Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Social gradients in binge drinking and abstaining: trends in a cohort of British adults


Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2007;61:150-153;

RESEARCH REPORT

Social gradients in binge drinking and abstaining: trends in a cohort of British adults

Barbara J M H Jefferis1,
Orly Manor2 and
Chris Power1

1 Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, London, UK
2 School of Public Health & Community Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Correspondence to: B J M H Jefferis Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; b.jefferis@ich.ucl.ac.uk

Objective: To investigate (1) social gradients in non-drinking and binge drinking, and (2) changes in social gradients in drinking with increasing age.

Methods: British men and women born during the same week in March 1958 were prospectively followed up to adulthood. The frequency and amount of alcohol use were recorded at age 23, 33 and 42 years. Abstainers "never" drank, binge drinkers consumed = >/10 units (men) and =>/7 units (women) per occasion.

Educational qualifications and occupation were reported at age 23 and 33 years. Logistic and repeated-measures models were used to investigate associations between social position and drinking status at single and multiple ages in adulthood.

Results: Less educated men and women had greater odds of being non-drinkers at each age in adulthood, with similar gradients at ages 23–42 years.
At 23 years of age, men without qualifications had 2.94 times greater odds of non-drinking than men with higher qualifications.

Less educated men had greater odds of binge drinking, and gradients did not change at ages 23–42 years.
At age 23 years, less educated women had lower odds of binge drinking (odds ratio (OR) 0.67 for women with no qualifications) than women with higher qualifications.
By age 42 years, the gradient reversed, and less educated women had higher odds of binge drinking (OR 2.68).

Conclusions: Stable gradients in non-drinking and trends in gradients in binge drinking may reinforce alcohol-related health inequalities over time.

Socioeconomic and Psychosocial Exposures across the Life Course and Binge Drinking in Adulthood: Population-based Study

American Journal of Epidemiology 2007 165(2):184-193;


ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Socioeconomic and Psychosocial Exposures across the Life Course and Binge Drinking in Adulthood: Population-based Study






Seungmi Yang1,
John W. Lynch1,
Trivellore E. Raghunathan2,3,
Jussi Kauhanen4,
Jukka T. Salonen4,5,6 and
George A. Kaplan2

1 Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2 Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
3 Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
4 Department of Public Health, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland
5 Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland6 Oy Jurilab, Ltd., Kuopio, Finland

Correspondence to Dr. John Lynch, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2, Canada (e-mail: john.lynch@mcgill.ca


Despite recognition of the health risks of binge drinking, its life-course precursors have not been widely examined.

Data from the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (1984–1989) were used to investigate the association between socioeconomic and psychosocial exposures across the life course and binge drinking in a population-based sample of 2,316 middle-aged men.

Binge drinking was defined as drinking at least four bottles of beer, one bottle of wine, one bottle of strong wine, or six servings of spirits on a single occasion.

A composite indicator of childhood socioeconomic position was based on parental education, occupation, and number of rooms and divided into tertiles.

Low childhood socioeconomic position increased the odds of binge drinking (odds ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval: 1.26, 2.31) when other early life exposures were adjusted. Additional adjustment of adult socioeconomic and psychosocial factors attenuated the odds of bingeing associated with low childhood socioeconomic position (odds ratio = 1.29, 95% confidence interval: 0.93, 1.79).

Adult socioeconomic conditions, marital status, hostility, and organizational membership were independently associated with bingeing.

This study shows that both early and later life characteristics including socioeconomic conditions and adult psychosocial factors contribute to adult binge drinking in this population, but the effects of adult characteristics are stronger.

News Report - Van Hollen Calls for Coverage Of Mental-Health Conditions


Washington Post

WASHINGTON IN BRIEF
Saturday, January 27, 2007; Page A05

Van Hollen Calls for Coverage Of Mental-Health Conditions

Mental-health patients deserve the same treatment under insurance plans as other medical patients, said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who will co-sponsor a bill to ensure equitable coverage for mental-health and addiction care.

