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Populations
Distinct groups of people within a society who share certain characteristics such as age, gender, geographic location, socioeconomic status, cultural background, or exposure to particular risk factors that may influence patterns of substance use, vulnerability to substance use disorders, and access to services. In the context of substance use systems, identifying and understanding different populations helps guide the design of prevention, treatment, recovery, and policy responses that are appropriate, equitable, and responsive to specific needs. Examples may include youth, women, people experiencing homelessness, individuals in the criminal justice system, or communities affected by specific social or economic conditions.
Chemsex: An Emergent Phenomenon
Chemsex is the term given to the intentional use of psychoactive drugs in order to maintain sexual relations between men who have sex with men (MSM), usually for long periods of time and with multiple partners. This phenomenon has also been...
Specification of Change Mechanisms in Pregnant Smokers for Malleable Target Identification
Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) continues to be a leading modifiable risk factor for perinatal complications and a range of neurodevelopmental and cardio-metabolic outcomes across the lifespan. Despite 40 years of intervention...
Syndemic Risk Classes and Substance Use Problems among Adults in High-Risk Urban Areas
Substance use problems tend to co-occur with risk factors that are especially prevalent in urban communities with high rates of poverty. The present study draws on Syndemics Theory to understand profiles of risk and resilience and their...
Methamphetamine Increases Risk of Stroke, Study Finds
The use of methamphetamine, or what is commonly known as ‘speed’, ‘ice’, or ‘meth’, correlates with an increased risk of stroke among young people, according to new research published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
...New National Alcohol Policy launched by Minster of Health
The new National Alcohol Policy for Malawi has been in the making since 2008, a process originally initiated by a group of NGOs. On the 18th of August almost ten years later the Minister of Health, Atupele Muluzi, could launch the final...
How States Are Tackling the Opioid Crisis
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
We used data from the 2015 National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors Web-based questionnaire and other sources to demonstrate the range and scope of state initiatives being used to deal with the...
The Use of Solvent Inhalants among “Street Children” in Mexico
Abstract:
Introduction: The use of solvent inhalants has been documented in Mexico since the 1970s. Nevertheless, very little is known about the distribution and use dynamics among “street children”. Few have ventured to study this issue...
Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
ABSTRACT
Opioid use in pregnancy has escalated dramatically in recent years, paralleling the epidemic observed in the general population. To combat the opioid epidemic, all health care providers need to take an active role. Pregnancy...
Teachers and Coaches in Adolescent Social Networks Are Associated with Healthier Self-Concept and Decreased Substance Use
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Poor academic (eg. “I am a bad student”) and behavioral (eg. “I am a troublemaker”) self-concepts are strongly linked to adolescent substance use. Social networks likely influence self-concept. However, little is...
Substance Use among Transgender Students in California Public Middle and High Schools
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Transgender adolescents face tremendous social stress in families and schools, which often leads to behavioral health disparities. This study assessed whether rates of substance use were higher among transgender...
Socioeconomic Position and Adolescent Drinking: What's the Link?
To what extent does socioeconomic position affect adolescent drinking behaviours?
A new article recently published in the academic journal BMC Public Health addresses this question in the context of six different European countries among...
Is it possible to have a real fight?
Geraldine González Williman is an expert in the prevention and treatment of addictions of legal or illegal drugs. In this interview, details on the plans of action applicable to the Paraguay to combat a scourge that every day grows more.
H...
EMCDDA Insights: Prevention of Substance Abuse
Prevention of Substance Abuse by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is a report that draws on evidence-based research to assess substance use prevention interventions, in terms of their ability to...
Online Drinking Interventions Shown to be Effective for Armed Service Personnel
Almost two thirds of men in the UK Armed Forces are considered to drink harmful amounts of alcohol.
This is compared with around one third of the average population.
According to a new study published in the Journal of the Royal Army...
Use and Knowledge of Contraceptive Methods by Patients in Two Substance Use Disorders Treatment Centers in Paris
Abstract
Background
Studies on contraceptive use by patients with substance use disorders (SUD) show a concerning low use of contraception. Mainly conducted in USA, they could be irrelevant to patients attending European SUD treatment...
The Effectiveness of Illegal Drug Interventions
This Health Research Board document reviews evidence on the effectiveness of interventions in the areas of prevention, harm reduction and long-term recovery from addiction to illegal drugs.
It asks which interventions are effective for:
- ...
Compilation of Evidence-Based Family Skills Training Programmes
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Compilation of Evidence-Based Family Skills Training Programmes offers a treasure trove of information on such initiatives, answering key questions like:
- Who is the target group?
- Wh...
Implementation & Evaluation of an Intervention for Children in Afghanistan
The present study examined the impact of a novel intervention for children at risk for substance use or actively using substances that was provided to 783 children between 4 and 18 years of age in Afghanistan. They received the Child...
Final Report: Opioid Use, Misuse, and Overdose in Women
Executive Summary
This report was developed as part of an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) to examine prevention, treatment, and recovery issues for women who misuse...
Towards a New Consensus for Addiction Medicine Training
A new study asks for the opinions of addiction experts, with a view to reaching a consensus on the necessary core skills that medical education ought to cover.