Drug Abuse Trends Research Articles

A theoretical model for substance abuse in the presence of treatment

The production and use of addictive stimulants has been a major problem in South Africa. Although research has shown increased demand for drug abuse treatment, the actual size of the drug-abusing population remains unknown. Thus the prevalence of drug abuse requires estimation through available tools. Many questions remain unanswered with regard to interventions, new cases of substance abuse and relapse in recovering persons. A six-state compartmental model including a core and non-core group, with fast and slow progression to addiction, was formulated with the aim of qualitatively investigating the dynamics of substance abuse and predicting drug abuse trends. The analysis of the model was presented in terms of the substance abuse epidemic threshold R0. Numerical simulations were performed to fit the model to available data for methamphetamine use in the Western Cape and to determine the role played by some key parameters. The model was also fitted to data on methamphetamine users who enter rehabilitation using the least squares curve fitting method. It was shown that the model exhibits a backward bifurcation where a stable drug-free equilibrium coexists with a stable drug-persistent equilibrium for a certain defined range of values of R0. The stabilities of the model equilibria were ascertained and persistence conditions established. It was found that it is not sufficient to reduce R0 below unit to control the substance abuse epidemic. The reproduction number should be brought below a determined threshold, R0c. The results also suggested that the substance abuse epidemic can be reduced by intervention programmes targeted at light drug users and by increasing the uptake rate into treatment for those addicted. Projected trends showed a steady decline in the prevalence of methamphetamine abuse until 2015.

P-87 - Relationship between coping strategies, sensation seeking, and attachment styles on substance abuse trends

Addiction Serious health, safety and economy of nations would be analyzed. And the increasing tendency to consume drugs is one of the great social problems. Lazarus based theory of behavior in an article in confronting stress are two processes: problem oriented process in which a person with a problem that the real reason he has been facing turbulence and the process is exciting circuit based on the person trying to adjust their emotional responses to. This descriptive study - the unity, in which 230 undergraduate students participated Tehran University that cluster sampling were selected were studied. Tools used, coping strategies Cavrer, sensation seeking, and attachment styles Arnett was Simpson. Data obtained by the correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis of variance analysis were statistically analyzed. Pearson correlation showed that the intensity components (r = 0 / 18), recent (r = 0 / 70) and the excitement of pro (r = 0 / 12) in the field of substance abuse is significant and positive relationship The use of problem oriented coping strategies to increase individual attitudes towards drug abuse is more negative and also between attachment styles and substance abuse trends and significant positive relationship exists.

Demographic and Substance Abuse Trends Among Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women: Eleven Years of Treatment Admission Data

The objective of this study was to identify demographic and substance abuse trends among pregnant women entering treatment over eleven years. This study compiled the publicly available Treatment Episode Datasets from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration from 1998 to 2008. Subjects included 1,724,479 women entering publicly funded substance abuse treatment for the first time, 81,818 of whom were pregnant. Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women were more likely to be younger, minority, never married, less educated, homeless, and on public-assistance or have no income. Referrals from health care providers (HCPs) among pregnant women entering treatment have stayed consistently low while referrals from the criminal justice system accounted for the largest portion of pregnant women entering treatment. Over the past eleven years, there has been a general decline in alcohol abuse and an increase in drug abuse among women entering treatment; this trend was more pronounced in pregnant women. Unlike their non-pregnant counterparts, pregnant women were more likely to report marijuana, not alcohol, as their primary problem substance as well as other drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine. Over the past eleven years, trends in the demographics and patterns of substance abuse among women have changed; some of these trends were unique to pregnant women. A large proportion of pregnant women entering treatment are referred by the criminal justice system. Knowledge surrounding the demographics and abuse patterns of pregnant women entering treatment can inform HCPs and community programs in their screening and outreach efforts.

Opiate Addiction and Prescription Drug Abuse: A Pragmatic Approach

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/43-1-6509 In the United States, the abuse of prescription medications, and especially opiates, has significantly impacted escalating health-care costs, increased patient hospitalizations, and has led to a growing number of untimely deaths. Approximately 14% of American adults are using pain medications for nonmedical purposes; therefore, the recreational use of opioids is steadily on the rise. Contributing to the problem is a small number of physicians who indiscriminately prescribe opiates without proper assessment and a lack of use of nonaddictive adjunctive medications. The result has created a culture of iatrogenic drug addiction, and the offending providers are described as being legalized drug pushers. There are several pragmatic changes to physician practices that are proposed that address this ever-growing problem. This includes limiting narcotic prescriptions for noncancer pain management. In addition, physicians must monitor the dosage, quantity, and treatment duration of narcotic usage. In the treatment of opioid dependence, physicians must properly control the use of agonist replacement treatments as these have developed a street value. Without adequate support measures and follow-up, the prescribing of narcotics will have addictive consequences. Additionally, certain treatment guidelines are recommended. These include restricting the patient to one pharmacy of his or her choice, expecting the patient to attend regular treatment support groups, requiring the patient to pay copayments in advance and other measures. These, along with changes in public policy and educational programs, will limit the growing trend of prescription drug abuse in the United States.

