The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funded a research study that examined the internal consistency and factor structure of an adapted measure to assess perceptions of adolescent substance use. The study “Adaptation of the Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire to Assess Healthcare Provider Attitudes Toward Adolescent Substance Use” was authored by the National Center for School Mental Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division, Mosaic Group. It was published in Preventive Medicine Reports on June 2019.
Abstract
Although preventive screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for adolescent substance use is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, primary care providers inconsistently address substance use with their pediatric patients (AAP Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine and AAP Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule Workgroup, 2017). Further research on provider perceptions about addressing adolescent substance use may help identify and address some barriers to screening. However, there are few validated measures of provider perceptions toward patient substance, and none are specific to pediatric patients. This study (conducted in Maryland, 2015–2017) examines the internal consistency and factor structure of an adapted measure to assess perceptions of adolescent substance use. Internal consistency was assessed using responses from a sample of 276 healthcare practitioners (87.7% women, 12.3% men). Their professions included the following: Certified Medical Assistants (10.9%), Registered Nurses (17.8%), Nurse Practitioners (8.3%), Physician Assistants (3.6%), Medical Doctors (13.8%), Clinical Therapists (10.9%) and Other (21.0%). A four-factor solution was identified and initial evidence suggests the adapted measure is appropriate for use with health care providers. A subsample of 181 participants who reported direct interaction with adolescent patients in a provider role was also used to assess convergent validity with self-reported screening practices and effectiveness. Provider-reported frequency of alcohol and drug use assessment for pediatric patients was significantly related to positive perceptions about adolescent substance use on all subscales. The adapted measure could prove useful for assessing provider readiness to receive adolescent substance use screening training and could be further adapted to include items unique to adolescent care, including parental involvement.
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The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels. We provide funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of individuals living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage throughout the world.
Preventive Medicine Reports is the open access companion journal to Preventive Medicine. While Preventive Medicine focuses on publishing articles that appeal more broadly to the preventive medicine and health promotion and public health communities, Preventive Medicine Reports publishes papers that have a subspecialty angle, are population or region-specific, describe study protocols, report preliminary or pilot data, qualitative studies, or focus on surrogate health outcomes. Preventive Medicine Reports is also interested in methodological innovation or validation of new and existing tools. It serves as a scholarly repository for the building blocks of research that inform research, practice and policy on disease prevention and health promotion as well as public health.
