Incorporating a Routine Cannabis-Specific ASSIST Screen in Student Health Primary Care ADHD Visits: A Quality Improvement Study

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of screening for cannabis use with college-aged individuals in student health primary care. College students have the highest rates of cannabis use. Methods: Via PRISMA guidelines, four databases were searched, as well as references, between 2012-2022. Results: There were no high-quality studies of screening within the university setting; all were single-setting specific. Three themes emerged from analysis. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) dominated as the screening instrument used. Both clinician-structured and non-clinician structured formats were efficacious for this population and setting. Screening and brief interventions were deemed feasible but research on brief interventions for cannabis use were mixed. Conclusions: The ASSIST was the most frequently incorporated instrument. More research is needed to test efficacy of short-term brief interventions (SBI) for cannabis use in college health, including what factors contribute to, or are predictive of, response to SBI.