Addiction Care Research Articles

Transitions in mental health and addiction care for youth and their families: a scoping review of needs, barriers, and facilitators

IntroductionTransitional-aged youth (TAY) with mental health and/or addictions (MHA) concerns and their families experience significant challenges finding, accessing, and transitioning through needed MHA care. To develop appropriate supports that assist TAY and their families in navigating MHA care, their experiences of transitions in the MHA care system must be better understood. This scoping review identifies and explores the needs, barriers, and facilitators for TAY and their families when transitioning through MHA care.MethodsThis scoping review commenced with a search of five relevant databases. Three research team members were involved in title, abstract, and full-text scanning and data extraction. Sources focusing on TAY anywhere between the ages of 12–29 years and meeting the study objectives were included. Extractions compiled background and narrative information about the nature and extent of the data. Analysis and synthesis of findings involved numerical description of the general information extracted (e.g., numbers of sources by country) and thematic analysis of narrative information extracted (e.g., family involvement in TAY help-seeking).ResultsA total of 5894 sources were identified. Following title and abstract scanning, 1037 sources remained for full-text review. A total of 66 sources were extracted. Findings include background information about extracted sources, in addition to five themes that emerged pertaining to barriers and facilitators to access and transitions through care and the needs and roles of TAY and families in supporting help-seeking and care transitions: holistic supports, proactive preparation, empowering TAY and families, collaborative relationships, and systemic considerations. These five themes demonstrate approaches to care that can ensure TAY and families’ needs are met, barriers are mitigated, and facilitators are enhanced.ConclusionThis review provides essential contextual information regarding TAY with MHA concerns and their families’ needs when seeking care. Such findings lend to an enhanced understanding of how MHA programs can support this population’s needs, involve family members as appropriate, reduce the barriers experienced, and work to build upon existing facilitators.

Pilot randomized controlled trial of a hospital-based substance use treatment and recovery team (START) to improve initiation of medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder and linkage to follow-up care

ObjectivesWe conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore whether a hospital inpatient addiction consult team (Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Team [START]) based on collaborative care was feasible, acceptable to patients, and whether it could improve uptake of medication in the hospital and linkage to care after discharge, as well as reduce substance use and hospital readmission. The START consisted of an addiction medicine specialist and care manager who implemented a motivational and discharge planning intervention. MethodsWe randomized inpatients age ≥ 18 with a probable alcohol or opioid use disorder to receive START or usual care. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of START and the RCT, and we conducted an intent-to-treat analysis on data from the electronic medical record and patient interviews at baseline and 1-month postdischarge. The study compared RCT outcomes (medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder, linkage to follow-up care after discharge, substance use, hospital readmission) between arms by fitting logistic and linear regression models. FindingsOf 38 START patients, 97 % met with the addiction medicine specialist and care manager; 89 % received ≥8 of 10 intervention components. All patients receiving START found it to be somewhat or very acceptable. START patients had higher odds of initiating medication during the inpatient stay (OR 6.26, 95 % CI = 2.38–16.48, p < .001) and being linked to follow-up care (OR 5.76, 95 % CI = 1.86–17.86, p < .01) compared to usual care patients (N = 50). The study found no significant differences between groups in drinking or opioid use; patients in both groups reported using fewer substances at the 1-month follow-up. ConclusionsPilot data suggest START and RCT implementation are feasible and acceptable and that START may facilitate medication initiation and linkage to follow-up for inpatients with an alcohol or opioid use disorder. A larger trial should assess effectiveness, covariates, and moderators of intervention effects.

The impact of an annual mass media campaign on treatment seeking for alcohol use disorders in the Danish population: An interrupted time-series analysis

