Patterns Of Substance Use Research Articles

Identifying behaviours for survival and wellness among people who use methamphetamine with opioids in British Columbia: a qualitative study

BackgroundBritish Columbia (BC) has been in a state of public health emergency since 2016, due to the unprecedented numbers of fatal and non-fatal drug toxicity (i.e. overdose) events. Methamphetamine detection in illicit drug toxicity deaths increased from 14% in 2012 to 43% in 2020 suggesting a concerning trend of concurrent methamphetamine and opioid use in BC, consistent with rising patterns identified across North America. People who use methamphetamine concurrently with opioids face an elevated risk of harm. This study aimed to identify behaviours for survival and wellness practiced by people who concurrently use methamphetamine and opioids.MethodsOne-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted by peer research assistants in person and by telephone. Thematic analysis was carried out to identify patterns in behaviours participants described as important to their safety in the context of concurrent use of methamphetamine and opioids.ResultsParticipants (n = 22) were distributed across the province with at least four participants from each of the five geographic health regions: 64% self-identified as men, and 50% self-identified as Indigenous. Daily methamphetamine use was reported by 72.7% of participants, and 67.3% reported using alone either often or always. Participants made several considerations and adaptations in order to balance the perceived benefits and risks of their use of methamphetamine with opioids. Two overarching themes were identified to describe how participants adapted their use for survival and wellness. The first was personal safety behaviours which included self-regulation and self-care behaviours. The second was interpersonal safety behaviours which included using alongside peers, and engaging with peer-led services (e.g. community outreach organizations) and public health-led services (e.g. overdose prevention sites) to reduce the risk of harm. Participants identified many gaps in available services to meet their diverse needs.ConclusionsThis manuscript identified diversity in participants’ methamphetamine and opioid use (i.e. frequency, route of administration), and a range of behaviours that were performed to improve wellness and survival while using methamphetamine and opioids. Harm reduction and treatment responses must be robust and adaptable to respond to the diversity of patterns of substance use among people who use methamphetamine and opioids concurrently, so as to not perpetuate harm and leave people behind.

Trends in Psychiatric Hospitalizations of Patients With Dual Diagnosis in Spain

Objective Substance use disorders are highly prevalent in people living with a mental health disorder. Co-occurring substance use disorders have been associated with a worse prognosis and poorer adherence to treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze the temporal trends in the prevalence of substance use disorders in patients admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit between 1998 and 2020. Methods This is a retrospective study based on the registry of 18,367 hospitalizations and 7,124 patients with a mental health disorder admitted during the period 1998 to 2020 in Malaga, Spain. Time trend analysis by gender and substance used was calculated using a segmented regression model. The permutation test was used to determine inflection points. A sensitivity analysis was performed based on the assumptions of autocorrelation and homoscedasticity. Results A total of 22.2% of admissions had a diagnosis of mental health disorder and co-occurring substance use disorders. Prevalence was higher among males (30.0%) than females (9.4%; p < .001). Patients with both disorders had a shorter length of stay by 2 days (p < .001) and a younger age at first admission (by 6.5 years; p < .001) compared to patients without substance use disorders. There was no difference in the total number of hospitalizations between the two groups. Psychotic disorders and multiple drug use disorders were the most prevalent diagnoses in men compared to women, whereas personality disorders and alcohol use were the most common diagnoses in women. We observed an increase in the prevalence of dual diagnosis between 2005 and 2020. There was a 3.0% increase in cannabis-related admissions per year during the whole study period (p < .001). Cannabis and cocaine use disorders have become the most prevalent in the last 10 years, while opioid and alcohol use disorders have decreased. Conclusions Co-occurring substance use disorders are highly prevalent among hospitalized patients. In recent years, the pattern of substance use has shifted, with cannabis being the most prevalent, while opiates and alcohol substance use have decreased. We need to devise a specialized approach and integrative treatment for patients with co-occurring disorders.

