Substance use in the emergency department: Screening for risky drug use, using the ASSIST‐Lite

Abstract Introduction: Substance use is a common contributing factor to emergency department (ED) presentations. While screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for alcohol and tobacco is common in ED settings, it is not routinely conducted for illicit substances. This study aimed to deploy the ASSIST‐Lite to screen for risky use of alcohol and other drugs in the ED, to identify differences in risk based on between demographic characteristics. Method: All ED attenders, aged 18 years or older, deemed well