IntroductionA minority of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) seek treatment. In Denmark, a mass media campaign, “RESPEKT”, aiming to increase treatment seeking, has been broadcasted nationwide since 2015. The campaign is unique from an international perspective. Similar interventions have, up until now, not been scientifically evaluated. AimTo investigate whether there was an association between campaign periods and treatment seeking for AUD. A secondary aim was to investigate possible gender differences. The hypotheses were that treatment seeking would increase during the campaign periods, and that men would increase their treatment seeking more compared to women. MethodStudy design: Interrupted time-series analysis.Participants: Adults aged 18 years and above in the Danish population seeking AUD treatment.Exposure: Campaign periods year 2015–2018.Outcome: Changes in treatment seeking defined as treatment entry respectively filled prescription of AUD pharmacotherapy.Data: National Alcohol Treatment Register on treatment entries for specialist addiction care and National Prescription Registry for filled prescriptions on AUD pharmacotherapies 2013–2018.Analysis: Segmented negative binomial regression, including the full cohort and stratified by sex. ResultsThe results show no association between campaign periods and treatment seeking. Nor were there any gender differences in treatment seeking. The hypotheses were not confirmed. ConclusionThe campaign periods showed no association with treatment seeking. Eventual future campaigns should possibly focus on earlier steps of the treatment seeking process, as problem recognition, to increase treatment seeking. There is a great need to develop other ways to narrow the treatment gap for AUD.

An evaluation of satisfaction with emergency department care in children and adolescents with mental health concerns.

We hypothesized that an association exists between satisfaction with ED mental health care delivery and patient and system characteristics. Primary: To evaluate overall satisfaction with ED mental health care delivery. Secondary: To explore aspects of ED mental health care delivery associated with general satisfaction, and patient and ED visit characteristic associated with total satisfaction scores and reported care experience themes. We enrolled patients < 18years of age presenting with a mental health concern between February 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021, to two pediatric EDs in Alberta, Canada. Satisfaction data were collected using the Service Satisfaction Scale, a measure of global satisfaction with mental health services. Association of general satisfaction with ED mental health care was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and variables associated with total satisfaction score was assessed using multivariable regression analyses. Inductive thematic analysis of qualitative feedback identified satisfaction and patient experience themes. 646 participants were enrolled. 71.2% were Caucasian and 56.3% female. Median age was 13years (IQR 11-15). Parents/caregivers (n = 606) and adolescents (n = 40) were most satisfied with confidentiality and respect in the ED and least satisfied with how ED services helped reduce symptoms and/or problems. General satisfaction was associated with perceived amount of help received in the ED (r = 0.85) and total satisfaction with evaluation by a mental health team member (p = 0.004) and psychiatrist consultation (p = 0.05). Comments demonstrated satisfaction with ED provider attitudes and interpersonal skills and dissatisfaction with access to mental health and addictions care, wait time, and the impact of COVID-19. There is a need to improve ED mental health care delivery, with a focus on timely access to ED mental health providers. Access to outpatient/community-based mental health care is needed to complement care received in the ED and to provide continuity of care for youth with mental health concerns.

Integrated hepatology and addiction care for inpatients with alcohol use disorder improves outcomes: a prospective study.

Growing literature highlights the need to integrate hepatology and addiction care to improve outcomes for patients with alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease. However, prospective data for this approach are lacking. We prospectively examined the efficacy of an integrated hepatology and addiction medicine approach on alcohol use and hepatology outcomes in inpatients with alcohol use disorder. An integrated approach improved the uptake of medical alcohol therapy, hepatic fibrosis screening, and viral hepatitis vaccination compared with a historical control of patients who received addiction medicine care alone. There were no differences in the rates of early alcohol remission. The integration of hepatology and addiction care may improve outcomes in patients with alcohol use disorder.

Applying a Critical Policy Lens to Contracting in Indigenous Mental Health: An Ethnographic Study with Urban Indigenous Providers

This article reports on the findings of a larger study that explored urban Indigenous providers’ experiences with contracting in mental health and addictions care. The study was undertaken with seven Indigenous and one non-Indigenous non-profit organizations based in diverse large and mid-size cities (off reserve) in British Columbia, Canada. Indigenous and critical theoretical perspectives provided the lens for this ethnographic inquiry. In-depth interviews were the primary data source. Participants’ narratives provide an account of the ideological embeddedness of contracting and how a New Public Management operates to perpetuate colonial power imbalances and structural barriers to culturally safe and equity-oriented care within urban Indigenous communities. Policy and practice implications for government funders are discussed.

