Review of diagnostic screening instruments for alcohol and other drug use and other psychiatric disorders
In recent years there has been a growing recognition that many people with drug or alcohol problems are also experiencing a range of other psychiatric and psychological problems.
Written by Sharon Dawe and Richard P Mattick for National Drug Strategy
Published by Australian Government Printing Service for Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services
1997
In recent years there has been a growing recognition that many people with drug or alcohol problems are also experiencing a range of other psychiatric and psychological problems. The presence of concurrent psychiatric or psychological problems is likely to have an impact on the success of treatment services. These problems vary greatly from undetected major psychiatric illnesses that meet internationally accepted diagnostic criteria such as those outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association (1994), to less defined feelings of low mood and anxiety that do not meet diagnostic criteria but nevertheless impact on an individual's sense of well-being and affect his/ her quality of life. The objectives were to:
- identify which screening/diagnostic instruments are relevant to detect alcohol and other drug problems and psychiatric disorders,
- review AOD and psychiatric screening/ diagnostic instruments,
- recommend when these instruments should be used, by whom and how they should be interpreted,
- identify limitations and provide recommendations for further research.
Review of diagnostic screening instruments for alcohol and other drug use and other psychiatric disorders (PDF 724 KB)
Page currency, Latest update: 27 August, 1997
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