Drug and alcohol review
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Drug and alcohol review · Sep 2010
Combined effects of law enforcement and substitution treatment on heroin mortality.
To explore the combined effects of street-level law enforcement and substitution treatment programs on drug-related mortality, taking into account prevalence of heroin use and changes in injecting behaviour. ⋯ Our analysis revealed that the amount of police resources allocated to law enforcement was determined rationally, however, on biased grounds and with untoward consequences. Substitution treatment of heroin users reduced drug-related mortality in the long run, but different factors masked its impact for several years. Therefore, the introduction-or the expansion-of opioid substitution treatment programs should not be promoted with the argument of an immediate reduction of drug-related deaths in a country.
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Drug and alcohol review · Sep 2010
ReviewCognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for the treatment of co-occurring depression and substance use: current evidence and directions for future research.
ISSUES AND APPROACH: The high rates of co-occurring depression and substance use, and the negative impact of this on illness course and outcomes have been well established. Despite this, few clinical trials have examined the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). This paper systematically reviews these clinical trials, with an aim of providing recommendations for how future research can develop a more robust evidence base for the treatment of these common comorbidities. Leading electronic databases, including PubMed (ISI) and PsychINFO (CSA), were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles using CBT for the treatment of co-occurring depression and substance use. Of the 55 articles identified, 12 met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. ⋯ Rather than declaring the 'dodo bird verdict' that CBT and all other psychotherapies are equally efficacious, it would be more beneficial to develop more potent forms of CBT by identifying variables that mediate treatment outcomes.