Telephonic Outreach to Engage Patients with Substance Use Disorder Post-Hospitalization During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the initial COVID-19 surge, one public hospital in NYC updated their post-discharge outreach approach for patients with substance use disorder, as part of the CATCH (Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals) program. Beginning April 1, 2020, three peers and two addiction counselors attempted telephonic outreach to patients who received a CATCH consultation during hospitalization from program launch (October 7, 2019) through March 31, 2020 (n = 329). Outreach calls could include counseling, in-depth peer support, and referrals to substance use services (SUS)-a significant expansion of the services offered via outreach pre-pandemic. CATCH staff successfully reached 29.5% of patients and provided 77.6% of them with supportive counseling and referrals. Thirty percent of unsuccessful calls were due to inactive numbers, and only 8% of patients without housing were reached. Telephonic outreach established a low-barrier connection between patients and SUS that may be valuable during any period, including non-COVID times. Future interventions that address social determinants such as housing and cell phone access concomitantly with substance use should be considered by addiction consultation services to potentially reduce acute care utilization and improve health outcomes.

Development of an Alcohol Refusal Training in Immersive Virtual Reality for Patients With Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability and Alcohol Use Disorder: Cocreation With Experts in Addiction Care.

People with mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID; IQ=50-85) are at risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). One factor contributing to this risk is sensitivity to peer pressure. Hence, tailored trainings are needed to practice alcohol refusal in impacted patients. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) appears promising to engage patients in dialogs with virtual humans, allowing to practice alcohol refusal realistically. However, requirements for such an IVR have not been studied for MBID/AUD. This study aims to develop an IVR alcohol refusal training for patients with MBID and AUD. In this work, we cocreated our peer pressure simulation with experienced experts in addiction care. We followed the Persuasive System Design (PSD) model to develop our IVR alcohol refusal training. With 5 experts from a Dutch addiction clinic for patients with MBID, we held 3 focus groups to design the virtual environment, persuasive virtual human(s), and persuasive dialog. Subsequently, we developed our initial IVR prototype and conducted another focus group to evaluate IVR and procedures for clinical usage, resulting in our final peer pressure simulation. Our experts described visiting a friend at home with multiple friends as the most relevant peer pressure situation in the clinical setting. Based on the identified requirements, we developed a social-housing apartment with multiple virtual friends present. Moreover, we embedded a virtual man with generic appearance to exert peer pressure using a persuasive dialog. Patients can respond to persuasive attempts by selecting (refusal) responses with varying degrees of risk for relapse in alcohol use. Our evaluation showed that experts value a realistic and interactable IVR. However, experts identified lacking persuasive design elements, such as paralanguage, for our virtual human. For clinical usage, a user-centered customization is needed to prevent adverse effects. Further, interventions should be therapist delivered to avoid try-and-error in patients with MBID. Lastly, we identified factors for immersion, as well as facilitators and barriers for IVR accessibility. Our work establishes an initial PSD for IVR for alcohol refusal trainings in patients with MBID and AUD. With this, scholars can create comparable simulations by performing an analogous cocreation, replicate findings, and identify active PSD elements. For peer pressure, conveying emotional information in a virtual human's voice (eg, paralanguage) seems vital. However, previous rapport building may be needed to ensure that virtual humans are perceived as cognitively capable entities. Future work should validate our PSD with patients and start developing IVR treatment protocols using interdisciplinary teams.

Epidemiological Profile of 60-year-old Drug Addicts at the Center for Integrated Addiction Care at Fann Hospital from 2015 to 2019

Studies on the use of psychoactive substances among the elderly are almost non-existent and yet ageing alone could be a determinant of addiction to these substances for this category of population. Our work consists in determining the epidemiological profile of people aged 60 years and over who use psychoactive substances and who are followed up at the integrated addiction management center of the Fann University Hospital in Dakar. This was a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional study of people aged 60 years and older who were followed up at the integrated addiction management center during the period from March 1, 2015 to August 1, 2019. The proportion of elderly people was 6% with a male predominance (91.4%). The majority of users was urban (71.4%), lived with their families (74.3%), and had stayed abroad (65.7%). Only 0.3% of the users started using APS after the age of 60 and the majority of them had been abroad (80.4%). Heroin was the most used drug (50%), with the determinants being a stay abroad and an urban environment, whereas for cannabis it was the absence of a stay abroad and a rural environment. Dependence was severe for 91.3% of the users. Psychiatric comorbidity concerned 15% of the users, dominated by depressive and anxiety disorders, while somatic comorbidity was 42.1%, dominated by viral and metabolic diseases. Withdrawal had concerned only 7.1% of users. The prescribed treatment consisted only of methadone for (32.9%) of the users. Elderly people using psychoactive substances had started this consumption before the age of 60 years and recommendations were formulated for their protection against these substances. Key words: elderly people, psychoactive substances, addiction, integrated addiction care center, Fann Hospital in Dakar.

