Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Jan 2013
Editorial"Nonmedical" prescription opioid use in North America: a call for priority action.
Nearly four years after the United States Congress heralded a "decade of pain control and research", chronic pain remains a mounting public health concern worldwide. The escalating prevalence of chronic pain in recent years has been paralleled by a rise in prescription opioid availability, misuse, and associated human and social costs. ⋯ Furthermore, there is a lack of evidence-based guidelines for pain management among high-risk individuals, and a glaring lack of education for practitioners in the areas of pain and addiction medicine. Herein we propose multiple avenues for intervention and research in order to mitigate the individual, social and structural problems related to undertreated pain and prescription opioid misuse.
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Sep 2012
Comparative StudyAddressing substance abuse and violence in substance use disorder treatment and batterer intervention programs.
Substance use disorders and perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) are interrelated, major public health problems. ⋯ SUDPs may have difficulty addressing violence because they have a clientele with relatively few resources and more complex psychological and medical needs. However, policy change can modify barriers to treatment integration and service linkage, such as reimbursement restrictions and lack of staff training.
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Jun 2012
Validation of the French version of the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST) in the elderly.
Substance use disorders seem to be an under considered health problem amongst the elderly. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), was developed by the World Health Organization to detect substance use disorders. The present study evaluates the psychometric properties of the French version of ASSIST in a sample of elderly people attending geriatric outpatient facilities (primary care or psychiatric facilities). ⋯ The findings demonstrate that ASSIST is a valid screening test for identifying substance use disorders in elderly.
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Jan 2012
High risk alcohol-related trauma among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Northern Territory.
High risk drinking is linked with high rates of physical harm. The reported incidence of alcohol - related trauma among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory is the highest in the world. ⋯ They are often linked with misuse of alcohol in the Northern Territory and are frequently secondary to assault. This review focuses on alcohol-related trauma in the Territory and draws attention to an urgent need for preventative health approach to address this critical issue.
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Aug 2011
Comparative StudyAreca nut chewing and dependency syndrome: is the dependence comparable to smoking? a cross sectional study.
Areca nut is the seed of fruit oriental palm known as Areca catechu. Many adverse effects of nut chewing have been well documented in the medical literature. As these nuts are mixed with some other substances like tobacco and flavouring agents, it has been hypothesized that it might also cause some dependency symptoms among its users. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate dependency syndrome among areca nut users with and without tobacco additives and compare it with dependency associated with cigarette smoking among the male Pakistani population. ⋯ Areca nut use with and without tobacco additives was significantly associated with dependency syndrome. In comparison to exclusive areca nut users, the smokers were eight times more likely to develop dependence while areca nut users with tobacco additives were also significantly more likely to suffer from the dependence.