The DOI matches its Crossref record; 13 of the 13 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Strategies to promote the implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in healthcare settings: a scoping review
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), is an approach for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, but is often underutilized in healthcare settings. Although the implementation of SBIRT is challenging, the use of multi-faceted and higher intensity strategies are more likely to result in the successful incorporation of SBIRT into practice in primary care settings. SBIRT may be used in different healthcare settings, and the context for implementation and types of strategies used to support implementation may vary by setting. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide an overview regarding the use of strategies to support implementation of SBIRT in all healthcare settings and describe the associated outcomes. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using CINAHL Complete, HealthBusiness FullTEXT, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Embase to search for articles published in English prior to September 2019. The search returned 462 citations, with 18 articles included in the review. Two independent reviewers extracted data from each article regarding the theory, design, timeline, location, setting, patient population, substance type, provider, sample size and type, implementation strategies, and implementation outcomes. The reviewers entered all extracted data entered into a table and then summarized the results. RESULTS: Most of the studies were conducted in the United States in primary care or emergency department settings, and the majority of studies focused on SBIRT to address alcohol use in adults. The most commonly used strategies to support implementation included training and educating stakeholders or developing stakeholder interrelationships. In contrast, only a few studies engaged patients or consumers in the implementation process. Efforts to support implementation often resulted in an increase in screening, but the evidence regarding the brief intervention is less clear, and most studies did not assess the reach or adoption of the referral to treatment. DISCUSSION: In addition to summarizing the strategies used to increase reach and adoption of SBIRT in healthcare settings, this scoping review identified multiple gaps in the literature. Two major gaps include implementation of SBIRT in acute care settings and the application of implementation theories to inform healthcare efforts to enable use of SBIRT.
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“Ample evidence suggests that use of brief screening questionnaires is feasible; however, general implementation rates in frontline healthcare settings like primary care are largely disappointing (Mertens et al., 2015; Agley et al., 2018; Thoele et al., 2021).”
From Dental screening, counseling, and referral to treatment for substance use disorder: Survey of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (2026) · cites this paper as Thoele et al., 2021
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“, the proportion of individual providers, groups, or organizations that decided to use the intervention) [28, 29].”
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“Nevertheless, the factors influencing individual providers’ decisions about the adoption of an intervention differ from the factors influencing organizational decisions [59].”
BackgroundImplementation strategies: recommendations for specifying and reporting
Proctor, E. K., Powell, B. J., & McMillen, J. C. (2013) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/1748-5908-8-139 · Cited by 2,585
The dynamic sustainability framework: addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change
Chambers, D. A., Glasgow, R. E., & Stange, K. C. (2013) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/1748-5908-8-117 · Cited by 1,724
Effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions in primary care populations
Kaner, E. F., Beyer, F. R., Muirhead, C., Campbell, F., Pienaar, E. D., Bertholet, N., Daeppen, J. B., Saunders, J. B., & Burnand, B. (2018) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd004148.pub4 · Cited by 1,665
A Glossary for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health
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“” 582 This process includes the decision to use an intervention (described using the terms adoption, assimilation, acceptance, and uptake) [19–22], and continued use of the intervention (described using the terms sustainment and maintenance) [20, 21, 23].”
MethodInnovation Adoption: A Review of Theories and Constructs
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McCauley, J. L., Crawford, P., Leo, M. C., McBurnie, M. A., Barton, D., Weidner, H. A., Rindal, D. B., & the National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group (2026) · Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs · doi:10.15288/jsad.24-00383 · Cited by 2
Metadata
- Authors
- Thoele, K., Moffat, L., Konicek, S., Lam-Chi, M., Newkirk, E., Fulton, J., & Newhouse, R.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Indianapolis (US)
- Indiana University Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Thoele, Kelli
- Venue
- Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
- Published
- 2021-05-11
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 42-42
- ISSN
- 1747-597X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8111985
- OpenAlex
- W3161469159
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 1.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Substance Abuse Treatment Prevention and Policy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- IUScholarWorks (Indiana University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Purdue University Indianapolis (Indiana University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Policy Implementation Science
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Sciences Research and Education
- Keywords
- SBIRT, implementation strategies, substance use disorders, alcohol screening, primary care, emergency department, stakeholder training, patient engagement, referral to treatment, implementation outcomes, implementation theory
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Crisis Intervention, Delivery of Health Care, Humans, Mass Screening, Referral and Consultation, United States, Substance-Related Disorders
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