Preoperative Substance Use: Prevalence, Detection & Outcomes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Preoperative Substance Use: Prevalence, Detection & Outcomes
IRAS ID
210919
Contact name
Luke Budworth
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 1 days
Research summary
Before elective surgery, patients are screened to determine any perioperative risks they may susceptible to. This allows clinicians to implement contingency measures in patients’ care or, if necessary, postpone surgery. Data is typically gathered via questionnaire and concerns patients’ medical history and health behaviours. Questions often relate to patients’ use of alcohol,tobacco and other substances - and sometimes patients' level of physical activity.
It is important for the assessors to determine whether patients are smokers, heavy drinkers, illicit substance users, or whether patients have low physical activity, as these behaviours can greatly increase the risk of morbidity and even mortality during the perioperative period. Detecting these patients allows clinicians to give advice, or deliver brief interventions, to promote abstinence in the preoperative period. However, questionnaires used to assess these behaviours are often non-standardised and non-validated.
One aim of this study is to determine local preoperative prevalence rates of substance use behaviours and low physical activity using short validated questionnaires; e.g., the ‘Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Consumption’ (AUDIT-C). These will be anonymously completed in a preassessment clinic, after patients complete a routine preassessment form but before patients undergo a routine preassessment session with a clinician (upon consent).
An additional aim is to compare the relative detection rates between the study measures and those delivered in routine preassessment, in regard to substance use (via comparing responses on the study questionnaires, and those in routine practice).
Lastly, the researchers aim to assess whether responses on all of the study measures can predict negative outcomes, such as complications after surgery. This will be determined by assessing patient outcomes through the relevant clinical systems.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0007
Date of REC Opinion
20 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion