Intervention Integrates Cannabis Use Disorder Screening Into Primary Care

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40967380/ Adult primary care provides opportunities for systematic screening and symptom assessment for cannabis use disorder (CUD), but getting patients to remain in treatment is a challenge, according to an AHRQ-funded study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Conducted across 19 randomized adult primary care practices in the Kaiser Permanente Washington healthcare system, the intervention—featuring electronic health record prompts, practice facilitation, and performance feedback—significantly increased screening rates and identification of patients who continued to use cannabis despite experiencing clinically significant impairment or distress. New CUD diagnoses rose from 10 per every 10,000 patients to 17, and treatment initiation doubled from 0.4 per every 10,000 visits to 1. However, patient engagement in treatment did not improve. Researchers noted the findings underscore the feasibility and value of routine cannabis screening in primary care to enhance early detection and treatment initiation. The findings also highlight the need for more interventions to address persistent challenges in maintaining long-term treatment engagement and stigma about cannabis-related care.