According to the study of 1,080 doctors by researchers at Brown University, one-third of primary-care doctors said they do not routinely ask new patients if they use illicit drugs. Furthermore, 15 percent said they do not routinely offer any intervention to drug-abusing patients.

The study showed that of the doctors who did offer intervention, 61 percent recommend 12-step programs, while just 55 percent routinely recommend formal addiction therapy, such as methadone or residential treatment programs.

Dr. Peter Friedmann, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine and community health at Brown University, said the findings of the study indicate that many doctors don't consider drug addiction to be a medical problem like diabetes, high blood pressure or other chronic diseases.

Other doctors, Friedmann added, fail to discuss illicit drug use with patients out of pessimism about being able to do anything to help, and skepticism about the success of drug treatment programs. In addition, some doctors believe talking about drug abuse with patients is taboo, or feel it is outside their role.

"Primary care is supposed to embrace preventive medicine," said Dr. Terry Horton, medical director for Phoenix House, a national drug treatment program. "If you don't identify the people, there's not a chance you can get them toward help."

The study is published in the Jan. 22 Archives of Internal Medicine.

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