Estimated Clinical Outcomes and Cost-effectiveness Associated With Provision of Addiction Treatment in US Primary Care Clinics

US primary care practitioners (PCPs) are the largest clinical workforce, but few provide addiction care. Primary care is a practical place to expand addiction services, including buprenorphine and harm reduction kits, yet the clinical outcomes and health care sector costs are unknown. To estimate the long-term clinical outcomes, costs, and cost-effectiveness of integrated buprenorphine and harm reduction kits in primary care for people who inject opioids. In this modeling study, the Reducing Infections Related to Drug Use Cost-Effectiveness (REDUCE) microsimulation model, which tracks serious injection-related infections, overdose, hospitalization, and death, was used to examine the following treatment strategies: (1) PCP services with external referral to addiction care (status quo), (2) PCP services plus onsite buprenorphine prescribing with referral to offsite harm reduction kits (BUP), and (3) PCP services plus onsite buprenorphine prescribing and harm reduction kits (BUP plus HR). Model inputs were derived from clinical trials and observational cohorts, and costs were discounted annually at 3%. The cost-effectiveness was evaluated over a lifetime from the modified health care sector perspective, and sensitivity analyses were performed to address uncertainty. Model simulation began January 1, 2021, and ran for the entire lifetime of the cohort. Life-years (LYs), hospitalizations, mortality from sequelae (overdose, severe skin and soft tissue infections, and endocarditis), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). The simulated cohort included 2.25 million people and reflected the age and gender of US persons who inject opioids. Status quo resulted in 6.56 discounted LYs at a discounted cost of $203 500 per person (95% credible interval, $203 000-$222 000). Each strategy extended discounted life expectancy: BUP by 0.16 years and BUP plus HR by 0.17 years. Compared with status quo, BUP plus HR reduced sequelae-related mortality by 33%. The mean discounted lifetime cost per person of BUP and BUP plus HR were more than that of the status quo strategy. The dominating strategy was BUP plus HR. Compared with status quo, BUP plus HR was cost-effective (ICER, $34 400 per LY). During a 5-year time horizon, BUP plus HR cost an individual PCP practice approximately $13 000. This modeling study of integrated addiction service in primary care found improved clinical outcomes and modestly increased costs. The integration of addiction service into primary care practices should be a health care system priority.

Protocol for the implementation of a statewide mobile addiction program.

With overdose deaths increasing, improving access to harm reduction and low barrier substance use disordertreatment is more important than ever. The Community Care in Reach®model uses a mobile unit to bring both harm reduction and clinical care for addiction to people experiencing barriers to office-based care. These mobile units provide many resources and services to people who use drugs, including safer consumption supplies, naloxone, medication for substance use disorder treatment, and a wide range of primary and preventative care. This protocol outlines the evaluation plan for the Community in Care® model in MA, USA. Using the RE-AIM framework, this evaluation will assess how mobile services engage new and underserved communities in addiction services and primary and preventative care.

Retrospective cross-sectional study of the evolution of the use of pharmacological opioids and heroin in a population group in the Barcelona area

BackgroundOpioid dependence is causing an epidemic in the US, but unlike the 1970s it seems more related to prescription opioids than heroin. ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to assess whether this new epidemic has already reached our environment and to see if there are changes in consumption and in the characteristics of consumers. Patients and methodsRetrospective cross-sectional study. 1140 patients were included between 2012 and 2019, 633 of whom were first visits to Drug Addiction Care and Monitoring Centers (CAS), 502 corresponding to emergency room visits for problems related to overdose or withdrawal of heroin or opioids with prescription, and the remaining 5 are newborns of mothers addicted to heroin. Demographic data and characteristics of the substances of abuse were analyzed, comparing between partial periods. ResultsThere was a global decrease in the first visits of patients to the CAS who reported heroin addiction (p=0.001), while those addicted to pharmacy opioids have remained stable. There has been an irregular increase in total emergency visits, overdose consultations, and withdrawal consultations, both for heroin and prescription opioids (p=0.062, p=0.166, p=0.005, respectively). Opioid-related emergencies have been less frequent than for heroin. Non-Spanish European patients have increased compared to Spanish patients. ConclusionThere has been no worrying increase in heroin or prescription opioid abuse in our setting.

