Adolescent Substance Use

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief overview of adolescent substance use for reference by primary care clinicians, dietitians, and adolescent medicine specialists. The first section provides a general review of adolescent substance use, including the biopsychosocial protective and risk factors correlated to substance use, the short-term and long-term effects of adolescent substance use, and the impact of substance use on typical adolescent nutrition as well as disrupted nutrition, including eating disorders. The second section reviews clinical practices for screening for and responding to adolescent substance use using a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model in the context of adolescent confidentiality.