Addictive behaviors
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Addictive behaviors · Oct 2010
Temporal changes of smoking status and motivation among Chinese heroin-dependent, methadone-maintained smokers.
The rates of cigarette smoking remain extremely high in active heroin users and methadone-maintained patients. It remains undetermined whether smoking status and motivation would be differentially affected by heroin and methadone administration. ⋯ The present study first demonstrated that the prolonged rewarding effect of heroin following cigarette smoking may account for the increase of nicotine consumption found in the heroin-dependent patients. It appears that heroin and methadone differentially influenced smoking status and motivation among heroin-dependent, methadone-maintained patients.
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Addictive behaviors · Sep 2010
PTSD symptom clusters in relationship to alcohol misuse among Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans seeking post-deployment VA health care.
Demographic factors, characteristics of military service, PTSD, and depression were examined as predictors of alcohol misuse in Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans (N=287) presenting for post-deployment Veteran Affairs (VA) health care. Results indicated that alcohol misuse was more common among younger male Veterans who served in the Army or Marine Corps. ⋯ The examination of specific PTSD symptom clusters suggested that emotional numbing symptoms were most strongly associated with alcohol misuse. The implications for interventions for alcohol misuse in returning Veterans are discussed.
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Addictive behaviors · Jul 2010
Improving the quality of reporting alcohol outcome studies: effects of the CONSORT statement.
It is critical that the reporting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) be transparent and comprehensive. The aim of this study was to examine if adopting standards of reporting, the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), improved the quality of reporting of alcohol treatment outcome studies. ⋯ While overall results suggested a non-significant trend for more improvement over time in the quality of reporting for adopter compared to non-adopter journals, comparison of effects sizes suggested that specific areas of reporting did significantly improve for the adopter journals. Results suggest that efforts to improve reporting such as the CONSORT guidelines can be useful and influential.
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Addictive behaviors · May 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialUnobserved versus observed office buprenorphine/naloxone induction: a pilot randomized clinical trial.
Physician adoption of buprenorphine treatment of opioid dependence may be limited in part by concerns regarding the induction process. Although national guidelines recommend observed induction, some physicians utilize unobserved induction outside the office. The aim of this pilot randomized clinical trial was to assess preliminary safety and effectiveness of unobserved versus observed office buprenorphine/naloxone induction among patients entering a 12-week primary care maintenance study. ⋯ Outcome results were similar in the two groups: 6/10 (60%) successfully inducted in each group, 3/10 (30%) experienced prolonged withdrawal, and 4/10 (40%) stabilized by week 4. These pilot study results suggest comparable safety and effectiveness of unobserved and office induction and point toward utilization of non-inferiority design during future definitive protocol development. By addressing an important barrier for physician adoption, further validation of the unobserved buprenorphine induction method will hopefully lead to increased availability of effective opioid dependence treatment.
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Addictive behaviors · May 2010
Curiosity killed the cocktail? Curiosity, sensation seeking, and alcohol-related problems in college women.
Curiosity, composed of two factors: exploration and absorption, has been previously associated with life satisfaction, life meaningfulness, and enhanced positive affect. It also shares some overlap with sensation seeking, which has been linked to alcohol use and other addictive behaviors. The present research explored the association between curiosity and college women's problematic drinking in the context of sensation seeking. ⋯ The curiosity factors had opposing relationships to alcohol-related problems: higher scores on absorption were associated with more alcohol-related problems whereas higher scores on exploration were associated with fewer alcohol-related problems. Should findings be replicated, the curiosity factors may represent additional prevention and intervention targets. Future directions for research about curiosity and drinking and for the inclusion of positive psychology constructs in addictive behaviors research are discussed.