AMERSA, Author at AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words: Association between binge drug use and suicide attempt among people who inject drugs

Jan 20, 2020 by AMERSA

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.

Association between binge drug use and suicide attempt among people who inject drugs

Charles Fournier, MD; Maykel Farag Ghabrash, MD, MSc; Adelina Artenie, MSc; Elise Roy, MD, MSc; Geng Zang, MSc; Julie Bruneau, MD, MSc; & Didier Jutras-Aswad, MD, MSc

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“People who inject drugs (PWID) constitute a particularly vulnerable subgroup among individuals with drug dependence, and have an elevated risk of suicide attempt. Using a biannual interviewer-administered questionnaire, we examined the relationship between suicide attempt and binge behavior using generalized estimating equations. Our article highlights a positive association between binge drug use and suicide attempt after controlling for sociodemographic factors, substance use patterns, and psychological factors. The results suggest thatmeticulous assessment and preventive interventions are critical in minimizing risk of suicide attempt in this population, and that specific attention should be paid to binge drug use in that regard. It also underlines the need for more research to better understand the complex interplay between substance misuse and mental health.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Addressing substance use disorder in primary care: The role, integration, and impact of recovery coaches

Jan 20, 2020 by AMERSA

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.

Addressing substance use disorder in primary care: The role, integration, and impact of recovery coaches

Helen E. Jack, BA; Devin Oller, MD; John Kelly, PhD; Jessica F. Magidson, PhD; & Sarah E. Wakeman, MD

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“This paper uses qualitative interviews with recovery coaches and patients to define the role of recovery coaches, an emerging workforce in addiction treatment that has great potential to help expand access to substance use disorder treatment in primary care. It highlights the components of the recovery coach role and the benefits and challenges of incorporating recovery coaches into the interdisciplinary primary care team. This study is one of few to examine recovery coaches and the first to use patient and coach perspectives to understand the recovery coach role.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Effectiveness of pharmacological or psychological interventions for smoking cessation in smokers with major depression or depressive symptoms. A systematic review of the literature

Jan 19, 2020 by AMERSA

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.

Effectiveness of pharmacological or psychological interventions for smoking cessation in smokers with major depression or depressive symptoms. A systematic review of the literature

Giulia A. Aldi, PsyD; Giuly Bertoli, PhD; Francesca Ferraro, PsyD; Aldo Pezzuto, MD; & Fiammetta Cosci, MD, MSc, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“On the basis of the present manuscript clinicians may find some guidelines on how to treat depressed patient who smoke and ask to quit. Among individuals with current MDD, transdermal nicotine replacement treatment (21 mg), varenicline (1 mg twice daily), or Stage Care Intervention were more effective than placebo. Among individuals with current DS, nicotine gum (2 or 4 mg) was more effective than placebo, and fluoxetine (20 mg/die) plus nicotine (21 mg, than tapered) was more effective than fluoxetine alone. Among individuals with severe current DS, nicotine inhaler plus fluoxetine (20 mg) or naltrexone (50 mg/die)²³ were shown to be more effective than placebo, although naltrexone was less tolerated than placebo due to nausea. Among individuals with past MDD, no mono-pharmacotherapies showed to be more effective than placebo while Cognitive Behavioural Therapy showed efficacy. However, more research is needed into effectively addressing smoking in people with concurrent mental disorder. Indeed, data available on the treatment of individuals who smoke and are diagnosed with current MDD or DS as well as of individuals who smoke and are diagnosed with past MDD are poor and meta-analyses include heterogenous studies.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Underutilization of the current clinical capacity to provide buprenorphine treatment for Opioid Use Disorders within the Veterans Health Administration

Jan 19, 2020 by AMERSA

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.

Underutilization of the current clinical capacity to provide buprenorphine treatment for Opioid Use Disorders within the Veterans Health Administration

Helen Valenstein-Mah, PhD; Hildi Hagedorn, PhD; Chad L. Kay, PharmD; Melissa L. Christopher, PharmD; & Adam J. Gordon, MD, MPH

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“This manuscript highlights a discrepancy between the capacity of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) providers credentialed to prescribe buprenorphine, a first line treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, and the number of buprenorphine prescriptions these providers wrote over a six month period. The study found that VHA providers are prescribing buprenorphine below their capacity. These findings help to focus implementation efforts, and suggest that the VHA needs to not only focus on increasing the number of providers credentialed to prescribe buprenorphine, but also address barriers to prescribing at the patient-, provider-, and system-level to ensure veterans get effective treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Past-Year Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs among Women on Probation and Parole: A Cross-Sectional Study

Jan 18, 2020 by AMERSA

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.

Past-Year Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs among Women on Probation and Parole: A Cross-Sectional Study

Martin T. Hall, PhD, MSSW; Diana Ball, MSW; Jeanelle Sears, MSW, MSc; George E. Higgins, PhD, MPA; T K Logan, PhD; & Seana Golder, PhD, MSW

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“Past 12-month nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) was common among this sample of victimized women on probation and parole. Other substance use, pain, and trauma symptoms were strongly associated with past-year NMUPD. Interventions that improve access to physical and behavioral health services are needed, as are trauma-informed treatments and correctional care.”