A Brief Overview of Adolescent Developmental Problems in Hong Kong

Several adolescent developmental problems in Hong Kong are briefly reviewed in this paper. First, rising adolescent substance abuse trends are described. Second, Internet use problems and Internet addiction among young people are examined. Third, worrying trends in adolescent sexuality are identified. Fourth, phenomena on bullying among young people are reviewed. Finally, phenomena related to adolescent materialistic orientation are focused upon. With reference to these adolescent developmental problems, possible solutions are briefly discussed particularly with reference to the ecological perspective. It is argued that the related scientific literature provides useful pointers for designing the curriculum in the extension phase of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.

Establishing a computerized substance abuse surveillance system for district social workers in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: Methods, successes and challenges

The provision of accurate, in-depth data on substance abuse trends and service needs has become increasingly important in light of the growing wave of substance abuse in South Africa and particularly in the Western Cape Province. This article describes the design and implementation of an electronic substance abuse surveillance system (SASS) between 2007 and 2009. The function of this system is to gather data on substance use, associated problems, service needs and services received on all clients presenting for generic social welfare services at the 16 district social service offices in the Western Cape. This article describes key features of SASS, examines the strengths of this system, reviews the process of implementing SASS and describes major challenges to the effective implementation and use of the system. Major challenges include limited infrastructure, inadequacies in staff capacity and lack of organizational support for the system. Recommendations for addressing these challenges and improving the use of this surveillance system are provided.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Trends Upward as Boomers Age

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Trends Upward as Boomers Age

Substance Abuse Trends Upward as Boomers Age

Substance Abuse Trends Upward as Boomers Age

Millions of Americans Go Without Needed Drug Abuse Treatment

Millions of Americans Go Without Needed Drug Abuse Treatment

Developing a Data Resource to Support State Substance Abuse Prevention Planning: Approaches Used in Implementing CSAP's Strategic Prevention Framework

A number of data collection systems designed to monitor selected substance abuse behaviors and consequences are in place in the United States. Some of these systems provide only national-level data, while others provide data disaggregated by state and in some cases by sub-state units such as counties or communities. Less progress has been made in identifying a key set of epidemiologic indicators across the three major substance categories (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs), and assembling them in a manner designed to effectively support substance abuse prevention planning at the state and local levels. A recent federal initiative funded by the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) seeks to accelerate progress in this area through its Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). The framework is intended to stimulate the prudent use of available data, and the development of additional data resources, for: 1) identifying statewide priorities for substance abuse prevention, 2) informing resource allocation decisions, 3) monitoring state and local trends in substance abuse and related consequences, and 4) evaluating state and local prevention efforts. This article describes the underlying rationale and issues considered in developing the database, some of the challenges and limitations in applying the data to prevention planning processes, and current strategies employed by CSAP to guide states and communities in effectively using the data in their substance abuse prevention planning and monitoring efforts.

Monitoring Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trends in South Africa (1996–2006): Reflections on Treatment Demand Trends

This article describes the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use project, describes selected trends in treatment demand related to alcohol and other drug (AOD) use for a 10 year period, and reflects on the utility and impact of this initiative on policy and practice. Data are collected using a standardized data collection form from over 70 specialist AOD treatment centers in six sentinel sites in South Africa every 6 months. Data are also collected from police forensic records and community surveys. Treatment demand linked to methamphetamine use has increased substantially in recent years in one site (Cape Town), but not in other sites. Treatment demand for heroin-related problems has increased over time in most sites, with changes in the population group profile of patients being noted. Over time the proportion of adolescents admitted to treatment centers has also increased significantly. The project has informed policy development at provincial and national levels, has guided local training and resource allocation decisions, and has allowed us to engage meaningfully in international forums. It has furthermore strengthened collaboration among researchers and stimulated new research initiatives. Dissemination activities have been intensive.