Residential greenness and substance use among youth and young adults: Associations with alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use

IntroductionResearch has identified positive associations between green space and physical and mental health outcomes. Substance use outcomes, however, have received considerably less attention. This study investigates the association between residential greenness and substance use through an analysis of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among youth and young adults. MethodsThis study utilized three waves (2016–2018) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), as well as residential greenness data from the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Consortium (CANUE). Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore variation in the pattern of substance use between greenness quartiles. The sample included 14,070 youth and young adults (15–25 years). ResultsResidential greenness was not associated with alcohol use in general but was associated with lower odds of frequent binge drinking. Residential greenness was also associated with lower odds of tobacco use and greater odds of marijuana use. ConclusionThis study provides evidence that residential greenness is associated with patterns of substance use. The strength and direction of association, however, is highly contingent upon the substance under investigation. Living in greener neighborhoods may confer certain benefits to substance use and abuse among youth and young adults.

Latent Typologies of Psychiatric Symptom Comorbidity With Substance Use: Associations With Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime traumatic events are closely linked to development of comorbid psychiatric symptoms and substance use. Although research shows the risk for psychiatric and substance use comorbidity conferred by early adversity, most studies have not modeled multivariate symptom patterns that include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom criteria (i.e., re-experiencing, effortful avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal). The aim of the present study was to model multivariate patterns of substance use and psychiatric symptoms, including PTSD criteria, and examine associations between these patterns and early adversity. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used in a large, nonclinical sample of community adults (N = 1,431). Relations between profile membership, cumulative ACEs, and demographic covariates were then evaluated. Results indicated four distinct profiles of psychiatric symptom comorbidity (PSC): (a) PTSD dominant with elevated illicit drug and cannabis use; (b) anxiety and depression dominant with elevated use across substances; (c) avoidance dominant with low severity of all other psychiatric symptoms and substance use; and (d) psychiatrically healthy. Analyses identified significant associations between profile membership and cumulative ACEs and other traumatic events. Cumulative ACEs and traumatic events were highest among the PTSD dominant profile. A greater understanding of heterogeneous patterns of PSC may allow for future development of treatment care paths that correspond to standard criteria of symptom presentation and severity.

Relationship between levels of mindfulness and substance use pattern

ABSTRACT Objective Evaluate the association between levels of mindfulness and sociodemographic characteristics and pattern of drug use of individuals seeking treatment in a University Service Specialized in Substance Use Disorders. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with 164 individuals over 18 years of age seeking treatment for the use of psychoactive substances in the June 2018-December 2019 period, using a questionnaire for sociodemographic data, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) self-reporting instrument, and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test. Results An association was found between low levels of mindfulness mainly with the individual risk of being a medium/high-risk user of sedative-hypnotic drugs (p = 0.020). A borderline association was also found between MAAS and the risk of the individual being a medium/high risk of alcohol (p = 0.053) and with a more severe pattern of substance use (p = 0.065). Conclusion Individuals seeking treatment for substance use presented impairments in the attentional aspect of mindfulness and levels of mindfulness seem to protect against behaviors related to substance use, especially against the use of high/moderate risk of sedative-hypnotics.

Developmental and etiological patterns of substance use from adolescence to middle age: A longitudinal twin study

BackgroundThe common liability to addiction framework suggests the tendency to use substances is largely a general heritable liability, but little is known about how expression of liability varies across development. We evaluated average developmental trajectories and covariation underlying commonly used substances using a genetically informative prospective design spanning three decades. MethodsUsing a sample of 3762 twins across seven waves of assessment spanning ages 14–40, we modeled these relationships using two complementary approaches: piecewise latent growth and common factor modeling on four measures of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use ResultsAverage use increased across adolescence and either stabilized (alcohol frequency) or declined (all others) in adulthood. Trajectories were heritable (~.35–.75), and genetically correlated with one another (~.40–.80). The random intercepts, centered at age 16, exhibited shared environmental correlations across substances. We found moderate to large phenotypic (rp~.3–.9) and genetic correlations (rg~.3–1) among the longitudinally varying common factors loading on use of each substance at each age. The factor loadings declined with age, reflecting waning influence of common etiology in substance use. ConclusionsTrajectories of substance use were strongly correlated with each other and influenced primarily by genetic and non-shared environment. A heritable common factor accounted for co-occurring substance use from mid-adolescence to mid-adulthood, and greater substance specificity emerged with maturation. These results extend and reinforce prior work examining consumption and problem use, providing new evidence over a broad age range showing that substance use behaviors are influenced by a more general liability in adolescence and specificity increases across development.

