Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy最新文献

{"title":"Smoking identified as preferred mode of opioid safe supply use; investigating correlates of smoking preference through a 2021 cross-sectional study in British Columbia.","authors":"Ariba Kamal,&nbsp;Max Ferguson,&nbsp;Jessica C Xavier,&nbsp;Lisa Liu,&nbsp;Brittany Graham,&nbsp;Kurt Lock,&nbsp;Jane A Buxton","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00515-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00515-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The increasing number of illicit drug toxicity deaths in British Columbia (BC) has led to calls for a regulated (pharmaceutical grade) supply of substances (\"safe supply\"). In order to inform safe supply recommendations, we aimed to identify why people currently smoke opioids and assess the preferred mode of consumption if people who use opioids were provided with opioid safe supply.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The BC Harm Reduction Client Survey (HRCS) is an annual survey that gathers information about people who use drugs' (PWUD) substance use characteristic with the goal of contributing to evidence-based policy. This study utilized data from the 2021 HRCS. The outcome variable was \"prefer smoking opioid safe supply\" ('yes/no'). Explanatory variables included participants' demographics, drug use, and overdose characteristics. Bivariate and hierarchical multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 282 total participants who indicated a preference for a mode of consumption for opioid safe supply, 62.4% preferred a smokable option and 19.9% preferred to inject if provided with opioid safe supply. Variables significantly associated with the outcome (preferred smoking) included: being 19-29 years old (AOR=5.95, CI =1.93 - 18.31) compared to >50 years old, having witnessed an overdose in the last 6 months (AOR=2.26, CI=1.20 - 4.28), having smoked opioids in the last 3 days (AOR=6.35, CI=2.98 - 13.53) and having a preference to smoke stimulants safe supply (AOR=5.04, CI=2.53 - 10.07).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We found that over half of participants prefer smokable options when accessing opioid safe supply. Currently in BC, there are limited smokable opioid safe supply options as alternatives to the toxic street supply. To reduce overdose deaths, safe supply options should be expanded to accommodate PWUD that prefer smoking opioids.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10186314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9563913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementation of ask-advise-connect for smoking cessation in Dutch general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods evaluation using the CFIR framework.","authors":"Naomi A van Westen-Lagerweij, Marc C Willemsen, Esther A Croes, Niels H Chavannes, Eline Meijer","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00535-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13011-023-00535-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Ask-Advise-Connect (AAC) approach can help primary care providers to increase the number of people who attempt to quit smoking and enrol into cessation counselling. We implemented AAC in Dutch general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study we describe how AAC was received in Dutch general practice and assess which factors played a role in the implementation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the implementation of AAC. Implementation took place between late 2020 and early 2022 among 106 Dutch primary care providers (general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses and doctor's assistants). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through four online questionnaires. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the quantitative data. The qualitative data (consisting of answers to open-ended questions) were inductively analysed using axial codes. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to structure and interpret findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During the study, most participants felt motivated (84-92%) and able (80-94%) to apply AAC. At the end of the study, most participants reported that the AAC approach is easy to apply (89%) and provides advantages (74%). Routine implementation of the approach was, however, experienced to be difficult. More GPs (30-48%) experienced barriers in the implementation compared to practice nurses and doctor's assistants (7-9%). The qualitative analysis showed that especially external factors, such as a lack of time or priority to discuss smoking due to the COVID-19 pandemic, negatively influenced implementation of AAC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although AAC was mostly positively received in Dutch general practice, implementation turned out to be challenging, especially for GPs. Lack of time to discuss smoking was a major barrier in the implementation. Future efforts should focus on providing additional implementation support to GPs, for example with the use of e-health.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10169166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9613133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The efficacy of integrated hepatitis C virus treatment in relieving fatigue in people who inject drugs: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Jørn Henrik Vold,&nbsp;Fatemeh Chalabianloo,&nbsp;Else-Marie Løberg,&nbsp;Christer F Aas,&nbsp;Aaron G Lim,&nbsp;Peter Vickerman,&nbsp;Kjell Arne Johansson,&nbsp;Lars Thore Fadnes","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00534-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00534-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most people who inject drugs (PWIDs) suffer from severe fatigue, and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may play a role in this. However, there is scarce evidence about interventions that alleviate fatigue among PWIDs. The present study investigated the effect of integrated HCV treatment on fatigue in this population compared to the effect of standard HCV treatment, adjusted for sustained virological response of the HCV treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multi-center, randomized controlled trial evaluated fatigue as a secondary outcome of integrated HCV treatment (the INTRO-HCV trial). From May 2017 to June 2019, 276 participants in Bergen and Stavanger, Norway, were randomly assigned to receive integrated and standard HCV treatment. Integrated treatment was delivered in eight decentralized outpatient opioid agonist