Table 5:

Self-reported use of brief intervention by physicians in intervention group and sensitivity in identifying excessive substance use

VariableAll patients, no. (%)
n = 272*
Patients reporting excessive substance use, no. (%)
n = 124
Patients with excessive substance use according to FP, no. (%)
n = 51
Time spent administering brief intervention with each patient, min
 ≤ 5150 (57.0)50 (40.2)9 (18.0)
  6–1090 (34.2)57 (45.9)28 (55.0)
  10–1515 (5.7)11 (9.0)8 (16.0)
 > 158 (3.0)6 (4.9)5 (10.0)
FP screened for substance use (first of 5 As)269 (98.9)§123 (99.2)51 (100.0)
No. of steps in 5As framework FP reported doing
 None3 (1.1)1 (0.8)0
 189 (32.7)22 (17.7)5 (9.8)
 296 (35.3)46 (37.1)9 (17.6)
 341 (15.1)19 (15.3)9 (17.6)
 424 (8.8)22 (17.7)17 (33.3)
 519 (7.0)13 (10.5)11 (21.6)
Sensitivity of FPs’ identification of binge drinking, %NANA33.6
Sensitivity of FPs’ identification of excessive cannabis use, %NANA59.4
  • Note: FP = family physician (in Switzerland, family medicine practitioners also include general internists and pediatricians), NA = not applicable.

  • * Data missing for 15 patients.

  • Data missing for 6 patients.

  • Percentage of patients correctly identified by FPs as experiencing excessive substance use (patient’s self-report in baseline survey used as reference standard).

  • § Includes 4 patients who were known substance users and were thus not formally screened.