Adolescent smoking, alcohol use, inebriation, and use of narcotics during the Covid-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to investigate how general family relations, reported changes in family interaction and involvement with peers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and following rules and recommendations during the pandemic relate to adolescent smoking, alcohol use, inebriation, and use of narcotics during Covid-19.MethodsAn online national survey of Swedish adolescents (n = 1818) aged 15–19 years was conducted in June 2020. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to predict adolescents’ reported change in substance use during the pandemic. Person-oriented analyses, were used to identify clusters of participants characterized by similar patterns of substance use following ANOVA analysis with Scheffe post hoc tests testing differences between clusters in terms of family relations, reported changes in family interaction and involvement with peers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and following rules and recommendations during the pandemic.ResultsHigher general family conflict, increased involvement with peers, a strained relationship with parents, and less compliance with rules and restrictions during the pandemic predicted a reported increase in adolescent substance use during this period. The grouping of scores for adolescent smoking, alcohol use, inebriation, and use of narcotics resulted in a six-cluster solution. One cluster (n = 767) either did not use or had decreased use of substances during the Covid-19 pandemic. Five other clusters, thus risk clusters, had retained or increased use of substances during the pandemic. Poor general family relations, increased peer involvement, and difficulties to conform to the rules and restrictions during the covid-19 pandemic were characteristics of risk clusters.ConclusionsMost of adolescents in our study did not increase their substance use during the pandemic. However, adolescents with poor family relations who turn to peers during stressful times and who have difficulty following the government’s rules and restrictions, are at risk of increased substance use during the pandemic. This is a potential threat both to adolescents themselves and others in their surroundings which is why at-risk adolescents and their families need more attention from public health and social services during this time of crisis.

Sociodemographic Attributes and Prevalence of Arrest With Possession of Substances in Incarcerated Population in the United States.

Background and objectivesIn recent years, there has been an increase in the US imprisonment rate. A substantial percentage of those incarcerations are for drug-related offenses. The authors investigated the relationship between the pattern of substance use and drug-related offenses across a broad spectrum of various sociodemographic attributes of the incarcerated population in the United States.MethodsCross-sectional data from the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates conducted by the Bureau of Judicial Statistics were extracted with inmates who reported possession of a drug at the time of arrest as a primary outcome of interest. Using SAS 9.4 statistical software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, USA), the authors used multivariate analyses to determine the odds ratios between various sociodemographic attributes of the inmates and possession of substance at the time of the arrest. Logistic regression analysis for age groups in relation to substance possession at the time of arrest is presented in the form of an adjusted odds ratio and their respective confidence interval at p ≤0.5.ResultsOut of the total 23,798 inmates who reported possession of a drug at the time of arrest, 34.07% were Non-Hispanic Whites, and 31.5% were within the age group of 25-34 years. Only 59.47% of inmates were employed 30 days before the arrest, and 58.02% had less than a high school education. Different patterns of drug use were linked with different types of drugs found in their possession at the time of the arrest. Possession of cannabis at the time of arrest was highest in the age group 18-24 years compared to other age groups (odds ratio: 1.362; 95% CI: 1.159 - 1.602). Inmates with a history of stimulant or hypnotic use were more likely to have another psychoactive substance during a time of the arrest. Only 8.46% of inmates had psychiatric and psychological treatment as part of their sentence.ConclusionsA large proportion of incarcerations in the US is because of drug-related offenses, with most of the burden on the younger age group. Inmates should receive psychiatric and psychological treatments for substance use as part of their sentencing while in prison and after release as a form of targeted intervention for this vulnerable group.

