Effects of screening and brief intervention for drug use in the emergency department on utilization

People with drug use disorders (DUD) use the emergency department (ED) at rates several times higher than the general population. Screening and brief intervention (SBI) identifies individuals with risky substance use and engages them in a short intervention to reflect on risk and motivate behavior change. SBI can be delivered by social workers and other providers who offer holistic care in the ED. The effects of SBI on health service utilization, particularly among people with DUD, are underexplored. This study compared all-cause and drug-related ED utilization in the 12 months before and after an index ED visit in which intervention participants (n = 420) received SBI. The intervention group was compared with a matched comparison group (n = 420). Incidence of either outcome did not differ significantly between groups. These findings suggest SBI alone may not be sufficient to reduce ED utilization in populations with complex social and medical needs.