Less than half of all substance abuse treatment centers across the country offer on-site screening for infectious diseases. This news is according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Rates of HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C are highest among drug users. These diseases can pose a significant health threat to the carriers and to others around them.
"Arranging for screenings for infectious diseases should be a routine part of substance abuse treatment services," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. "People enter treatment for different needs and screening provides an opportunity to identify additional healthcare needs as part of the recovery process."
This study was based on information from the 2007 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), an annual census of all known facilities in the United States, both public and private, that provide substance abuse treatment services. The survey looks at the provision of on-site screening for hepatitis B and C, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis.
SAMHSA is the national agency responsible for monitoring addiction treatment, mental health services and the prevention of substance abuse.