therapy clinics and two community care centers; standard treatment was delivered in specialized infectious disease outpatient clinics at referral hospitals. Fatigue was assessed prior to treatment and 12 weeks after treatment using the nine-item Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS-9). We applied a linear mixed model to evaluate the impact of integrated HCV treatment on changes in FSS-9 (ΔFSS-9) sum scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At baseline, the mean FSS-9 sum score was 46 (standard deviation (SD): 15) for participants on integrated HCV treatment and 41 (SD: 16) for those on standard treatment. Twelve weeks after completed HCV treatment, the mean FSS-9 sum score for participants receiving integrated HCV treatment was 42 (SD: 15) and 40 (SD: 14) for those receiving standard HCV treatment. Integrated HCV treatment did not reduce the FSS-9 scores compared to standard HCV treatment (ΔFSS-9: -3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): -6.4;0.4).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Fatigue is a common symptom among PWIDs. Integrated HCV treatment is at least equal to standard HCV treatment in improving fatigue.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>ClinicalTrials.gov.no NCT03155906, 16/05/2017.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10123982/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9404630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sweden's first Take-Home Naloxone program: participant characteristics, dose endpoints and predictors for overdose reversals.","authors":"Elin Holmén,&nbsp;Anna Warnqvist,&nbsp;Martin Kåberg","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00533-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00533-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Opioid overdoses are a growing concern, particularly among people who inject drugs. Sweden, with a comparatively high proportion of drug-related mortality, introduced its first Take-Home Naloxone (THN) program in 2018, at the Stockholm needle and syringe program (NSP). In this study we compare THN participant characteristics regarding refills and overdose reversals as well as investigate predictors associated with number of reversals. We also investigate interventions performed in overdose situations and endpoints for naloxone doses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a prospective open inclusion cohort study conducted between January 24^th 2018 and March 31^st 2022 at the Stockholm NSP. Participants received THN, free of charge, after a training session and provided data regarding drug use and overdose experiences. During refill visits, participants reported if the naloxone was used for overdose reversal and, if so, responded to a ten-item questionnaire which included stating whether the naloxone recipient was the participant themselves or somebody else. Questionnaire data was combined with NSP database demographic data. Zero-inflated Poisson regression was applied to analyse predictors for number of reported overdose reversals.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among study participants (n = 1,295), 66.5% stated opioids as their primary drug, and 61.4% and 81.0% had previous experience of a personal or witnessed overdose, respectively. Overall, 44.0% of participants reported a total of 1,625 overdose reversals and the victim was known to have survived in 95.6% of cases. Stimulant use (aIRR 1.26; 95% CI 1.01, 1.58), benzodiazepine use (aIRR 1.75; 95% CI 1.1, 2.78) and homelessness (aIRR 1.35; 95% CI 1.06, 1.73) were predictors associated with an increased number of reported overdose reversals. Mortality was higher among those who reported at least one overdose reversal (HR 3.4; 95% CI 2.2, 5.2).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>An NSP's existent framework can be utilised to effectively implement a THN program, provide basic training and reach numerous high-risk individuals. During the four-year study, THN participants reversed a sizeable number of potentially fatal overdoses, of which many were reported by participants whose primary drug was not opioids. Naloxone refill rate was high, indicating that participants were motivated to maintain a supply of naloxone in case of future overdose events.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10121425/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9478318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harm reduction and recovery services support (HRRSS) to mitigate the opioid overdose epidemic in a rural community.","authors":"Moonseong Heo,&nbsp;Taylor Beachler,&nbsp;Laksika B Sivaraj,&nbsp;Hui-Lin Tsai,&nbsp;Ashlyn Chea,&nbsp;Avish Patel,&nbsp;Alain H Litwin,&nbsp;T Aaron Zeller","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00532-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00532-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rural areas in the United States (US) are ravaged by the opioid overdose epidemic. Oconee County, an entirely rural county in northwest South Carolina, is likewise severely affected. Lack of harm reduction and recovery resources (e.g., social capital) that could mitigate the worst outcomes may be exacerbating the problem. We aimed to identify demographic and other factors associated with support for harm reduction and recovery services in the community.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Oconee County Opioid Response Taskforce conducted a 46-item survey targeting a general population between May and June in 2022, which was mainly distributed through social media networks. The survey included demographic factors and assessed attitudes and beliefs toward individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and medications for OUD, and support for harm reduction and recovery services, such as syringe services programs and safe consumption sites. We developed a Harm Reduction and Recovery Support Score (HRRSS), a composite score of nine items ranging from 0 to 9 to measure level of support for placement of naloxone in public places and harm reduction and recovery service sites. Primary statistical analysis using general linear regression models tested significance of differences in HRRSS between groups defined by item responses adjusting for demographic factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 338 survey responses: 67.5% were females, 52.1% were 55 years old or older, 87.3% were Whites, 83.1% were non-Hispanic, 53.0% were employed, and 53.8% had household income greater than US$50,000. The overall HRRSS was relatively low at a mean of 4.1 (SD = 2.3). Younger and employed respondents had