Strengthening Addiction Care Continuum Through Community Consortium in Vietnam: Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

A chronic condition, drug addiction, requires long-term multipronged health care and treatment services. Community-based approaches can offer the advantages of managing integrated care along the care continuum and improving clinical outcomes. However, scant rigorous research focuses on sustainable, community-based care and service delivery. This protocol describes a study aiming to develop and test an intervention that features the alliance of community health workers and family members to provide integrated support and individualized services and treatment for people who use drugs (PWUD) in community settings. Based on the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Seek-Test-Treat-Retain (STTR) framework, an intervention that provides training to community health workers will be developed and piloted before an intervention trial. Trained community health workers will conduct home visits and provide support for PWUD and their families. The intervention trial will be conducted in 3 regions in Vietnam, with 60 communities (named communes). These communes will be randomized to either an intervention or control condition. Intervention outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The primary outcome measure is PWUD's STTR fulfillment, consisting of multiple individual fulfillment indicators across 5 domains: Seek, Test, Treat, Retain, and Health. The secondary outcomes of interest are the community health workers' service provision and family members' support. The primary analysis will follow an intention-to-treat approach. Generalized mixed-effects regression models will be used to compare changes in the outcome measures from baseline between intervention and control conditions. During the first year of the project, we conducted formative studies, including in-depth interviews and focus groups, to identify service barriers and intervention strategies. The intervention and assessment pilots are scheduled in 2023 before commencing the trial. Reports based on the baseline data will be distributed in early 2024. The intervention outcome results will be available within 6 months of the final data collection date, that is, the main study findings are expected to be available in early 2026. This study will inform the establishment of community health workers and family members alliance, a locally available infrastructure, to support addiction services and care for PWUD. The methodology, findings, and lessons learned are expected to shed light on the addiction service continuum's implementation and demonstrate a community-based addiction service delivery model that can be transferable to other countries. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05315492; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05315492. DERR1-10.2196/44219.

Mental Health Services in Colombia: A National Implementation Study.

Laws in Latin American countries are based on scientific evidence that calls for mental health services to move to the community. These care modalities have implementation problems. The objective of this article is to describe the implementation of the services proposed in Law 1616 of 2013 of Colombia (Mental Health Law): emergencies, hospitalization, community-based rehabilitation, pre-hospital care, day hospital for children and adults, Drug Addiction Care Center, groups support and mutual aid, telemedicine, and home and outpatient care. We used a mixed study, with a cross-sectional descriptive quantitative component, where an instrument was used to determine the level of implementation of these services, consisting of a scale that established the availability and use of these services, in addition to the climate of implementation of the services and community mental health strategies, in addition to a qualitative determination of barriers and facilitators of implementation. We found a low availability of all services in departments such as Amazonas, Vaupés, Putumayo, and Meta and an implementation of services in Bogotá and Caldas. The least implemented services are the community ones, and those with the greatest presence at the territorial level are emergencies and hospitalization. We conclude that low- and middle-income countries have few community models and invest a large part of their technical and economic effort in emergencies and hospitalization. There are difficulties in the implementation of most of the services proposed by Colombian legislation related to mental health.

