Overview
Nondependent harmful pattern of substance use refers to a pattern of substance consumption that leads to significant impairment or distress without meeting the criteria for substance dependence. This pattern often involves recurrent use despite negative consequences and can encompass various substances including alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription medications. 1Diagnosis
Clinical Assessment: Comprehensive evaluation including history of substance use, frequency, quantity, and associated negative consequences. 1
Screening Tools: Utilization of validated screening instruments to identify problematic substance use patterns. 1
Differential Diagnosis: Rule out substance use disorders and other psychiatric conditions that may present similarly. 1Management
Behavioral Interventions: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing to address maladaptive behaviors and enhance motivation for change. 1
Support Groups: Participation in peer support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. 1
Medication: Adjunctive pharmacotherapy may be considered based on specific substance use (e.g., naltrexone for alcohol use disorder), though specific dosing details are not provided in the abstracts. 1Special Populations
Elderly: Consider polypharmacy and deprescribing efforts to mitigate risks associated with substance use in older adults, particularly in nursing home settings. 1Key Recommendations
Conduct thorough clinical assessments and utilize validated screening tools to diagnose nondependent harmful substance use patterns. (Evidence: Moderate 1)
Implement behavioral interventions such as CBT and motivational interviewing as first-line treatments. (Evidence: Moderate 1)
Encourage participation in support groups for additional social support and accountability. (Evidence: Expert opinion 1)
In elderly populations, evaluate and manage polypharmacy to reduce risks associated with substance misuse. (Evidence: Moderate 1)References
1 Thorpe C, Niznik J, Li A. Deprescribing research in nursing home residents using routinely collected healthcare data: a conceptual framework. BMC geriatrics 2023. link
2 Watt J, Tricco AC, Straus S, Veroniki AA, Naglie G, Drucker AM. Research Techniques Made Simple: Network Meta-Analysis. The Journal of investigative dermatology 2019. link
3 Howards PP. An overview of confounding. Part 2: how to identify it and special situations. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica 2018. link
4 Liou JY, Ting CK, Teng WN, Mandell MS, Tsou MY. Adaptation of non-linear mixed amount with zero amount response surface model for analysis of concentration-dependent synergism and safety with midazolam, alfentanil, and propofol sedation. British journal of anaesthesia 2018. link
5 Lesaffre E, Verbeke G. Local influence in linear mixed models. Biometrics 1998. link
6 Henderson R. Modelling conditional distributions in bivariate survival. Lifetime data analysis 1996. link
7 Altham PM. Quasi-independent triangular contingency tables. Biometrics 1975. link