"Treating mental-health issues in the same way that we treat other medical conditions is often a matter of life and death for millions of people," Van Hollen said. "Moreover, the costs to society of leaving these illnesses untreated are significant."

About one in four Americans suffer from some form of diagnosable mental health disorder each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

However, most who need mental-health coverage do not receive it, according to the Office of the Surgeon General. Depression, bipolar disorder, autism, mental retardation, alcohol dependency and eating disorders are considered common mental conditions by the American Psychiatric Association.


Book Review - Martin reviews Tracy's Alcoholism in America



Martin reviews Tracy's Alcoholism in America (review)



Scott C. Martin, "From Temperance to Alcoholism in America," Reviews in American History 34/2 (June 2006): 231-237. Review of Sarah W. Tracy, Alcoholism in America: From Reconstruction to Prohibition (2005).
Source: Alcohol and Drugs History Society
Posted by David Fahey


also see review by Thomas Pegram: Book reviews The Social History of Alcohol and Drugs 20 (Spring 2006): 296-314.

Sarah W. Tracy. Alcoholism in America: From Reconstruction to Prohibition. Baltimore,
MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. xxiii, 357 pp. Cloth.
isbn 0801881196. Reviewed by Thomas R. Pegram, Loyola College.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Alcohol and Health: Current Evidence Jan-Feb 2007


Current Issue: January-February 2007
View PDF of newsletter


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ALCOHOL AND HEALTH
OUTCOMES
Moderate Drinking Lowers MI Risk in Men With Healthy Lifestyles, 1
Drinking Increases the Risk ofSunburn, 1
Randomized Trial Shows Patients With Diabetes and MI BenefitFrom Red Wine, 2
Cabernet Sauvignon Reduces Brain Amyloid Deposits in Mice, 3
Early-Onset Alcohol DependenceIs More Severe, 3
Heavy Drinking May Quicken HIVProgression, 3
As Per Capital Alcohol Consumption Increases, So Does SicknessAbsence, 4

ASSESSMENTS/INTERVENTIONS
Brief Intervention in Primary Care: Does It Really Work in Practice?, 4
Can Treatment or AA Lower Mortality Risk in People With Alcohol Use Disorders?, 5
Naltrexone With Compliance Therapy Is No Better Than Placebo for Alcoholism, 5
Combined Carbamazepine and Tiapride for Alcohol Withdrawal, 5

SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Does Alcohol Increase Risk of Attempted Suicide and Suicidal Ideation in Black Adults?, 6

Can red wine help you live forever?


Can red wine help you live forever?

Turns out there's something to it. Fortune's David Stipp recounts the amazing, real story of the scientist and startup that have a shot at making it happen.


By David Stipp, Fortune
January 19 2007: 12:54 PM EST


NEW YORK (Fortune) -- If you haven't heard of resveratrol, you're probably too young to have had the experience of gazing in the bathroom mirror in the morning and thinking, "damn."


Resveratrol is the ingredient in red wine that made headlines in November when scientists demonstrated that it kept overfed mice from gaining weight, turned them into the equivalent of Olympic marathoners, and seemed to slow down their aging process. Few medical discoveries have generated so much instant buzz - even Jay Leno riffed about it in his opening monologue.

But the key question raised by the news - whether the discoveries will lead to pharmaceutical payoffs before we're too old to care - won't be answered in the Harvard lab from which the news sprang. Instead look to a boxy, low-rise building a couple of miles away, an unprepossessing biotech hatchery that got little media attention in the wake of the resveratrol findings. This is the Cambridge home of two-year-old Sirtris Pharmaceuticals. Its stated goal is to develop medicines that have the same health-boosting effects in people that resveratrol had on mice.

