How should DUES (Drug Use and Effects Survey) be measured for research purposes?

Medical Advisory BoardAll articles are reviewed for accuracy by our Medical Advisory Board
Educational purpose only • Exercise caution as content is pending human review
Article Review Status
Submitted
Under Review
Approved

Last updated: December 30, 2025View editorial policy

Personalize

Help us tailor your experience

Which best describes you? Your choice helps us use language that's most understandable for you.

DUES Measurement for Research Purposes

I cannot provide specific guidance on measuring "DUES" (Drug Use and Effects Survey) for research purposes, as none of the provided evidence directly addresses this specific instrument or measurement tool.

What the Evidence Does Address

The provided guidelines and research focus on related but distinct measurement approaches in substance use research:

Primary Substance Use Outcome Measures

For research purposes, biological verification combined with standardized self-report represents the gold standard approach to measuring drug consumption. 1

  • Biological markers should be assessed repeatedly according to dissipation rates: carbon monoxide (hours), cotinine (up to one week), cocaine metabolites (24-48 hours standard, up to 22 days in heavy users), opioid metabolites (variable by compound) 1, 2
  • Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) interview is the gold standard self-report method for assessing days of use over a defined period (typically 30 days), though it relies entirely on self-report 1
  • Hierarchical outcome selection for effect size estimation: (1) biological assay measures, (2) frequency/quantity measures with means and standard deviations, (3) sample proportions, (4) other outcomes like diagnostic measures 1

Adherence Measurement in Clinical Trials

  • Electronic detection of package entry (MEMS®) provides 97% accuracy between package opening and dose ingestion, allowing precise identification of initiation, implementation, and persistence 1
  • Multiple complementary measures should each measure distinct elements of adherence (initiation, implementation, persistence) rather than triangulating the same construct 1

Surrogate Endpoints in Substance Use Research

  • Cue-reactivity and self-reported craving are the most common dependent measures in brain stimulation studies for substance use disorders, though biological markers of cue-sensitivity relate more closely to relapse than subjective craving 1
  • Minimum 3-month follow-up period recommended for longitudinal substance use studies 1

Critical Gap

If DUES refers to a specific validated instrument for measuring drug use and effects, you would need to consult the original instrument development literature or validation studies that are not included in the provided evidence base. The evidence provided focuses on general principles of substance use measurement rather than this specific tool.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Guideline

Detection Window for Cocaine Metabolites in Urine

Praxis Medical Insights: Practical Summaries of Clinical Guidelines, 2025

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

Have a follow-up question?

Our Medical A.I. is used by practicing medical doctors at top research institutions around the world. Ask any follow up question and get world-class guideline-backed answers instantly.