What are drug use screening tests?

Drug use screening tests are questionnaires you answer about your drug use. Drugs are chemical substances that can change how your body and mind work. They include prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, tobacco, and illegal drugs.

Drug use can cause problems in your work, relationships, and health. Drug use can include taking illegal drugs or misusing prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Misusing medicines means that you are taking them for a nonmedical reason, such as to get high. It can include taking more than your prescribed dose or taking someone else's medicine. It can also mean taking medicine in a different way than you are supposed to, such as crushing and snorting tablets.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable, chronic mental disorder. The disorder may affect your brain and behavior. Symptoms of SUD include a pattern of using drugs or alcohol, even if it causes a problem in your life. The most severe form of SUD is addiction. If you have an addiction, you may continue to use the substance even though you know it can cause you harm. A drug use screening test can help your health care provider check for a substance use disorder, and if you have one, make an effective treatment plan for you.

Commonly used drugs include:

• Marijuana.
• Prescription opioid pain relievers, which include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and codeine.
• Club drugs, which are drugs that are most often used by young adults at bars, concerts, nightclubs, and parties. Some types include:
  • Methamphetamines, which are stimulant drugs.
  • Hallucinogens, which are drugs that cause hallucinations (seeing, hearing, and/or feeling things that are not real). They include LSD and Ecstasy (MDMA).
• Cocaine, another type of stimulant drug.
• Heroin, an illegal opioid.

Substance use can also refer to the misuse of other substances, including alcohol and inhalants. Inhalants contain substances that people inhale (breathe in) to get high. They are often products easily bought and can be found in the home or workplace, such as paint thinner and certain types of glue.

Other names: Drug Abuse Screen Test (DAST); DAST-10; Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription medication, and other Substance use (TAPS), substance abuse screening; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT); Cut down Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (CAGE) tool; Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble (CRAFFT) Screening Tool

What are they used for?

Drug use screening tests are used to check your risk of drug use or misuse and determine the best treatment for you. Some tests can also show if you are at low, moderate, or high risk for complications from drug use.

Why do I need a drug use screening test?

You may need a screening test if you have symptoms or behaviors that may be a sign that you are at risk for a substance use disorder. These include:

• An urgent need to take the drug on a daily or regular basis.
• Hiding your drug use from others.
• Making excuses to take the drug.
• Continuing to take the drug even if it causes problems in your personal relationships, work, school, and/or health.
• Building up a tolerance to the drug. That means you need more and more of the drug to feel its effects.

Many people who use or misuse drugs don't know or want to admit they have a problem. If your family, friends, or co-workers express concerns about your drug use, talk to your provider about getting a screening. Your provider may also recommend a screening if they notice signs and symptoms of a substance use disorder.

What happens during a drug use screening test?

Your primary care provider or a mental health provider may do a drug use screening. A mental health provider is a health care professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental health problems. Some mental health providers specialize in treating substance use disorders.

There are different types of drug use screening tests. Most of these questionnaires are also available online for self-testing. Each includes questions about your drug use and how it affects your life. The most commonly used drug use screening tests include:

• Drug Abuse Screen Test (DAST, also known as DAST-10). This test contains 10 yes or no questions about how much and how often you take drugs. It also asks if the drugs are causing problems in your life and health. The answers are scored on a point system. A score of 8 or more may indicate that you have a problem with drug use.
• Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription medication, and other Substance use (TAPS). This test has two parts. The first section asks questions about your tobacco, alcohol, and other substance use in the past year. If you answer yes to using any of these substances, you will have additional questions in the second part. Your score will determine a risk level per substance.
• Cut-down Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (CAGE). This test is often used to check for alcohol misuse, but it is also used for drug use. But it's no longer recommended because there are better tests available. The test contains the following yes or no questions:
  • Have you ever felt the need to cut-down on your drug use?
  • Do you ever feel annoyed when people criticize your drug use?
  • Have you ever felt embarrassed or guilty about your drug use?
  • Eye-opener: Have you ever used drugs first thing in the morning?
  Two or more "yes" answers may indicate signs of a substance use disorder.
• Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble (CRAFFT). This test is designed for teens and includes yes or no questions about drug and alcohol use, such as:
  • Have you ever ridden in a car driven by someone (including yourself) who was high or had been using alcohol or drugs?
  • Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to relax, feel better about yourself, or fit in?
  • Do you ever use alcohol/drugs while you are alone?
  • Do you ever forget things you did while using alcohol or drugs?
  • Do your family or friends ever tell you that you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
  • Have you gotten into trouble while you were using alcohol or drugs?
  Two or more "yes" answers to these questions may indicate signs of a substance use disorder.

These questionnaires may be used along with an approach called Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). SBIRT helps to identify, reduce, and prevent risky substance use and find the best treatment. It focuses on helping you understand how substance use may affect your life, so you can make positive changes. If your test shows you have or are at risk for a serious drug use problem, a long-term treatment plan may be recommended.

Other screening tools may be available for specific groups, such as adolescents or pregnant women.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

You don't need any special preparations for a drug use screening test.

Are there any risks to the test?

There is no risk in taking a questionnaire.

What do the results mean?

Results may show whether you have a substance use disorder and the severity of the problem. The results can help your provider develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Is there anything else I need to know about drug use screening tests?

Treatment for drug use depends on the type of drug and the severity of your substance use disorder. Treatment options may include:

• Brief or long-term counseling from a mental health provider who specializes in treating drug use.
• Support groups. There are different approaches and formats to drug use support groups. Talk with your provider to find a group and approach that's right for you.
• Medicine. Certain medicines can help establish normal brain function and decrease cravings for the drug. This may help prevent a relapse or return to the use of the drug. Medicines can also make it safer to handle the unpleasant and sometimes dangerous symptoms of withdrawal (symptoms that can happen when you cut back or stop taking drugs).
• Residential treatment programs. If you have a more serious drug problem, you may be helped by a stay in a facility that specializes in treating drug use. These facilities offer a range of treatment services. Stays can last anywhere from one month to a year, depending on your condition.