(more)

Thursday, January 25, 2007

News Release - California Health Interview Survey releases 2005 data


January 25, 2007

California Health Interview Survey releases 2005 data

Biennial survey is the most comprehensive source of health information on Californians.
Los Angeles, CA - The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) today announced the release of data from its 2005 survey.
This will be welcome news to the many policy makers, researchers, health advocates, media and many others who rely on CHIS as the most comprehensive source of health information on Californians.
Conducted every two years, the survey provides information on hundreds of health topics, and the 2005 survey include new content that will make CHIS even more invaluable to those who rely upon it to improve the health of California's diverse communities.
The release of the 2005 data enables users to see trends across survey years," said E. Richard Brown, Ph.D., principal investigator of CHIS and director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. "With multiple years of rich data now available, we expect that we'll see CHIS having an even greater impact on health policy at the state, county and local levels."

Using CHIS 2005 will be easy. The first wave of CHIS 2005 data variables have already been incorporated into AskCHIS, the survey's popular, user-friendly web tool. Additional variables will be added in the coming weeks. Available at no cost, AskCHIS allows user to quickly obtain survey statistics for hundreds of health topics and trend data across survey years. Users can also break down their results by geography, age, race/ethnicity and many other demographic variables. Those with the capability to analyze the raw data can also download CHIS 2005 public use files free-of-charge, and view accompanying technical documentation.

CHIS 2005 includes data on hundreds of health-related variables such as health status, health insurance coverage, access to care, chronic health conditions, cancer, dental health, neighborhood and housing, parental involvement, hunger and much more. Some of the unique attributes of the CHIS 2005 survey include:
New content on mental health, as well as diet and physical activity.
Significantly larger child sample.
Robust data for 41 individual counties.

"The CHIS 2005 data will be a tremendous asset to state and local health officials who want to build upon their successes and target future efforts to make a healthier life for all Californians." said Sandra Shewry, director of the California Department of Health Services. CHIS 2005 conducted surveys in all of California's 58 counties.
The data includes interviews with 45,649 households: 43,020 adults, 4,029 adolescents and 11,358 children. It has sizeable samples for Whites, Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, American Indians, and others, as well as robust samples of Asian American and Latino subgroups.
"This data will be critical to policy makers as they work toward developing a viable health care reform plan for the state," said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment.
Funding for CHIS 2005 has been provided by the California Department of Health Services; The California Endowment; the National Cancer Institute; First 5 California; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the California Department of Mental Health; the California Office of the Patient Advocate; Kaiser Permanente; San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency; Marin County Department of Health and Human Services; First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission; Center for Public Policy Research at the University of California, Davis; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Solano County Health and Social Services Department; and the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. The California Endowment provides funding for the AskCHIS query system.
The California Health Interview Survey is a collaboration of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the California Department of Health Services and the Public Health Institute. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health-related information on Californians. The Center is based in the UCLA School of Public Health and is affiliated with the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
Loran Archer comments:
The CHIS 2005 alcohol use variable has been revised to reflect gender differences.
2005
"For 2005, binge drinking is defined differently for both males and females. For males, binge drinkers are those that have had five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.
For females, binge drinkers are those that have had four or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.

This variable is restricted to:
Asked of all adults and adolescents who ever had more than a few sips of alcohol. Male binge drinking is five or more drinks on one occasion in past month, female binge drinking is four or more drinks."

Press Release - Heavy drinking takes excessive toll on women with hepatitis C



25-Jan-2007
Contact: Lisa Esposito

mailto:Espositohbns-editor@cfah.org
Center for the Advancement of Health

Heavy drinking takes excessive toll on women with hepatitis C

Women tend to survive longer than men if infected with the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus (HCV) -- but if they drink heavily, that survival advantage completely disappears, according to a new study.

"Previous studies indicated that alcohol use is a risk factor for HCV disease progression, but they seldom examined the effect on women and men separately," said lead author Chiung Chen. "Even fewer studies were able to examine the effect of alcohol on HCV mortality. Our study provides empirical evidence to fill the gap."

