The Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions Into Primary Care
Authors: Richard Saitz, Sarah E. Wakeman, John F. Kelly
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2016)

Letters15 March 2016The Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions Into Primary CareRichard Saitz, MD, MPH, Sarah E. Wakeman, MD, and John F. Kelly, PhDRichard Saitz, MD, MPHFrom Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Search for more papers by this author, Sarah E. Wakeman, MDFrom Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Search for more papers by this author, and John F. Kelly, PhDFrom Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L15-0525 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:We were disappointed that Crowley and Kirschner (1) missed an opportunity to use scientifically accurate, nonstigmatizing diagnostic terminology in their position paper on integrated care, which is particularly ironic given that 1 of the 6 recommendations specified aims to reduce stigma. The title of the paper refers to “substance abuse,” and “abuse” or its derivatives (such as “abuser”) appear 66 times in the text. We understand that use of these terms is unavoidable sometimes (for example, the diagnosis of “abuse” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition or an agency name), but such ...References1. Crowley RA, Kirschner N; Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians. The integration of care for mental health, substance abuse, and other behavioral health conditions into primary care: executive summary of an American College of Physicians position paper. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:298-9. [PMID: 26121401]. doi:10.7326/M15-0510 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Saitz R. International Statement Recommending Against the Use of Terminology That Can Stigmatize People. J Addict Med. 2015. [PMID: 26588846] MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Glass JE, Hamilton AM, Powell BJ, Perron BE, Brown RT, Ilgen MA. Specialty substance use disorder services following brief alcohol intervention: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Addiction. 2015;110:1404-15. [PMID: 25913697] doi:10.1111/add.12950 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Hingson R, Compton WM. Screening and brief intervention and referral to treatment for drug use in primary care: back to the drawing board [Editorial]. JAMA. 2014;312:488-9. [PMID: 25096687] doi:10.1001/jama.2014.7863 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Saitz R, Cheng DM, Winter M, Kim TW, Meli SM, Allensworth-Davies D, et al. Chronic care management for dependence on alcohol and other drugs: the AHEAD randomized trial. JAMA. 2013;310:1156-67. [PMID: 24045740] doi:10.1001/jama.2013.277609 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L15-0525. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions into Primary Care: Executive Summary of an American College of Physicians Position Paper Ryan A. Crowley , Neil Kirschner , and The Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions Into Primary Care Ryan A. Crowley , Neil Kirschner , and Darilyn V. Moyer Metrics Cited byChanges in craving following acute aerobic exercise in adults with alcohol use disorderApplying American Society of Addiction Medicine Performance Measures in Commercial Health Insurance and Services DataMedications For Addiction Treatment: Changing Language to Improve Care 15 March 2016Volume 164, Issue 6Page: 447KeywordsDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth editionDisclosureDrug abuseDrug screeningDrugsHealth care qualityPrimary carePsychiatry and mental healthRandomized trialsSubstance abuse ePublished: 15 March 2016 Issue Published: 15 March 2016 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2016 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...