Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Oct 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialFactor structure of PTSD symptoms in opioid-dependent patients rating their overall trauma history.
The current standard for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis is a 3-factor model (re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal). Two 4-factor models of PTSD, the emotional numbing model (re-experiencing, avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal) and the dysphoria model (re-experiencing, avoidance, dysphoria, and hyperarousal), have considerable empirical support in the extant literature. However, a newer 5-factor model of PTSD has been introduced that is receiving interest. The 5-factor model differs from the four-factor models in its placement of three symptoms (irritability, sleep disturbance, and concentration difficulties) into a separate cluster termed dysphoric arousal. We empirically compared the theoretical factor structures of 3-, 4-, and 5-factor models of PTSD symptoms to find the best fitting model in a sample of opioid-dependent hospitalized patients. ⋯ PTSD is a heterogeneous disorder comprised of symptoms of re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and dysphoria. Three symptoms, irritability, sleep disturbance, and concentration difficulties, may represent a unique latent construct separate from these four symptom clusters in opioid-dependent populations who have experienced traumatic events.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Oct 2013
The relationship between age and risky injecting behaviours among a sample of Australian people who inject drugs.
Limited evidence suggests that younger people who inject drugs (PWID) engage in high-risk injecting behaviours. This study aims to better understand the relationships between age and risky injecting behaviours. ⋯ Older PWID report significantly lower levels of high-risk injecting practices than younger PWID. Although they make up a small proportion of the current PWID population, younger PWID remain an important group for prevention and harm reduction.
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Very little is known about medical marijuana users. The present study provides descriptive information on adults seeking medical marijuana and compares individuals seeking medical marijuana for the first time with those renewing their medical marijuana card on measures of substance use, pain and functioning. ⋯ Study results indicate that differences exist between first time and returning medical marijuana patients. Longitudinal data are needed to characterize trajectories of substance use and functioning in these two groups.