Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · Jul 2012
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms mediate the relationship between traumatic experiences and drinking behavior among women attending alcohol-serving venues in a South African township.
South Africa has high rates of traumatic experiences and alcohol abuse or dependence, especially among women. Traumatic experiences often result in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD has been associated with hazardous drinking. This article examines the relationship between traumatic events and hazardous drinking among women who patronized alcohol-serving venues in South Africa and examines PTSD as a mediator of this relationship. ⋯ Women reported high rates of hazardous drinking and high levels of PTSD symptoms, and most had some history of traumatic events. There was a strong relationship between traumatic exposure and drinking levels, which was largely mediated by PTSD symptoms. Substance use interventions should address histories of trauma in this population, where alcohol may be used in part to cope with past traumas.
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · May 2012
Trends in alcohol- and drug-related emergency department and primary care visits: data from four U.S. national surveys (1995-2010).
The purpose of this study was to update trends in alcohol- and drug-related emergency department and primary care visits over the last 15 years in the United States. ⋯ These data suggest that alcohol-related emergency department visits have increased significantly over the past 15 years, whereas drug-related emergency department visits may have stabilized. These findings underscore the opportunity provided by the emergency department for screening and brief intervention for alcohol-related problems and suggest that Healthy People 2010 objectives calling for a reduction in substance-related emergency department visits were not realized. Thus, it might be prudent to adjust Healthy People 2020 objectives accordingly.
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · Mar 2012
Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt across stages of nonmedical prescription opioid use and presence of prescription opioid disorders among U.S. adults.
This study compares the likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt across stages of nonmedical prescription opioid use and by presence of prescription opioid disorders (dependence and/or abuse) among adult respondents. ⋯ The risk for suicidal ideation was greater in those who no longer used prescription opioids, in persistent users, and among nonmedical users who had a prescription opioid disorder compared with users without the disorder. The results suggest a need to continue monitoring for suicide risk even among those who have stopped using prescription opioids.
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · Mar 2012
Parental monitoring at age 11 and subsequent onset of cannabis use up to age 17: results from a prospective study.
Smoking cannabis before adulthood is associated with subsequent adverse psychiatric outcomes and might be prevented via parenting interventions such as programs to increase parents' effective monitoring of their children. The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of parental monitoring assessed at age 11 on the initiation of cannabis use before age 18. ⋯ This prospective investigation found that higher levels of parental monitoring were associated with a reduced occurrence of cannabis initiation from ages 11 to 17 years. Consistent with evidence reported elsewhere, these findings from prospective research lend further support to theories about parenting and familial characteristics that might exert long-lasting influences on a child's risk of starting to use drugs.
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · Jan 2012
Comparative StudyUse of the screening suggested by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and of a newly derived tool for the detection of unhealthy alcohol drinkers among surgical patients.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has developed a two-question tool for the detection of unhealthy drinking (NIAAA-2Q) that investigates excessive alcohol consumption per single occasion. NIAAA-2Q can be commuted into a four-question tool (NIAAA-4Q) by the addition of two questions aimed at investigating excessive weekly alcohol intake. NIAAA-2Q and NIAAA-4Q may prove useful in busy settings such as an anesthesiological environment. However, to date, no study has evaluated their efficacy in a surgical setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of NIAAA-2Q and NIAAA-4Q in detecting unhealthy drinking among surgical patients using the more complex Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) comprising 10 questions as the criterion method. ⋯ NIAAA-4Q demonstrated a better satisfactory agreement than NIAAA-2Q with AUDIT in detecting unhealthy alcohol drinking among surgical patients. These results suggest that the detection of unhealthy alcohol drinking may be increased by the administration of questions aimed at assessing the weekly average of alcohol intake. The modest time required for NIAAA-4Q administration is a major advantage in clinical practice with respect to AUDIT. Further research will compare NIAAA-2Q and NIAAA-4Q with other brief alcohol screening tests.