The impact of an emergency department peer navigator (EDPN) program in improving clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in an urban setting

IntroductionEmergency Department Peer Navigator Programs (EDPN) have been shown to increase the prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and improve linkage to addiction care. However, what is not known is whether it can improve overall clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in patients with OUD. MethodsThis is a single-center, IRB approved, retrospective cohort study using patients with OUD enrolled in our peer navigator program from 11/7/19 to 2/16/21. On an annual basis, we determined MOUD clinic follow-up rates and clinical outcomes in those patients who utilized our EDPN program. Finally, we also looked at the social determinants of health factors (e.g., race, status of medical insurance, lack of housing, access to phone and/or internet, employment, etc.) that impact our patients clinical outcomes. ED and inpatient provider notes were reviewed to determine causes of ED visits and hospitalizations one year before and after enrollment into the program. The clinical outcomes of interest were number of ED visits from all-causes, number of ED visits from opioid-related causes, number of hospitalizations from all-causes, and number of hospitalizations from opioid-related causes one year after enrollment into our EDPN program, subsequent urine drug screens, and mortality. Demographic and socioeconomic factors (age, gender, race, employment, housing, insurance status, access to phone) were also analyzed to determine if any were independently associated with clinical outcomes. Death and cardiac arrests were noted. Clinical outcomes data were described using descriptive statistics and compared using t-tests. Results149 patients with OUD were included in our study. 39.6% had an opioid-related chief complaint at their index ED visit; 51.0% had any recorded history of MOUD and 46.3% had history of buprenorphine use. 31.5% had buprenorphine given in the ED with individual doses ranging from 2 to 16 mg and 46.3% were provided with a buprenorphine prescription. The average number of ED visits 1-year pre vs post enrollment, respectively, for all-causes was 3.09 vs 2.20 (p < 0.01); for opioid related complications 1.80 vs 0.72 (p < 0. 01). The average number of hospitalizations 1-year pre and post enrollment, respectively, for all-causes was 0.83 vs 0.60 (p = 0.05); for opioid related complications 0.39 vs 0.09 (p < 0.01). ED visits from all-causes decreased in 90 (60.40%) patients, had no change in 28 (18.79%) patients, and increased in 31 (20.81%) patients (p < 0.01). ED visits from opioid-related complications decreased in 92 (61.74%) patients, had no change in 40 (26.85%) patients, and increased in 17 (11.41%) (p < 0.01). Hospitalizations from all causes decreased in 45 (30.20%) patients, had no change in 75 patients (50.34%), and increased in 29 (19.46%) patients (p < 0.01). Lastly, hospitalizations from opioid-related complications decreased in 31 (20.81%) patients, had no change in 113 (75.84%) patients, and increased in 5 (3.36%) patients (p < 0.01). There were no socioeconomic factors that had a statistically significant association with clinical outcomes. Two patients (1.2%) died within 1 year after study enrollment. ConclusionsOur study found that there was an association between implementation of an EDPN program and decreases in ED visits and hospitalizations from both all-causes as well as from opioid-related complications for patients with opioid use disorder.

Effects of Text4Hope-Addiction Support Program on Cravings and Mental Health Symptoms: Results of a Longitudinal Cross-sectional Study.

Drug misuse is complex, and various treatment modalities are emerging. Providing supportive text messages to individuals with substance use disorder offers the prospect of managing and improving symptoms of drug misuse and associated comorbidities. This study evaluated the impact of the daily supportive text message program (Text4Hope-Addiction Support) in mitigating cravings and mental health symptoms in subscribers and quantify user satisfaction with the Text4Hope-Addiction Support program. Subscribers to the Text4Hope-Addiction Support program received daily supportive text messages for 3 months; the messages were crafted based on addiction counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy principles. Participants completed an anonymous web-based questionnaire to assess cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms using the Brief Substance Craving Scale (BSCS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale at enrollment (baseline), after 6 weeks, and after 3 months. Likert scale satisfaction responses were used to assess various aspects of the Text4Hope-Addiction program. In total, 408 people subscribed to the program, and 110 of 408 (26.9%) subscribers completed the surveys at least at one time point. There were significant differences between the mean baseline and 3-month BSCS scores P=.01 (-2.17, 95% CI -0.62 to 3.72), PHQ-9 scores, P=.004 (-5.08, 95% CI -1.65 to -8.51), and GAD-7 scores, P=.02 (-3.02, 95% CI -0.48 to -5.56). Participants who received the supportive text messages reported a reduced desire to use drugs and a longer time interval between substance use, which are reflected in 41.1% and 32.5% decrease, respectively, from baseline score. Approximately 89% (23/26) of the participants agreed that Text4Hope-Addiction program helped them cope with addiction-related stress, and 81% (21/25) of the participants reported that the messages assisted them in dealing with anxiety. Overall, 69% (18/26) of the participants agreed that it helped them cope with depression related to addiction; 85% (22/26) of the participants felt connected to a support system; 77% (20/26) of the participants were hopeful of their ability to manage addiction issues; and 73% (19/26) of the participants felt that their overall mental well-being was improved. Most of the participants agreed that the interventions were always positive and affirmative (19/26, 73%), and succinct (17/26, 65%). Furthermore, 88% (21/24) of the participants always read the messages; 83% (20/24) of the participants took positive or beneficial actions after reading; and no participant took a negative action after reading the messages. In addition, most participants agreed to recommend other diverse technology-based services as an adjunctive treatment for their mental and physical health disorders. Subscribers of Text4Hope-Addiction Support program experienced improved mental health and addiction symptoms. Addiction care practitioners and policy makers can implement supportive text-based strategies to complement conventional treatments for addiction, given that mobile devices are widely used.

