The Definition of Substance Abuse - Essay Example

"The Definition of Substance Abuse" is a perfect example of a paper on addiction. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has explicitly defined substance abuse as “a set of related conditions associated with the consumption of mind- and behavior-altering substances that have negative behavioral and health outcomes” (U.S. DHHS: Understanding Substance Abuse, 2013, par. 1).  The role that nurses play in disease surveillance, as well as prevention, intervention, and control of substance abuse concerns, have been acknowledged to be of prime importance (Watson, Munro, Wilson, Kerr, & Godwin, 2010). As acknowledged, community or public health nurses “make a significant impact on reducing hazardous and harmful use of psychoactive substances by engaging in screening and brief interventions” (Watson, Munro, Wilson, Kerr, & Godwin, 2010, p. xii); as well as in instituting proper measures to assist individuals who have already developed preponderance to substance abuse. Brief interventions were noted to involve appropriate screening, as well as the provision of much-needed advice using non-confrontational techniques; as well as encouraging these at-risk individuals to assume a positive stance at behavioral or lifestyle change to prevent further propensities for substance abuse. Thus, part of disease surveillance includes an accurate assessment of individuals that have apparently developed signs and symptoms for contracting substance abuse and identifying factors in the community that could have contributed to the health problem.

          In terms of instituting preventive efforts, community and public health nurses “play in improving the health of the population through assessment, prevention, education and community outreach (Coles & Porter, 2008; cited in Watson, Munro, Wilson, Kerr, & Godwin, 2010, p. 3). In terms of primary intervention efforts, community nurses were noted to assist in disseminating and communicating crucial information regarding substance abuse that would assist individuals or community members in becoming aware of their dangers and negative impacts. Concurrently, secondary prevention efforts could be undertaken by community health nurses through a clear assessment of individuals who might have manifested symptoms and signs of early stages of substance abuse. As emphasized,  the early identification through appropriate screening and brief interventions would significantly assist identified individuals to progress into advanced abuse levels.          Community health nurses assist in tertiary prevention efforts for individuals who have been noted to have developed substance abuse dilemmas through “instituting measures to restore them to the best possible level of functioning and/or to minimize the negative aspects of a disease” (Watson, Munro, Wilson, Kerr, & Godwin, 2010, p. 3).

          Finally, control measures actually necessitate community nurses to use the information gathered through the disease surveillance stage (specifically the factors that contribute to the proliferation of substance abuse in the local community) and to use these data, as required. Among the techniques found to be effective in controlling substance abuse include frequent monitoring of trends and statistics of individuals reported to have contracted the illness; addressing the root causes or factors that contribute to the substance abuse problem; and applying best practices in prevention and intervention, as deemed applicable in the community setting.

 

 

 

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