Current Situation and Trends of Drug Abuse and Hiv/Aids in China

Drug abuse re-emerged in mainland China in the 1980s and has spread dramatically over the last decades; the cumulative number of registered drug users increased to 1.16 million by the end of 2005. Among them, 78.3% were heroin addicts and the majority of them (50–70%) were injecting drug users. The abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants emerged at the end of the 1990s and spread quickly. Injecting drug use and unsafe sexual behavior among drug users have been the key factors in the spread of HIV/AIDS. By the end of September 2008, the cumulative total of reported HIV/AIDS cases was 264,302 in China. The Chinese government takes great measures and strategies to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission and reduce drug-related harms, including methadone-maintenance treatment and needle-exchange programs. Moreover, antiretroviral therapy has been provided for AIDS patients. The Chinese government will continue to implement strategies to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among drug users in the future.

Trends in Volatile Substance Abuse

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to evaluate whether social, geographic, and demographic factors have a relationship to trends in volatile substance abuse. Two datasets were obtained. Dataset 1 was all patients reported to U.S. poison centers with inhalation abuse of a non-pharmaceutical substance between 2000 and 2005. Dataset 2 was annual data from the U.S. Dept of Labor and U.S. Census Bureau for each of the 50 states for the years 2000 through 2005 for unemployment rate, population density, poverty rate, high school graduation rate and percentage of population with bachelor degree. The two datasets were compared for geographic (by state) and temporal (by year) relationships using U.S. government demographic categories. The U.S. poison centers state that 12,428 patients with volatile substance abuse have been reported over the 6 year period of 2000–2005, with a mean of 2,071 patients annually. A strong negative trend was found between volatile substance abuse and population density, with volatile substance abuse increasing as population density decreased. This trend remained consistent over the 6 years of evaluation. A negative trend was found with percentage of population with a bachelor's degree and volatile substance abuse. No trend was found when comparing volatile substance abuse and poverty rate, unemployment rate, or high school graduation rate. Volatile substance abuse appears to increase as population density decreases, following a previously suggested relationship with a rural setting. Volatile substance abuse appears to increase as percentage of population with a bachelor's degree decreases.

Profile of medication identification requests managed by a U.S.-certified regional poison information center

Introduction. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the number of medication identification requests (MIR) to poison centers has increased dramatically. In 2003, there were 617,414 calls compared to 1,070,537 in 2007. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the nature of the most common requests to a poison center for medication identification. Methods. To profile the MIR to a poison information center, the data from 2003 to 2007 were analyzed to identify all requests for medication identification. The subset of MIR data was extracted and analyzed to profile the requests by the specific medication and category. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data. Results. MIR were responsible for 193,006 calls: 24,643 in 2003, increasing to 55,473 in 2007. In 2003, there were inquiries about 1,261 different medications and in 2007 that increased to 3,165. During all but two of the five years, substances with known substance abuse potential accounted for 24 of the 25 most common MIR. Acetaminophen in combination with either hydrocodone or oxycodone dominated the requests. The most common identification request each year was for the brand-specific product Mallinckrodt 512 (acetaminophen/oxycodone). Discussion. The most frequent MIR involved medications with substance abuse potential, primarily opioids. Conclusions. Poison center MIR data can provide important information to officials about substance abuse trends.

Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis

BackgroundThe social and medical problems of drug abuse are a matter of increasing global concern. To tackle drug abuse in changing scenarios, international drug agencies need fresh methods to monitor trends and patterns of illicit drug consumption.ObjectiveWe tested a sewage epidemiology approach, using levels of excreted drug residues in wastewater, to monitor collective use of the major drugs of abuse in near real time.MethodsSelected drug target residues derived from use of cocaine, opiates, cannabis, and amphetamines were measured by mass spectrometry in wastewater collected at major sewage treatment plants in Milan (Italy), Lugano (Switzerland), and London (United Kingdom). The amounts of drug residues conveyed to the treatment plants, reflecting the amounts collectively excreted with urine, were used to estimate consumption of the active parent drugs.ResultsReproducible and characteristic profiles of illicit drug use were obtained in the three cities, thus for the first time quickly revealing changes in local consumption (e.g., cocaine consumption rose significantly on weekends in Milan). Profiles of local drug consumption based on waste-water measurements are in line with national annual prevalence estimates.ConclusionsPatterns and trends of drug abuse in local communities can be promptly monitored by this tool, a convenient new complement to more complex, lengthy survey methods. In principle, searching the sewage for excreted compounds relevant to public health issues appears to have the potential to become a convenient source of real-time epidemiologic information.

