The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of a brief intervention for alcohol and drug use in adolescents that a primary care doctor can give in his/her office.

We hypothesize that:

1. Among 12-18 year old well care patients who screen positive for drug/alcohol use, the experimental intervention administered by trained primary care providers will be more effective than standard care in decreasing drug and alcohol use;
2. Among 12-18 year old well care patients who screen negative for drug/alcohol use, the experimental intervention administered by trained primary care providers will be more effective than standard care in decreasing initiation of drug and alcohol use as measured by self-reports of substance use;
3. Among 12-18 year old well care patients who are at risk for driving/riding while impaired (DRWI), the experimental intervention administered by trained primary care providers will be more effective than standard care in decreasing DRWI risk behavior as measured by a standardized scale.

Condition	Intervention
Alcohol & Drug Use	Behavior: alcohol & drug use

Further study details as provided by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA):

Primary Outcomes: Drug and alcohol use
Expected Total Enrollment:  3000

We are trying to find out the best way for doctors to talk with their adolescent patients about alcohol and drug use. Adolescents 12-18 who are coming to their doctor''''s office for a routine well-care or follow-up visit will be invited to participate in the study. Participants do not have to have ever used alcohol or drugs. All participants will answer a computerized questionnaire about alcohol and drug use three times. The first one will be at the time of a doctor''''s visit. The second time will be three months later and the third time a year later. Adolescents who agree to be in the study during the first year will be in the ''''control'''' group. Their doctor will talk to them about drugs and alcohol the same as he/she usually does for all his/her patients. Those who agree to be in the study during the second year will be in the ''''intervention'''' group. Everyone in the ''''intervention'''' group will receive some advice on the computer about their alcohol and drug use. Their doctor will also give them some specific advice about drug and alcohol use. The researchers have chosen what that advice will be, and all doctors involved in the study will give advice according to the study protocol. Participants and their parents will also be given educational information about alcohol and drugs. We will test the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing drug and alcohol use between those who are in the ''''control'''' group, and those who are in the ''''intervention'''' group.

Ages Eligible for Study:  12 Years   -   18 Years,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

12-18 year old patients coming for well care or follow-up visits to one of the study sites.

Exclusion Criteria:

cannot read or understand English, are medically unstable, or will not be available for 12 month follow-up period

Please refer to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov identifier  NCT00227877

Shari Van Hook, M.P.H.      (617)355-5433    shari.vanhook@childrens.harvard.edu

Massachusetts
      Cambridge Pediatrics, Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  02139,  United States
      Fallon Clinic, Worcester,  Massachusetts,  01605,  United States
      Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02111,  United States
New Hampshire
      Capital Region Family Health Center, Concord,  New Hampshire,  03301,  United States
Vermont
      Milton Family Practice, Milton,  Vermont,  05468,  United States

Study chairs or principal investigators

John R Knight, M.D.,  Principal Investigator,  Children''''s Hospital Boston   

Study ID Numbers:  NIDA-18848-1; R01-18848-1
Last Updated:  December 8, 2005
Record first received:  September 27, 2005
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00227877
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2006-01-10