Intoxication related to substances use in patients presenting to Ain Shams University Poisoning Treatment Center, Cairo, Egypt (2015–2019)

Illicit drug use may result in several emergencies. Hospital emergency data can help to detect new patterns of substance use and high-risk trends of drug use. This epidemiological study aimed to investigate the pattern and outcome of cases with substance use intoxication who presented to Ain Shams University Poisoning Treatment Centre, Cairo, Egypt. This retrospective study included all cases of acute intoxication due to use/misuse of substances who presented to the centre during the period (2015-2019). The study included 11 281 cases; young adults (aged 20-40 years) represented the greatest proportion of cases (6519, 57.8%). Males were the predominant gender in all age groups (representing 79.2% of the cases). Tramadol was the most common substance of exposure in all age groups except for children and adolescents where cannabis was the most common one. There were 162 fatalities (1.4% of all cases) and opioids had the greatest case fatality rate. Tramadol was the most used drug that resulted in acute intoxication, followed by cannabis. A total of 43.6% of the cases of acute intoxications were due to recreational use/misuse of prescription drugs.

Alcohol and Cannabis Use Trajectories and Outcomes in a Sample of Hispanic, White, and Asian Sexual and Gender Minority Emerging Adults.

Substance use disproportionately affects health and psychosocial outcomes for some racial/ethnic groups, but few longitudinal studies examine the extent to which sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults of different racial/ethnic groups may experience disparities in outcomes at similar levels of alcohol or cannabis use. This study used five waves of annual survey data (spanning 2015 (average age 18) to 2020 (average age 23)) from an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of emerging adults. In the subset of 359 SGM emerging adults, separate sequelae of change models assessed differences in trajectories of alcohol or cannabis use (past 30-day frequency) and multiple health and psychosocial outcomes across Hispanic, Asian, and White individuals. White SGM emerging adults showed higher baseline levels of alcohol and cannabis frequency compared to Hispanic and Asian peers, but all groups showed similar rates of change (slope) over time. We observed few racial/ethnic differences in SGM emerging adult outcomes at the same levels of alcohol or cannabis use; that is, racial/ethnic groups showed similar patterns on most health and psychosocial outcomes; however, some differences emerged. For example, Asian respondents reported less engagement in sex with casual partners after using alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs compared to their White peers, at the same levels of alcohol use (β = −0.579, p = 0.03) or cannabis use (β = −0.737, p = 0.007). Findings underscore a need to consider multiple outcome domains and factors beyond additive stress in examining the effects of substance use across different groups of SGM individuals. More longitudinal studies with large, contemporary, and diverse samples of SGM emerging adults are needed to better characterize similarities and differences in patterns of substance use and use-related consequences in relation to intersecting SGM, racial/ethnic, and other identities.

Pattern of Substance Use among Patients Attending the Drug Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Background: Substance abuse in various parts of the globe appears to be evolving in different patterns and this keeps threatening the physical as well as socioeconomic well-being of homes, societies and countries. Aim: This study investigated the pattern of substance use among patients on drug treatment at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Methodology: NENDU data from the Drug Unit from January 2018 to February 2020 were investigated after ethical clearance in this descriptive retrospective study. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20. Results: Results revealed that out of a total of 104 registered patients, cannabis was the most declared drug with 42.3% use. Cannabis was also the most frequently used drug (28 persons used it daily) followed by alcohol (8 persons used it daily). Street dealers constituted the readiest source with 96 (92.3%) while poly-drug was higher with 76 (73.1%). The majority of respondents using substances/drugs were males 98 (94.2%), singles 93 (89.4%), and college degree holders 73 (75.0%). Conclusion: From the conclusion of this study, there are emerging varied patterns of substance use. Hence, there is a need for increased sensitization and health education programs to curb the trend.