significantly greater HRRSS. Among nine significant factors associated with HRRSS after adjusting for demographic factors, agreement that OUD is a disease had the greatest adjusted mean difference in HRSSS (adjusted diff = 1.22, 95% CI=(0.64, 1.80), p < 0.001), followed by effectiveness of medications for OUD (adjusted diff = 1.11, 95%CI=(0.50, 1.71), p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Low HRRSS indicates low levels of acceptance of harm reduction potentially impacting both intangible and tangible social capital as it relates to mitigation of the opioid overdose epidemic. Increasing community awareness of the disease model of OUD and the effectiveness of medications for OUD, especially among older and unemployed populations, could be a step toward improving community uptake of the harm reduction and recovery service resources critical to individual recovery efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10114389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9789596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Digital interventions for substance use disorders in young people: rapid review.","authors":"Marika Monarque,&nbsp;Judith Sabetti,&nbsp;Manuela Ferrari","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00529-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00529-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10114306/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9426283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating health information provided to kratom consumers by good manufacturing practice-qualified vendors.","authors":"Katherine Hill,&nbsp;Stephen Gibson,&nbsp;Oliver Grundmann,&nbsp;Kirsten E Smith,&nbsp;Jonathan Ballard,&nbsp;Corneliu N Stanciu","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00531-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00531-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>\"Kratom\" commonly refers to the botanical Mitragyna speciosa, native to Southeast Asia, which is increasingly used globally for its unique pharmacological effects. Motives for using the whole plant material or kratom-derived products include self-management of pain, mental health disorders, symptoms related to substance use disorders, and/or to increase energy. In the United States, kratom products have varying alkaloid content, potencies, and marketing profiles. There is little regulatory oversight over kratom, as it is currently not approved as a dietary supplement by the Food and Drug Administration. This results in substantial variability in labeling of kratom products and the product information provided to consumers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In January 2023, we evaluated the American Kratom Association's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) qualified vendors' websites (n = 42) using the well-established and validated DISCERN instrument to examine the quality of health information provided to consumers. DISCERN contains 15 five-point Likert-scale questions on specific criteria, with the highest possible score being 75, indicating that all the DISCERN criteria have been fulfilled by the website (i.e., the highest quality information is provided to consumers).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean DISCERN score for all evaluated online kratom vendors was 32.72 (SD = 6.69; score range 18.00-43.76). Overall, vendors scored higher on DISCERN questions assessing the website's reliability, as vendors typically provided clear information for consumers about product availability, purchasing, shipping, etc. On average, vendors scored poorly on the DISCERN section pertaining to the quality of the health information provided. Information on kratom's potential risks and benefits was particularly insufficient.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Consumers require high quality information in order to make informed decisions concerning use, which entails disclosure of known risks and potential benefits. The online kratom vendors evaluated in this study should consider enhancing the quality of health information provided, especially information regarding kratom's risks and benefits. Further, consumers should be made aware of current knowledge gaps related to kratom's effects. Clinicians must also be aware of the lack of evidence-based information available to their patients who use kratom or are interested in using kratom products, in order to facilitate educational discussions with them.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10088264/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9654782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of cigarette smoking and smoking frequency among women of reproductive age in Nigeria: evidence from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.","authors":"Daniel Chukwuemeka Ogbuabor, Alphonsus Ogbonna Ogbuabor, Matthew Chibunna Igwe","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00530-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13011-023-00530-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Smoking is a leading cause of avoidable deaths and attributable disability-adjusted life years globally. Yet, the determinants of smoking practices among women are understudied. This study assessed the determinants of smoking and smoking frequency among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Methods and materials: </strong>Data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were used in this study (n = 41,821). The data were adjusted for sampling weight, stratification, and cluster sampling design. The outcome variables were smoking status and smoking frequency (daily smoking and occasional smoking). The predictor variables included women's socio-demographic and household characteristics. Pearson's chi-squared test was used to evaluate the association between outcome and predictor variables. All variables significant in bivariate analyses were further analysed using complex sample logistics regression. Statistical significance was set at a p-value < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of smoking among women of reproductive age is 0.3%. The prevalence of smoking frequency is 0.1% (daily) and 0.2% (occasionally). Overall, women aged 25-34 (AOR = 2.13, 95%CI: 1.06-4.29, ρ = 0.034), residing in the South-south region (AOR = 9.45, 95%CI: 2.04-43.72, ρ <0.001), being formerly married (AOR = 3.75, 95%CI: 1.52-9.21, ρ = 0.004), in female-headed households (AOR = 2.56, 95%CI: 1.29-5.08, ρ = 0.007) and owning mobile phones (AOR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.13-3.90, ρ = 0.020) were more likely to smoke. Whereas female-headed households (AOR = 4.34, 95%CI: 1.37-13.77, ρ = 0.013) and being formerly married (AOR = 6.37, 95%CI: 1.67-24.24, ρ = 0.007) predisposed to daily smoking, age 15-24 (AOR = 0.11, 95%CI: 0.02-0.64, ρ = 0.014) was protective of daily smoking among women. Owning mobile phones (AOR = 2.43, 95%CI: 1.17-5.06, ρ = 0.018) increased the odds of occasional smoking among women.