (2023). Major depressive disorder. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/

Yule, A., & Kelly, J. (2019). Integrating Treatment for Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v40.1.07