Flexibly modeling age trends in the prevalence of co-occurring patterns of substance use and mental health disorders using time-varying effects and latent class analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health disorders may change and co-occur in complex patterns across adult ages, but these processes can be difficult to capture with traditional statistical approaches. Objective: To elucidate disorder prevalence and comorbidities across adult ages by using time-varying effect models (TVEMs), latent class analysis (LCA), and modeling latent class prevalences as complex functions of age. Methods: Data were drawn from participants who are 18–65 years old in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (n = 30,999; 51% women) and a subsample who reported a past-year post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood, anxiety, or SUD based on DSM-5 diagnoses (n = 11,279). TVEM and LCA were used to examine age trends and comorbidity patterns across ages. Results: SUD prevalence peaked at age 23 (31%) and decreased thereafter, while mental health disorder prevalence was stable (20%–26% across all ages). The prevalence of five classes of individuals based on specific combinations of mental health and SUDs varied by age: the Alcohol Use Disorder class had the highest prevalence at age 26, whereas the Mood and Anxiety Disorder classes peaked around age 63. Interestingly, the Poly-Disorder class prevalence was greatest at age 18 but decreased sharply across young adulthood; however, the prevalence of the other high comorbidity class, PTSD with Mood or Anxiety Disorder, remained fairly constant across age, peaking at age 44. Conclusions: Multimorbid mental health disorders (excluding SUDs) persist in prevalence across adult ages. LCA, TVEM, and their integration together hold substantial potential to advance addiction research.

Loss aversion and risk for cigarette smoking and other substance use

BackgroundCigarette smoking is among the leading preventable causes of global morbidity and mortality. We aimed to determine whether individual differences in loss aversion, a bias in decision-making wherein losses are valued greater than gains, predicts smoking and other addiction risk. MethodsWe recruited current daily cigarette smokers (n = 181; > 10 cigarettes per day) and never-smokers (n = 237; < 100 cigarettes lifetime) from the United States using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Groups were matched on gender, educational attainment, and age. All completed items related to current cigarette smoking, alcohol use, other drug use, sleep problems, and depressed mood, and task-based measures of loss aversion and delay discounting, a decision-making bias associated with cigarette smoking. ResultsSmokers were less loss averse than never-smokers (F(1, 411) = 24.19, η2 = 0.02, p < .0001) even after accounting for delay discounting (F(1, 410) = 20.53, η2 = 0.02, p < .0001). Loss aversion was also a significant independent risk factor for alcohol (F(1, 410) = 21.47, η2 = 0.02, p < .0001) and other drug use (F(1, 410) = 54.12, η2 = 0.04, p < .0001), although not other behavioral-health conditions (i.e., sleep disturbance, depressed mood). Further analyses revealed that co-occurring low loss aversion and high delay discounting were independently associated with greater risk for all patterns of substance use. ConclusionsLoss aversion was associated with current cigarette smoking and other substance use patterns independent of delay discounting. Loss aversion may warrant attention as a protective factor and potential target for preventive intervention for substance use and addiction.

Depression and Anxiety Plus Levels of Stress among Secondary School Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown: an Online CrossSectional Survey

Objective: To assess prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents experiencing lockdown during the 2019 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in both Asian and Western countries. Material and Methods: From May-June 2020, secondary school students were enrolled in an online cross-sectional survey, through social media; including, but not limited to, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and LINE. We assessed the presence and severity of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10) within the last month, and assessed significant associations with demographics, degree of social distancing, and other associated issues using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results: From 392 respondents (56.4% male, 43.1% female), from Thailand (59.2%), the United Kingdom (26.5%) and other countries (14.3%), we identified depressive symptoms in 58.7%, anxiety in 40.3% and high levels of stress in 9.7%. By multivariate analysis, we found significant associations between being female and depression and anxiety, being in late secondary school years and depression, and changes in patterns of substance use and anxiety and stress. Participants not located in Thailand had increased risk of depression.Conclusion: Our study demonstrated depression, anxiety and stress in six, four and one out of ten adolescents, respectively, who were experiencing lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We found female gender, older school years, and changes in substance use patterns to be significantly associated with these mental health conditions.

