Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Feb 2021
Trends in various e-cigarette devices used by high school adolescents from 2017-2019.
Adolescent e-cigarette use has increased recently; however, little is known about trends in use of specific devices by youth. This study aims to 1) compare rates of e-cigarette device use over time, 2) examine changes in frequency of device use, and 3) identify predictors of device use. ⋯ From 2017-2019, JUUL, disposable/cig-a-like, and vape pens increased in popularity and were used frequently. Tobacco regulations designed to reduce youth use should consider various device types.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Feb 2021
Emergency department patients with untreated opioid use disorder: A comparison of those seeking versus not seeking referral to substance use treatment.
BACKGROUND Little is known regarding the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of emergency department (ED) patients with untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) and the relationship of those characteristics with whether they were seeking a referral to substance use treatment at the time of their ED visit. METHODS Using data collected from 2/2017-1/2019 from participants enrolled in Project ED Health (CTN-0069), we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of patients with untreated moderate to severe OUD presenting to one of four EDs in Baltimore, New York City, Cincinnati, or Seattle. Sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes related to opioid withdrawal, injection-related infection, other substance use, overdose, and OUD of those seeking and not seeking a referral to substance use treatment on presentation were compared using univariate analyses. ⋯ Those seeking a referral to substance use treatment were less likely to have urine toxicology testing positive for amphetamine [17 % (10/60) vs 31 % (104/334), p = 0.023] and methamphetamine [23 % (14/60) vs 40 % (132/334), p = 0.017] compared to those not seeking a referral. CONCLUSION Most patients with untreated OUD seen in the EDs were not seeking a referral to substance use treatment. Active identification, treatment initiation, and coding may improve ED efforts to address untreated OUD.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Feb 2021
A preliminary examination of the multiple dimensions of opioid craving.
Although craving is a formal DSM-5 criterion and a commonly reported feature of opioid use disorder (OUD), there is no universally accepted assessment of opioid craving for treatment outcome studies or clinical trials. This mixed-methods study characterized dimensions of opioid craving identified in qualitative responses collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). ⋯ There is a wide range of dimensions that were used to describe opioid craving and no single unifying dimension was identified. These data suggest opioid craving is a multidimensional construct including dimensions currently not included in common craving assessments.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Feb 2021
Alcohol use and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study in a sample of UK adults.
The aim was to examine the correlates of increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions that were implemented in a sample of UK adults. ⋯ More than one in six UK adults increased their alcohol consumption during lockdown and a higher proportion of these were younger adults. Increased alcohol consumption was independently associated with poor overall mental health, increased depressive symptoms and lower mental wellbeing. These findings highlight the importance of planning targeted support as we emerge from lockdown and plan for potential second and subsequent waves.