Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Nov 2017
Prescription drug monitoring program design and function: A qualitative analysis.
Opioid-related overdose deaths are a major public health challenge. Forty-nine states have implemented Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) that collect information about individuals' prescription medications. Little is known about state governments' implementation of PDMPs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with PDMP staff, law enforcement officials, and administrative agency employees to learn about their attitudes and experiences with PDMPs. ⋯ Our findings reveal areas that states may want to prioritize, including improving prescribers' knowledge and use of the PDMP as well as fostering inter-agency collaborations that include PDMP staff. By capitalizing on these opportunities, state governments may improve the effectiveness of their PDMPs, potentially making them more useful tools to curb the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid use disorders.
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Maternal buprenorphine maintenance predisposes the infant to exhibit neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), but there is insufficient published information regarding the nature of NAS and factors that contribute to its severity in buprenorphine-exposed infants. ⋯ Polysubstance exposure was the most potent predictor of NAS severity in this sample of buprenorphine-exposed neonates. This finding suggests the need for interventions that reduce maternal polysubstance use during medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and highlights the necessity of a comprehensive approach, beyond buprenorphine treatment alone, for the optimal care for pregnant women with opioid use disorders.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Nov 2017
Evaluation of the AC-OK mental health and substance abuse screening measure in an international sample of Latino immigrants.
Early detection and intervention in primary care is integral to behavioral health. Valid, practical screening assessments are scarce, particularly for non-English speaking populations. We address this need by evaluating the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the AC-OK Screen for Co-occurring Disorders for first and second generation immigrant Latinos in Massachusetts, USA, and Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. ⋯ The Spanish version of the AC-OK Screen has good to excellent psychometric properties in both its subscales. These findings are robust across sites, gender, and type of clinic. We recommend its use for clinical research and for routine screening at treatment centers.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Nov 2017
Differences in behavioral health disorders and unmet treatment needs between medical marijuana users and recreational marijuana users: Results from a national adult sample.
Available data suggest that medical marijuana users may have more mental health problems than recreational marijuana users. There is limited information about differences in behavioral health disorders and unmet treatment needs between medical and recreational marijuana users. ⋯ Different approaches tailored to individuals' sex and motives for marijuana use is needed for the prevention and treatment of behavioral health problems.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Oct 2017
Assessing electronic cigarette effects and regulatory impact: Challenges with user self-reported device power.
Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) aerosolize liquids for user inhalation that usually contain nicotine. ECIG nicotine emission is determined, in part, by user behavior, liquid nicotine concentration, and electrical power. Whether users are able to report accurately nicotine concentration and device electrical power has not been evaluated. This study's purpose was to examine if ECIG users could provide data relevant to understanding ECIG nicotine emission, particularly liquid nicotine concentration (mg/ml) as well as battery voltage (V) and heater resistance (ohms, Ω) - needed to calculate power (watts, W). ⋯ Laboratory, survey, and other researchers interested in understanding ECIG effects to inform users and policymakers may need to use methods other than user self-report to obtain information regarding device power.