SAj Blog Archives - Page 19 of 88

The Authors’ Own Words: Concussion, Sensation-Seeking and Substance Use Among US Adolescents

Feb 5, 2022 by AMERSA

In “Concussion, Sensation-Seeking and Substance Use Among US Adolescents” authors Phil Veliz, PhD, Sean Esteban McCabe ,PhD, James T. Eckner, MD, MS, and John E. Schulenberg, PhD assess the association between lifetime history of diagnosed concussions, sensation-seeking, and recent substance use (i.e., cigarette use, binge drinking, marijuana use, illicit drug use, and nonmedical prescription drug use) using the 2016 and 2017 Monitoring the Future study of 25,408 8th, 10th, and 12th graders.

“We found substantial differences in substance use between adolescents reporting only one diagnosed concussion and those reporting two or more diagnosed concussions during their lifetime. In particular, the positive association between substance use and concussion increases with the accumulation of brain injuries during adolescence. The results suggest that exposure to a single diagnosed concussion is associated with a modest increase in the risk of substance use. Substance abuse prevention efforts should be directed toward adolescents who have experienced multiple head injuries given that this subpopulation is more likely to experience cognitive impairments that influence riskier forms of behavior.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: Dissemination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System: Description and Evaluation of Veteran Outcomes

Feb 4, 2022 by AMERSA

In this article, program evaluation findings suggest that large-scale training in and implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for substance use disorders (SUDs) is associated with improvements in substance use and other functional outcomes. Article authors, Josephine M. DeMarce, PhD, Maryann Gnys, PhD, Susan D. Raffa, PhD, Mandy Kumpula, PhD, and Bradley E. Karlin, PhD, ABPP examine the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) work to nationally implement Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for SUD.

“The current manuscript describes the approach to system-wide training and reports Veteran outcomes associated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (CBT-SUD) implementation. Findings based on program evaluation data from this large training dissemination initiative provide preliminary evidence that training and implementation of CBT-SUD can be scaled up to the national, health system level. Findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of broad scale implementation of CBT-SUD to routine practice settings.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: Alcohol sales during COVID-19 social restrictions: Initial evidence from Alcoholic Beverage Control states

Jan 31, 2022 by AMERSA

In this report from Cory M. Morton, PhD, MSW, Dr. Morton shares findings from a study which examines alcohol sales data to ascertain how individuals are interacting with alcohol during the pandemic.

“This study used monthly off premises alcohol sales data to investigate whether alcohol sales have been higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to sales from 2015-2019, alcohol sales during the COVID-19 pandemic have been between 44 (March 2020) and 14% (August 2020) higher. Systems of substance misuse treatment and prevention should be prepared for increases in treatment need and alcohol-related harms as the confluence of social isolation and stress-related drinking are related to unfavorable outcomes.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: It will End in Tiers: A Strategy to Include “Dabblers” in the Buprenorphine Workforce After the X-Waiver

Jan 29, 2022 by AMERSA

In this commentary, authors Brendan Saloner, PhD, Barbara Andraka Christou, PhD, JD, Adam J. Gordon , MD, MPH, and Bradley D. Stein, MD, PhD share their belief that the X-waiver will ultimately be repealed, but there is a need for a variety of strategies to create a new treatment system after the X-waiver. Building a new tier of treatment capacity will require educational outreach, systems strategies, and enhanced payments.

“A growing national movement is advocating for the elimination of the X-waiver, which could open the door to many more clinicians being able to prescribe buprenorphine. However, there is insufficient attention to how to incorporate these clinicians into the prescribing workforce. We argue that for the foreseeable future, clinicians with high-volume practices (“super-prescribers”) will lead the way, but there is a vital role to be played by clinicians who prescribe opportunistically or occasionally (“dabblers”). We outline a strategy focused on workforce development, systems of care, and payment that can help support this goal.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: A Health Crisis Within A Health Crisis: Opioid Access in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jan 28, 2022 by AMERSA

In this commentary, Aditya Narayan, BS and Rajesh Balkrishnan, PhD draw attention to substance use and opioid access during the ongoing crisis, given the potential for breakdowns in treatment access for addiction, the growing concern of mental health comorbidities, and the lack of access for those who require opioids for adequate pain management. As well as offer policy and practice recommendations that may be implemented to provide more equitable distribution of care.

“We find ourselves embroiled in a pandemic that has deeply taxed our healthcare and broader societal infrastructures. To better serve patients who suffer from addiction, we have responded by creating a number of policy changes that move towards more equitable substance use care. In this commentary, we discuss further policy and practice changes that may be of interest to many working in the substance use space amidst the pandemic.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.