Addictive behaviors
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Addictive behaviors · Mar 2010
Guilty until proven innocent: a qualitative study of the management of chronic non-cancer pain among patients with a history of substance abuse.
Physicians are often reluctant to prescribe strong opioids for chronic non cancer pain (CNCP). No study has qualitatively examined physicians' beliefs about prescribing opioids for CNCP to patients with a history of substance abuse (PWHSA). ⋯ Applying the chronic disease model to comorbid addiction and CNCP would ensure a health and social care system that makes it difficult to stigmatise patients experiencing these conditions and would facilitate the prescribing of opioid pain medication to patients who could benefit.
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Addictive behaviors · Jan 2010
Adverse childhood events as risk factors for substance dependence: partial mediation by mood and anxiety disorders.
Adverse childhood events (ACEs) are associated with negative health outcomes. We examined ACEs as risk factors for substance dependence (SD) and the mediating effects of mood and anxiety disorders on the relations between ACEs and SD risk. ⋯ ACEs appear to contribute additively to the risk of SD, with mood and anxiety disorders in the causal path for a portion of this risk. The identification and effective treatment of mood and anxiety disorders associated with ACEs could reduce the risk of developing SD.
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Addictive behaviors · Nov 2009
Prospective effects of sexual victimization on PTSD and problem drinking.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problem drinking are common and often co-occurring sequelae experienced by women survivors of adult sexual assault, yet it remains unclear whether survivors drink to cope with PTSD symptoms or whether PTSD symptoms are exacerbated by drinking. Thus, we used a cross-lagged panel design with a large (N=555), ethnically diverse sample of women assault survivors to determine whether PTSD prospectively led to problem drinking or vice versa. We also examined whether cumulative sexual victimization experiences related to greater PTSD and problem drinking. ⋯ We found no evidence, however, that PTSD directly influenced problem drinking over the long term, or vice versa. Rather, experiencing revictimization during the study predicted survivors' prospective PTSD and problem drinking symptoms. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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Addictive behaviors · Oct 2009
The reliability and validity of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in first-episode psychosis.
The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) is a brief, easily administered, valid and reliable screening instrument for all psychoactive substances in drug treatment and primary care settings. This study aims to determine the reliability and validity of the ASSIST for detecting substance use disorders in first-episode psychosis. ⋯ The ASSIST is a psychometrically sound measure of cannabis, alcohol and amphetamine use disorders in first-episode psychosis.
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Addictive behaviors · Sep 2009
Multicenter StudyAre non-fatal opioid overdoses misclassified suicide attempts? Comparing the associated correlates.
This paper aimed to determine whether non-fatal opioid overdose and suicide attempts are distinct behaviours by examining the histories of 1500 opioid-dependent individuals. This paper utilised data collected as part of a large retrospective case-control study. Unintentional non-fatal opioid overdoses were more common than suicide attempts (58% vs. 32%). ⋯ Additionally, those who reported a history of both behaviours had a more severe clinical profile including excessive drug use, psychological disorders and childhood trauma. The study concluded that non-fatal opioid overdose and attempted suicide are distinct clinically significant problems that require different approaches for prevention. Additionally, if both behaviours are reported a thorough assessment of underlying comorbid problems should be initiated by treatment services.