The pattern of substance use and current injecting characteristics among people who inject drugs in New Delhi: A cross-sectional study

Substance use represents a global health crisis with its devastating consequences. Knowing the type and pattern of drug use, which usually varies across the countries, is indispensable in implementing tailored interventional studies among substance users, particularly people who inject drugs (PWID). We aimed to assess the pattern of substance use among PWID receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST) and to evaluate the characteristics of current injecting practice. This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2016 to March 2018 among PWID receiving OST at a tertiary care center in New Delhi. A total of 100 PWID satisfying inclusion criteria were included, and the desired information on the pattern of substance use was collected using the interviewer-administered questionnaire method. Alarmingly, about 58% of PWID self-reported a history of injecting drug use in the preceding three months, in the frequency of twice or more than twice a day among them (n=49,85%), despite current OST. Alcohol (51%) followed by cannabis (28%) were the most common gateway drugs. Overall, the majority of PWID used smack (Heroin) (91%) along with a cocktail of drugs like pheniramine (Avil) (91%) and buprenorphine (81%). Peer pressure (64%) was the leading reason cited for initiation of substance use. Targeted interventional strategies should also be extended to school-going children since most substance users initiate substance use with readily available gateway substances during childhood and adolescentsș period. Effective implementation of the existing substance-related laws and rigorous securitization of drug sales is the need of the hour.

The Pattern of Substance Use and Characteristics of the Individuals Enrolled in Residential Treatment at Selected Rehabilitation Centers in Sri Lanka: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction:Substance use becomes censorious when it leads to harmful effects on individuals, their families, and the community. The nature of substance use in Sri Lankan context is poorly understood and empirical evidences are sparse. The study aimed to describe patterns of substance use and characteristics of the individuals enrolled in residential treatment at selected rehabilitation centers in Sri Lanka.Material and methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 205 individuals enrolled in selected rehabilitation centers. Pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results:Most of the individuals who enrolled in residential treatment at selected rehabilitation centers were unmarried (n = 124, 60.5%), Sinhala (n = 186, 90.7%), Buddhist (n = 166, 81.0%), males (n = 202, 98.5%) and belonged to the young adult age (18-35 years) category (n = 178, 86.8%). All the participants were poly-drug users and cannabis was the most commonly used (n = 183, 89.3%) illicit drug followed by heroin (n = 172, 83.9%), methamphetamine (n = 150, 73.2%) and cocaine (n = 78, 38%). The most (n = 152, 74.1%) problematic substance for life was heroin. Most of the participants (n = 149, 72.7%) had used drugs several times per day. The mean duration of substance use was 7 ± 5 years. Participants (n = 177, 86.3%) reported that the substances were available in their residential areas and their friends (n = 197, 96.1%) were also using the substances.Conclusions:Pattern of substance use and characteristics of the individuals were unique in Sri Lanka and need to be considered when implementing and strengthening the programs for drug prevention and rehabilitation.

Substance use and oral health sensations among substance users residing in rehabilitation centres in an Indian City.

The term substance is usually used to address psychoactive/psychotropic drugs which include both licit and illicit drugs. These substances have varied consequences, including long-term and short-term effects, which include sensations post-consumption. To determine patterns of substance use and short-term oral health effects among substance users. A self-administered questionnaire-based study was conducted on the inmates of drug deaddiction and rehabilitation centres in Bhubaneswar city. All the subjects were males and majority (60.6%) were polydrug users. Alcohol (87.3%) was the most commonly used substance, followed by ganja (57%), bhang (35.3%) and brown sugar (33%). A wide range of oral health sensations like dryness of mouth, taste change, numbness in mouth, feeling like chewing something, loose teeth and stammering/difficulty in speaking were found to be significantly associated with substance use. The age of start of substance use (P < 0.0001), socioeconomic status (P = 0.026) and marital status (P < 0.0001) were significantly associated with the pattern of substance use. About 37.6% of inmates felt that they had very good oral health before starting drug use, while only 15.4% described their oral health as very good at present. Having no oral health problem was the most common reason for not visiting a dentist, followed by ignorant attitude towards oral health. A wide range of oral health sensations were found to be caused due to substance use. Understanding of oral health sensations can aid practitioners detect and report cases of substance use in its early phase.

