Vlada Stark and John Beckerle (both Medicine) presented their poster titled, "Patterns of Substance Screening and Drug Positivity in Trauma Patients: Understanding Housing Status as a Determinant of Care," at the 2025 American Medical Association (AMA) Annual House of Delegates Meeting.

The study analyzed the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) data to examine whether higher rates of substance positivity among unhoused trauma patients reflect true differences in substance use or disparities in clinician screening practices. The findings demonstrated that unhoused patients are screened for substances far more frequently than housed patients, suggesting that observed positivity differences may be driven in part by selective testing rather than risk alone. These results highlight how current screening practices may reinforce stigma, overlook substance use in housed patients, and distort trauma epidemiology, supporting the need for standardized, universal screening protocols paired with linkage to addiction treatment and housing resources to promote more equitable trauma care.