Trends in Rates of Hospitalization with a Diagnosis of Substance Abuse among Reproductive-Age Women, 1998 to 2003

To describe trends in hospitalizations with a diagnosis of substance abuse among reproductive-age women from 1998-2003. Data were obtained from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Hospitalizations with a diagnosis of substance abuse were categorized into subgroups by age, primary expected payer, substance-specific diagnoses, concomitance, and hospital location. Trends in hospitalization rates per 100,000 women aged 15-44 were tested using a weighted least-squares method. From 1998-2003, there was no change in the overall rate of hospitalization with a diagnosis of substance abuse among women aged 15-44. Alcohol abuse was the most common substance-specific diagnosis. The rate of hospitalization with a diagnosis of cocaine abuse decreased 22%; for a diagnosis of cannabis abuse, the rate increased 35%. The rate of hospitalization with a diagnosis of amphetamine abuse doubled from 1998-2003. Among women aged 15-24, the rate of hospitalization with a diagnosis of substance abuse increased 23%. Although we did not observe a change in the overall rate of substance-abuse hospitalization among reproductive-age women, there were dramatic changes in the rate of substance-specific diagnoses. These data may be used to quantify emerging trends in substance abuse and promote the use of hospital-based interventions.

California Sub stance Abuse Research Consortium, September 2005: Update on Recent Methamphetamine Trends in Four California Regions

California Substance Abuse Research Consortium (SARC) meetings have become a mainstay in supporting the exchange of new alcohol and other drug information on research to policy and other initiatives throughout the state. A cornerstone of SARC is a discussion of regional substance abuse patterns and trends. This article provides readers with a brief overview of recently released methamphetamine statistics, as well as a more detailed review of the methamphetamine information presented during the substance abuse epidemiology portion of the September 2005 meeting, as presented for Kern County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the state of California.

Cocaine in surface waters: a new evidence-based tool to monitor community drug abuse

BackgroundCocaine use seems to be increasing in some urban areas worldwide, but it is not straightforward to determine the real extent of this phenomenon. Trends in drug abuse are currently estimated indirectly, mainly by large-scale social, medical, and crime statistics that may be biased or too generic. We thus tested a more direct approach based on 'field' evidence of cocaine use by the general population.MethodsCocaine and its main urinary metabolite (benzoylecgonine, BE) were measured by mass spectrometry in water samples collected from the River Po and urban waste water treatment plants of medium-size Italian cities. Drug concentration, water flow rate, and population at each site were used to estimate local cocaine consumption.ResultsWe showed that cocaine and BE are present, and measurable, in surface waters of populated areas. The largest Italian river, the Po, with a five-million people catchment basin, steadily carried the equivalent of about 4 kg cocaine per day. This would imply an average daily use of at least 27 ± 5 doses (100 mg each) for every 1000 young adults, an estimate that greatly exceeds official national figures. Data from waste water treatment plants serving medium-size Italian cities were consistent with this figure.ConclusionThis paper shows for the first time that an illicit drug, cocaine, is present in the aquatic environment, namely untreated urban waste water and a major river. We used environmental cocaine levels for estimating collective consumption of the drug, an approach with the unique potential ability to monitor local drug abuse trends in real time, while preserving the anonymity of individuals. The method tested here – in principle extendable to other drugs of abuse – might be further refined to become a standardized, objective tool for monitoring drug abuse.

Review of a community-based youth counselling service in Ireland

The structure and operation of a community-based youth counselling service operated by the Kildare Youth Services (KYS), Ireland, are examined with a view to highlighting the preventative nature of such a service. Presenting problems are explored, in the context of the wider social milieu. Particularly, recent trends in sexual behaviour, substance abuse and child sexual abuse are examined. Interviews were conducted with a sample of professionals who referred clients, patients and students to the KYS Youth Counselling Service. Interviews were also conducted with a small sample of clients of the service and with the counsellor–coordinator of the Youth Counselling Service. The service was viewed positively throughout the community and its role in the prevention of further distress was highlighted.

Trends in substance abuse by teenagers in the Czech Republic

Drug Epidemiology Headquarters of the Hygienic Station of the Capital Prague has created a complex drug information system in the Czech Republic. This department collects and analyzes data concerning problem drug users, non-fatal emergencies, and occurence of infectious diseases, and all these surveys are provided on a routine basis. Data are gathered from the national network of treatment and contact centers for drug users, through repeated representative epidemiological surveys, obligatory reports on infectious diseases (hepatitis A, B and C, HIV/AIDS), and a sentinel system of data collection is used for non-fatal emergencies. In 1994, 1997, and 2000, a repeated study concerning trends of substance abuse by teenagers (aged 14 to 19 years of age) from all types of schools and from all regions of the Czech Republic was carried out by this department in order to study changes in substance abuse and teenagers’ opinions related to drugs. In 1994 there were 8334 respondents in the study, in 1997 there were 14,282 respondents, and in 2000 there were 13,018 respondents, which is about 1.5% of the population group of teenagers from 14–19 years old in each year of the study. Recommendations of EMCDDA (European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction in Lisbon, Portugal), a body of European Council, are followed by Drug Epidemiology Headquarters.