SCREENING FOR OPIOID MISUSE
Screening for Opioid Misuse/Disorder
The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) was developed by the ©World Health Organization (WHO) to assess risk for a variety of substances, not just opioids.1 We have specifically adapted this tool so that it can be used to screen for opioid misuse in oneself or in a loved one. It must be emphasized, however, that this Screening Tool is not intended to provide a diagnosis of opioid use disorder, nor is it a substitute for a complete evaluation by a health care provider.
When completing the screening inventory below, record opioid use that is either illicit or involves taking prescribed opioids at higher doses, more often, or for different reasons than prescribed. If opioids are taken exactly as prescribed by a doctor, do not include them in answering these questions.
1Examples of opioids include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin), Percocet, oxymorphone (Opana), codeine, heroin, morphine, methadone, fentanyl (Actiq), buprenorphine (Subutex/Suboxone), pethidine/meperidine (Demerol), dextropropoxyphene (Darvon), and other narcotics. In addition, opioids can be taken in pill form, under the tongue, injected (either in the muscles or veins as is often the case with heroin), smoked, or snorted.