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The prevalence rates of smoking and smoking frequency are low among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Women-centred approaches to tobacco prevention and cessation must become evidence-informed by incorporating these determinants into interventions targeting women of reproductive age in Nigeria.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10077715/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9305060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health service engagement, side effects and concerns among men with anabolic-androgenic steroid use: a cross-sectional Norwegian study.","authors":"Hans Christian Bordado Henriksen,&nbsp;Ingrid Amalia Havnes,&nbsp;Marie Lindvik Jørstad,&nbsp;Astrid Bjørnebekk","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00528-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00528-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recreational use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is a public health concern world-wide associated with a range of physical and psychological side effects. Still, people who use AAS tend to be reluctant to seek treatment. This study aims to explore use characteristics, treatment-seeking behaviour, side effects and associated health concerns among men with AAS use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study includes cross-sectional self-report data from 90 men with a current or previous use of AAS exceeding 12 months, where 41 (45.6%) had sought treatment at least once during their lifetime, and 49 (54.4%) had not. Health service engagement was examined with descriptive statistics on reasons for contacting health services, transparency about AAS use, satisfaction with health services and reasons for not seeking treatment. Furthermore, experienced side effects and health concerns were compared between the treatment seeking and the non-treatment seeking group, using two-sample t-tests and Chi² or Fisher exact tests for numerical and categorical variables, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All 90 AAS-using men reported side effects from AAS use. Treatment seekers were significantly younger, experienced more side effects including gynecomastia, excessive sweating, fatigue, depression and anxiety, and expressed more concern for testosterone deficiency. Preventive health check-up was the most common reason for seeking treatment (n = 22, 53.7%), and 38 men (93%) were transparent about AAS use during consultations with health professionals. The main reported reasons for not seeking healthcare services were that the experienced side effects were not considered to be of treatment demanding nature (n = 39, 79.6%) and the belief that healthcare providers had scarce knowledge about AAS use and its health impacts (n = 12, 24.5%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Reluctance to seek treatment among people who use AAS, despite having associated side effects and health concerns, may contribute to continued health risks. It is important to fill the knowledge gap on how to reach and treat this new patient group, and policy makers and treatment providers need to be educated on how to meet their treatment needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10071723/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9353103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Illicit drug use in university students in the UK and Ireland: a PRISMA-guided scoping review.","authors":"Maeve Boden,&nbsp;Ed Day","doi":"10.1186/s13011-023-00526-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00526-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interest in the health and well-being of university students has increased in the UK and Ireland in the past two decades as their numbers have grown. Recent high-profile deaths of students after using illicit drugs have highlighted the importance of the topic for policy makers. This scoping review maps the state of the existing literature evaluating use of illicit drugs in university students in the UK and Ireland. It aims to highlight research gaps and inform policy.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We conducted a systematic search of papers related to psychoactive drug use in university students in the UK and Ireland published before August 2021. The 18 extracted study characteristics included author(s); year of publication; journal; location of data collection; study design; delivery method (e.g., online survey, in-person, postal survey); number of participants; response rate; participant course of study, year of study, degree level (i.e., undergraduate, postgraduate), gender and age; time-period assessed (e.g., lifetime, current use, past 12 months); primary aim; primary outcome; ethical approval; and funding source.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The PRISMA-guided search strategy identified 1583 papers for abstract review; of 110 papers retained for full-text review, 54 studies met criteria for inclusion for this paper. Primary outcomes were coded into five groups: prevalence and patterns of drug use; factors associated with drug use; attitudes and knowledge about, and motivation for, drug use; supply of drugs; consequences of drug use. The results show that there is no coherent body of research in this area. The prevalence of reported drug use has crept up and the range of substances reported has broadened over time, and attitudes to drugs on average have normalised. However, there are significant methodological limitations that limit the utility of these findings. There was little evidence of published work on prevention of, or intervention to reduce, drug-related harms.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The domains identified offer a framework for university administrators, researchers and policy makers to understand the potential response to drug use in university students in the UK and Ireland. Recommendations are made to fill the gaps in the research evidence base.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":"18 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10012457/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9524284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}