142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Feasibility of the UCLA Quit Using Drugs Intervention Trial (QUIT)

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Melvin Rico , Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
John Scholtz , Department of Family Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles
Marianna Garcia , Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Mani Vahidi , Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Ronald M. Andersen, PhD , Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Julia Yacenda , Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Lillian Gelberg, MD, MSPH , Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Background: We report on the feasibility of conducting the Quit Using Drugs Intervention Trial (QUIT), a brief intervention for reducing risky drug use and drug-related harm in low-income, racially diverse patients of five Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Los Angeles.

Methods: Eligible risky drug users, defined by a WHO ASSIST score of 4-26 on a computerized self-administered version, were randomized to the QUIT intervention (n=171). We report on the completion rate, and patient perceived helpfulness/usefulness of the QUIT intervention components in reducing drug use: 1) clinician advice; 2) video of standardized clinician advice; 3) drug-use educational booklet; and 4) two telephone health education (HE) sessions. Data were obtained from clinicians’ post-intervention surveys, 3-month follow-up surveys and educators’ HE session progress notes. 

Results: Of the intervention patients: 1) 100% received the brief clinician advice, 2/3s of which took 3-4 minutes or less; 2) 90% viewed the video; 3) 100% received the drug-use booklet; 4) 77% received the 2-week HE session and 54% received the 6-week HE session. The average HE session was 19 minutes. Patient perception of the QUIT components: 1) 68% of patients found brief clinician advice helpful; 2) 50% video useful; 3) 77% booklet useful; 4) 85% HE session useful.

Conclusion: Findings on the ease and helpfulness of providing the QUIT intervention support QUIT as a feasible model for screening and intervening on risky drug use in FQHCs. Implementing QUIT into routine primary care would be an effective part of integrating behavioral health into comprehensive, patient-centered primary care.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the feasibility of implementing the UCLA Quit Using Drugs Intervention Trial (QUIT), a brief intervention for reducing drug use, progression to dependence, and drug-related harm in low-income, culturally diverse patients of 5 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Los Angeles (LA).

Keyword(s): Drug Abuse Prevention and Safety, Community Health Centers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a lead fieldwork coordinator and trained Health Educator for a federally funded grant focusing on prevention of drug abuse. My scientific interest has been the implementation of preventive medicine programs for underserved, multicultural communities.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.