Primary Care Behavioral Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Illicit Drug Use and Nonmedical Pharmaceutical Use in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Patnode CD et al (2014)

Annals of Internal Medicine - https://doi.org/10.7326/M13-2064

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Evidence Categories

• Care setting: Healthcare Setting
• Population group: Young adults (18-25)
• Intervention: Digital Interventions
• Intervention: Psychosocial interventions
• Intervention: Education Interventions
• Outcome: Change in drug/alcohol consumption

Type of Evidence

Systematic Review

Aims

"To systematically review the benefits and harms of primary care–relevant interventions designed to prevent or reduce illicit drug use or the nonmedical use of prescription drugs among youths."

Findings

"Six trials were included, 4 of which examined the effect of the intervention on a health or social outcome. One trial found no effect of the intervention on marijuana-related consequences or driving under the influence of marijuana; 3 trials generally found no reduction in depressed mood at 12 or 24 months. Four of the 5 trials assessing self-reported marijuana use found statistically significant differences favoring the intervention group participants (such as a between-group difference of 0.10 to 0.17 use occasions in the past month). Three trials also reported positive outcomes in nonmedical prescription drug use occasions."

Conclusions

"Evidence is inadequate on the benefits of primary care–relevant behavioral interventions in reducing self-reported illicit and pharmaceutical drug use among adolescents."