Racial and ethnic gaps exist in drug and alcohol testing of patients at pediatric trauma centers Patients who are male or white are less likely to be tested than girls or those from minority groups, a new study reports Researchers say universal screening protocols are needed FRIDAY, Oct. 4, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Teens from minority groups seeking treatment at pediatric trauma centers are more likely than their white counterparts to be tested for drugs and alcohol. That's the takeaway from a new study led by researchers at UCLA and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
"While screening can positively affect patients if it is followed by counseling and treatment, it can also lead to negative consequences," said lead study author Dr. Jordan Rook , a resident in general surgery at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. His team found that injured teens who are Black, Hispanic or American Indian are more likely to be screened for substance use .
"We believe that existing guidelines on substance use screening may be inadequate to achieve equitable high-quality screening in adolescent trauma care," he said in a UCLA news release. "Stricter guidance and oversight and/or the implementation of universal screening protocols and equitable utilization of support services may be needed." For the study, researchers looked at data on 85,400 trauma patients between the ages of 12 and 17 who were treated at 121 pediatric trauma centers.
Of those, 67% were white, 82% were non-Hispanic, 72% were .