Sociodemographic and substance characteristics among adolescents with psychotic disorders

Background Over the preceding time, there is a significant bidirectional relationship between substance use and the development of psychiatric disorders during the adolescent stage. The comorbidity of substance use among adolescents with mental disorders is a major challengeable public health concern. This study examined the sociodemographic correlates and substance-use patterns among adolescents with psychotic disorders versus nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders (controls).Patients and methods This is a case–control study on 76 adolescents diagnosed with different psychotic disorders and another group of 76 adolescents with nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders using Mini-Plus International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale, and Alcohol, Smoking, Substance Involvement Screening Test and urine test.Results Substantial sociodemographic differences were found among the adolescents with psychotic disorders (case) (72.4% nonemployed, 71.1% rural areas, and 2.6% governmental healthcare services) compared with controls (60.5% nonemployed, 39.5% rural areas, and 28.9% governmental healthcare services), also, there was a significant difference in substance-use pattern among cases (lifelong use of tobacco 81.6%, cannabis 80.3%, and opioids 90.8%, with more substance-related problems) compared with controls (lifelong use of tobacco 61.8%, cannabis 55.3%, and opioids 73.7%, with less substance-related problems).Conclusion The sociodemographic variables related to rural residence, nonemployment, less approach to governmental health service, and positive family history of psychiatric disorders were the major contributing factors for psychotic disorders in adolescents with substance use. The lifetime use of cannabis and opioids was the major risk of developing psychosis among adolescents.

Who Is at Risk of Developing Cannabis Dependence? Findings From an Extensive Online Study on Cannabis Users.

Although frequency of cannabis use is considered to be the strongest risk factor for developing cannabis dependence, only up to half of daily users become dependent. In this study, we explored an array of risk factors and moderators of cannabis dependence symptoms from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition endorsed by participants. A sample of 1,635 cannabis users completed an Internet survey consisting of measures of cannabis and other drug use. Multiple linear regression with a backward elimination method was employed to identify predictors of cannabis dependence symptoms. After that, a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to test the predictive validity of the interactions between frequency of cannabis use and other predictors. Frequency of cannabis use appeared to be the strongest predictor of developing cannabis dependence symptoms; other significant predictors of cannabis dependence symptoms were substance-dependency-related treatment seeking, mental health problems in the family and pattern of substance use. Duration of cannabis use, relationship status, and drug use history in the family were identified as significant moderators of the relationship between frequency of cannabis use and the number of cannabis dependence symptoms. This study confirms that the frequency of cannabis use is the strongest predictor of cannabis dependence symptoms but this relationship is significantly moderated by three abovementioned factors.

Childhood trauma subtypes may influence the pattern of substance use and preferential substance in men with alcohol and/or crack-cocaine addiction.

Objective:To compare the prevalence and subtypes of childhood maltreatment (CM) between individuals with and without substance use disorder (SUD) and investigate the influence of different traumas on the preferential use of substances and the severity of dependence.Methods:The sample consisted of 1,040 men with SUD (alcohol users [n=315], crack-cocaine users [n=406], multiple-substance users [n=319]) and 201 controls. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Addiction Severity Index-6 (ASI-6) were used to assess CM and drug-use patterns.Results:Individuals with SUD had a higher prevalence of CM than controls (63.4 vs. 28.1%, respectively). Exposure to physical trauma was associated with alcohol use disorder and severity of alcohol use. In contrast, emotional trauma was associated with use of multiple substances and severity of drug use in crack-cocaine users.Conclusions:This study corroborates the association of CM with SUD susceptibility. Our results suggest that the type of CM may influence preferential substance use and addiction severity. In this sense, physical traumas are more associated with alcohol use, while emotional and sexual traumas favor use of multiple drugs, especially crack cocaine. These findings may help the development of tailored prevention and intervention strategies.