Journal of addictive diseases
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Morbidity and mortality attributable to opioid use and misuse among adolescents and young adults are evident. Although recent trend data suggest a decrease in both opioid misuse and opioid use disorder among adolescents and young adults in the last few years, overdose cases continue to rise. The opioid epidemic among this population is complex and has a different profile compared to adults, with family facilitating exposure to opioids more often than other sources. ⋯ The recent COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many facets of daily life and its effects on the opioid crisis are largely unknown. Stay-at-home mandates resulting in online schooling and limited social interaction has had deleterious consequences for adolescents, especially their mental health. This viewpoint attempts to explore the effects of the pandemic on the opioid crisis in this vulnerable population.
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Background: In the wake of the rising rate of prescription opioid misuse, there has been increased public health interest in the possibility that cannabis might help to curb or prevent opioid use disorder. Previous studies were limited to young adult marijuana use population. Little is known about whether in older adult population, marijuana use is associated with a different type of nonmedical use opioids. ⋯ Past-year marijuana user was significantly associated with an increase in odds of reporting opioid dependence (AOR 9.6 95% CI = 5.8-15.7), and past-year nonmedical use opioids (AOR 6.4 95% CI = 5.2-7.8). Illicit drug heroin was the most prevalent nonmedical used opioid (AOR 6.3 95% CI = 5.0-7.9), compared to codeine (AOR 4.5 95% CI = 3.5-5.7), hydrocodone (AOR 4.9 95% CI = 3.8-6.4), methadone or tramadol (AOR 4.9 95% CI = 2.0-12.3). Conclusion: Policymakers and healthcare providers should remain mindful that older adult marijuana users regardless of initial legitimate medical needs are likely to report nonmedical opioid use including illicit drug heroin.
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Reports of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) use, a medicinal plant widely found in Southeast Asia, are on the rise in the US. However, the prevalence and characteristics of individuals who use kratom in the US is unknown. ⋯ To our knowledge, this analysis provides the first estimate of kratom use in the general US population, providing insight on demographic/clinical characteristics of individuals reporting use.
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Comparative Study
Opioid use disorder among pregnant women in the 2000-2014 North Carolina state inpatient database.
Background: The opioid epidemic's impact reached an increasing portion of the United States population, including pregnant women. Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with opioid use disorders during pregnancy in North Carolina. Study Design: Using North Carolina's State Inpatient Sample, a retrospective study was conducted to identify pregnancy-related discharges between 2000 and 2014. ⋯ Compared to other racial groups, non-Hispanic whites had a notably higher prevalence of opioid use disorders (5.8/1,000 pregnancy-related discharges) (P < 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Very few health issues have garnered the attention of such diverse sectors of our society as the opioid epidemic. As the first state-level analysis of opioid use disorders among delivery hospitalizations, these findings suggest the need for a system-wide public health response such as improved funding for Medicaid and child welfare systems to improve the health of the opioid-exposed mother-infant dyad.
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The paper describes a case report of a 36-years old female patient suffering from an addiction to seeking fortune-telling services, which is a type of behavioral addiction, or non-substance addiction. This condition is characterized by the addiction to various "occult services", fortune tellers and other representatives of nontraditional practices who are usually manipulative and self-serving. The authors reveal that this case report of fortune telling addiction possesses all of six components universal for addictions. In light of the increasing prevalence of various behavioral addictions, clinical psychiatrists should be aware of this phenomenon.