An Epidemic of Difficult Patients

An Epidemic of Difficult Patients Keva Southwell As the opioid epidemic marches on, we have all become familiar with a particular breed of "difficult patient," the intravenous drug user. Most teams try to get through these admissions with as few interactions as possible. Nurses will tell you how much they hate caring for these patients, often citing "they did this to themselves" as they experience prolonged admissions due to infections resulting from Intravenous Drug Use (IVDU). Most services try to get out of admitting these patients, saying they are more appropriate with infectious disease, cardiology, or "anywhere but with me." These patients often use drugs in the hospital, threaten to leave AMA, and are dangerous, liable to assault or abuse the very staff trying to help them. The general consensus is that taking care of these patients is a dirty job … why do I have to do it? That's where I come in. It's a dirty job … and that's exactly why I do it. I run a unique service, where my preferred patients are those admitted for 6–8 weeks of IV antibiotics to treat their endocarditis. Some of these patients survive after discharge, but most don't. I know this. But it's my job to help them anyway. It just turns out that in these cases, help doesn't always look the way you think it will. In a perfect world, having a life-threatening infection would be the rock bottom these young people need to embrace a new way of life. Unfortunately, this world is far from perfect. Just as having diabetes doesn't make you stop wanting junk food, having endocarditis does not make you stop wanting drugs. In fact, it can be the opposite. [End Page 26] Drugs are often the coping tool these patients turn to. Happy? Use drugs. Sad? Use drugs. Scared? Use drugs. That's why it's hard. Addiction defies logic; it can be cunning, baffling, and powerful. Until you understand addiction, you'll never really find a way to treat these patients, let alone a way to enjoy treating them. We all have patients who change things for us. They shift our perspective, make us view our practice, our patients, and ourselves differently; patients who teach us the lessons not learned in school. I will never forget Jack, one of those "difficult patients." He taught me how to care for people who really can't be medically helped. It's a lesson that can take years to learn: You've got to let go of the outcome, and some solutions don't look the way you think they should. In this way, he helped me continue in this difficult work. I was a nearly new hospitalist, having just moved into this work from outpatient addiction care. Jack was a young man, 32 years old. He had presented to our hospital with endocarditis of the aortic and tricuspid valves secondary to IVDU. He was referred to my service when he was ineligible for valve replacement due to septic emboli in his brain and subsequent micro hemorrhage. The surgery team wanted him to recover from these events before considering surgical treatment. Jack was a big guy, over 6'2", with a weight to match. He was covered in tattoos—his back, arms, chest, and neck—not an inch was bare. His physical presence might be considered intimidating. Jack was a man of few words: he complained of very little, was often asleep during medical visits, never really left his room, and had no visitors. About four days after his arrival, nursing became concerned about illicit drug use. Despite the fact he had no orders for narcotics or other sedating meds, he was sleeping all the time. His drug screens were negative. Despite the lack of specific evidence, I was asked to take measures to ensure he was not using illicit drugs, which included placing him on a contract and ordering 1:1 observation. His fatigue was concerning, though not for drug use. A repeat ECHO showed that his aortic insufficiency was worsening. His tricuspid insufficiency was very bad from the start. His belly began to swell, followed by his...

