The Authors’ Own Words:  

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Use of Risk Mitigation Practices by Family Nurse Practitioners Prescribing Opioids for the Management of Chronic Non-Malignant Pain

Sahil Chaudhary, BS(c) & Peggy Compton, RN, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“In 2014, opioid overdoses claimed 24,000 Americans leading the CDC to declare that the nation is in the midst of an “opioid epidemic”. Curbing this public health epidemic requires a multi-prong strategy. One significant prong of this response entails reforming opioid prescribing practices. Investigators and lawmakers have exhaustively examined the opioid prescribing practices of physicians, however, have paid little attention to the prescribing practices of nurse practitioners (NPs). Since NPs have prescriptive authority in most States, they not uncommonly prescribe opioids when treating chronic pain patients. This study is one of the first reports to identify and describe the opioid prescribing practices of NPs. Findings reveal that NPs must be included in conversations about reforming opioid prescribing practices.”

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The Authors’ Own Words:  

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Factors associated with substance use in older homeless adults: Results from the HOPE HOME Study

Matthew A. Spinelli, MD; Claudia Ponath, MA; Lina Tieu, MPH; Emily E. Hurstak, MD; David Guzman, MSPH; & Margot Kushel, MD

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“We found high prevalence of illicit substance use in our a sample of homeless adults aged 50 and over compared to previous samples of homeless adults of all ages. In multivariable analysis, we noted the association of psychiatric symptoms and history with risky substance use. Our study highlights the urgent need for programs that can serve older homeless adults with substance use and mental health problems. The Institute of Medicine has noted critical deficiencies in geriatric substance use workforce and treatment programs. 1 As the homeless population ages, health systems and providers will be tasked with understanding, developing services for, and treating the special needs of older homeless adults with substance use disorders.”

1. Eden J MK, Le M, Blazer D. The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands?. Committee on the Mental Health Workforce for Geriatric Populations; Board on Health Care Services; Institute of Medicine. 2012;Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).

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The Authors’ Own Words:  

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Alcohol Use Patterns and Alcohol Use Disorders among Young Adult, Ethnically Diverse Bariatric Surgery Patients

Christine E. Spadola, PhD, LMHC; Eric F. Wagner, PhD; Veronica H. Accornero, PhD; Denise C. Vidot, PhD; Nestor de la Cruz-Munoz, MD, FACS; & Sarah E. Messiah, PhD, MPH

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“Problematic alcohol use after weight loss surgery (WLS) has been documented in the literature, as well as heightened sensitivity to alcohol post-WLS. For the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this article documented alcohol and problematic alcohol use among young adult, predominantly racial/ethnic minority bariatric surgery patients. Results reveal a relatively high rate of drinking to intoxication and binge drinking, especially considering heightened sensitivity to alcohol that often results after weight loss surgery.  Findings suggest that in order to more adequately assess problematic alcohol use among WLS patients, future measures of alcohol use should consider the potential for an increase in alcohol sensitivity and assess for number of times the respondent drank to intoxication, in addition to quantifying alcohol consumption. Future implications also suggest that researchers should consider lowering the criterion for  binge drinking when assessing problematic alcohol use among WLS patients. Additionally, more investigations are warranted to examine the long-term development of problematic alcohol use post-WLS, and to explore factors surrounding alcohol use that might be unique to young adult and racial/ethnic minority WLS patients. Problematic alcohol use after weight loss surgery (WLS) has been documented in the literature, as well as heightened sensitivity to alcohol post-WLS. For the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this article documented alcohol and problematic alcohol use among young adult, predominantly racial/ethnic minority bariatric surgery patients. Results reveal a relatively high rate of drinking to intoxication and binge drinking, especially considering heightened sensitivity to alcohol that often results after weight loss surgery. Findings suggest that in order to more adequately assess problematic alcohol use among WLS patients, future measures of alcohol use should consider the potential for an increase in alcohol sensitivity and assess for number of times the respondent drank to intoxication, in addition to quantifying alcohol consumption. Future implications also suggest that researchers should consider lowering the criterion for binge drinking when assessing problematic alcohol use among WLS patients. Additionally, more investigations are warranted to examine the long-term development of problematic alcohol use post-WLS, and to explore factors surrounding alcohol use that might be unique to young adult and racial/ethnic minority WLS patients.”

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The Authors’ Own Words:  

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Uneven reductions in high school students’ alcohol use from 2007 to 2012 by age, sex and socio-economic strata

Nicki Jackson, Simon Denny, Janie Sheridan, Terry Fleming, Terryann Clark, Roshini Peiris-John & Shanthi Ameratunga

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“Many Western countries are currently witnessing declining adolescent alcohol consumption. However, there has been a dearth of investigation into whether these declines are the result of fewer drinking occasions and/or lower quantities of alcohol being consumed in a drinking occasion. Greater understanding of these shifts could signal the drivers of positive behavioral change. This study found that the declines in consumption among New Zealand adolescents were primarily driven by fewer drinking occasions, with the style in which alcohol is consumed (i.e. heavy) more resistant to change. Uneven educations in use were evident across socio-economic strata, particularly among young adolescent females, signalling the need for future research to use nuanced analyses to identify sub-population trends.”

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The Authors’ Own Words:  

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Predicting Young Adults’ Risk for Engaging in Prescription Drug Misuse in Daily Life from Individual, Partner, and Relationship Factors

Lauren M. Papp, PhD & Chrystyna D. Kouros, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“Previous research has primarily relied on retrospective and global assessments to identify factors that predict which individuals are most likely to misuse prescription drugs. Our findings contribute to–and extend– this work by assessing prescription drug misuse as it occurs in daily life and multiple risk and proactive factors for misuse simultaneously. The findings indicated that females’ misuse is predicted by both individual, partner, and relationships factors, whereas males’ misuse was not predicted by any of these factors when considered together. This suggests that prescription drug misuse among young adult females is complex and preventive interventions may need to consider multiple potential targets of influence for reducing misuse. The findings also suggest that the motivating factors or triggers for prescription drug misuse may differ for males and females; thus, another practical implication of the findings is that interventions and treatments may need to be tailored differently for men compared to women to increase their effectiveness at reducing prescription drug misuse.”    

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