Alprazolam misuse: Analysis of French Addictovigilance Network data from 2011 to 2020

Alprazolam, a high-potency and short-acting anxiolytic benzodiazepine, is one of the most misused benzodiazepines in France. In the context of various reports on alprazolam misuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, the objective of this study was to assess alprazolam abuse potential by analyzing French addictovigilance and international data. Data collected from 2011 to 2020 using the following epidemiological tools of the French Addictovigilance Network were analyzed: spontaneous reports (SRs), OPPIDUM (addiction care center data), OSIAP (falsified prescriptions), DRAMES (substance-related deaths), and chemical submission surveys. Moreover, the VigiBase™ database was analyzed to evaluate alprazolam abuse liability worldwide. During the study period, 675 SRs concerning alprazolam misuse were recorded (sex ratio: ̴1; median age: 39 years). The desired effects were intensification of the therapeutic anxiolytic effect, euphoric effect, and management of substance withdrawal. Alprazolam was the third and first benzodiazepine listed in OPPIDUM and OSIAP surveys. Analysis of the SR and OPPIDUM data showed a recent increase in the alprazolam-opioid combination. In DRAMES data, alprazolam was directly linked to 11 deaths (associated with opioids in 10/11). VigiBase™ data analysis highlighted that France was the third country with the most cases of alprazolam misuse. The disproportionality analysis showed that in France, alprazolam was associated with higher risk of misuse and dependence compared with other benzodiazepines: reporting odds ratio=1.43, (95% CI: 1.04-1.95) and=1.97 (95% CI:1.50-2.59), respectively. This study highlighted an increase in various signals of alprazolam abuse in France, and an increased use of the alprazolam-opioid combination that was also linked to most of the recorded alprazolam-linked deaths. These signals have been reported also in the international literature, and should be thoroughly investigated.

A Model to Improve Care and Enhance the Physician-Patient Relationship for Hospitalized Patients With Opioid Use Disorder.

Opioid-related morbidity and mortality continues to accelerate, with increasing acute care events for opioid-related causes. Most patients do not receive evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) during acute hospitalizations despite this being an invaluable moment to initiate substance use treatment. Inpatient addiction consult services can bridge this gap and improve patient engagement and outcomes, but varying models and approaches are needed to match institutional resources. To improve care for hospitalized patients with OUD, a work group was formed at the University of Chicago Medical Center in October 2019. An OUD consult service, run by generalists, was created as part of a series of process improvement interventions. Important collaborations with pharmacy, informatics, nursing, physicians, and community partners have occurred over the last 3 years. The OUD consult service completes 40-60 new inpatient consults monthly. Between August 2019 and February 2022, the service completed 867 consults from across the institution. Most consult patients were started on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and many received MOUD and naloxone at discharge. Patients who were treated by our consult service experienced lower 30-day and 90-day readmission rates compared with patients who did not receive a consult. Length of stay for patients receiving a consult was not increased. Adaptable models of hospital-based addiction care are needed to improve care for hospitalized patients with OUD. Continued work to reach a higher percentage of hospitalized patients with OUD and to improve linkage to care with community collaborators are important steps to strengthen the care received by individuals with OUD in all clinical departments.

Social Suffering: Indigenous Peoples' Experiences of Accessing Mental Health and Substance Use Services.

In this paper, we present findings from a qualitative study that explored Indigenous people's experiences of mental health and addictions care in the context of an inner-city area in Western Canada. Using an ethnographic design, a total of 39 clients accessing 5 community-based mental health care agencies were interviewed, including 18 in-depth individual interviews and 4 focus groups. Health care providers also were interviewed (n = 24). Data analysis identified four intersecting themes: normalization of social suffering; re-creation of trauma; the challenge of reconciling constrained lives with harm reduction; and mitigating suffering through relational practice. The results highlight the complexities of experiences of accessing systems of care for Indigenous people marginalized by poverty and other forms of social inequity, and the potential harms that arise from inattention to the intersecting social context(s) of peoples' lives. Service delivery that aims to address the mental health concerns of Indigenous people must be designed with awareness of, and responsiveness to, the impact of structural violence and social suffering on peoples' lived realities. A relational policy and policy lens is key to alleviate patterns of social suffering and counter the harms that are unwittingly created when social suffering is normalized.