Chen is a research analyst at CSR Incorporated, which conducted the study under contract with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The study appears in the February issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

The study examined all of the HCV- and heavy-drinking-related deaths in the Multiple Cause of Death files of the National Center for Health Statistics, a total of 132,468 deaths. Women with hepatitis C who were not heavy drinkers died at an average age of 61 -- but those who drank excessively died, on average, at just over 49. For men, hepatitis C in combination with heavy drinking lowered the average age of death from a little over 55 years to 50.

Chen said evidence from previous studies "indicates that men are less likely to clear acute HCV infection than women, so we are a little bit surprised that the slight advantage for women is completely wiped out by heavy drinking."

"The study has the advantages of being massive and of relatively simple design, and applies epidemiological tools not much previously used on this question of HCV, heavy alcohol use and gender relationships," said Alex DeLuca, M.D., who is not associated with the study. "I think the most important findings are the ones that confirm our general understanding from clinical experience and other research approaches."

DeLuca, former chief and medical director of the Smithers Addiction Treatment and Research Center in New York City, said that the research supported earlier findings that women with hepatitis C generally have a slower progression of the disease, but that heavy drinking is in general harder on women than men.

The authors say a study limitation is that treatments like interferon, antiviral medications and liver transplants are often denied to heavy drinkers because they are less likely to be able to benefit -- but this could also contribute to their early deaths.

###
By Maia Szalavitz, Contributing Writer Health Behavior News Service

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research: Contact Mary Newcomb at (317) 375-0819 or mnewcomb-acer@earthlink.net or visit www.alcoholism-cer.com

Chen CM, et al. Alcohol and hepatitis C mortality among males and females in the United States: a life table analysis. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 31(2), 2007.

Abstract
Objective
: Evidence from previous studies suggests that heavy alcohol use (HAU) exacerbates the rate of fibrosis progression in the liver and results in increased probability for premature death among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

The current study uses population-based mortality data to investigate whether heavy drinking affects the age of death among individuals with HCV and, if so, whether this effect differs between men and women.

Methods: A total of 7,263,163 death records in the United States between 2000 and 2002 were drawn from the Multiple Cause of Death (MCD) public-use data files compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes were used to identify the presence of HCV (B17.1 and B18.2) and HAU (as indicated by alcohol-induced medical conditions, F10 and K70) either as the underlying cause or as one of the contributing causes of death.

The deaths were divided into 4 distinctive cause-of-death categories: HCV without HAU, HAU without HCV, HCV plus HAU, and all others. The mean ages of death and the cumulative probabilities of death derived from multiple-cause life table were compared across these categories.

Results: Hepatitis C virus deaths showed an excessive prevalence of HAU when compared with non-HCV deaths. Compared with deaths of HCV without HAU, the mean age of death was shortened for deaths of HCV plus HAU (from 55.1 to 50.0 years among males, and from 61.0 to 49.1 years among females).

The cumulative probability of death before age 65 was much higher for the latter than the former group (0.91 vs 0.68 among males, and 0.88 vs 0.47 among females). While HCV alone showed a disproportionate effect on premature death in males, HAU presented a stronger effect in females, resulting in a "catching-up" effect that diminished the gender difference in age of HCV death.

Conclusions: This study provides mortality-based evidence to further establish heavy alcohol consumption as one of the key risk factors contributing to premature deaths from HCV in the United States. More importantly, this study, for the first time, presents empirical evidence that alcohol consumption affects men and women differently in HCV mortality.

Alcohol treatment utilization: Findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007
Jan 12;86(2-3):214-21. .

Alcohol treatment utilization: Findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.
Cohen E,
Feinn R,
Arias A,
Kranzler HR.

Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-2103, United States.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies consistently show low rates of alcohol treatment utilization among individuals with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, there is not as great consistency in the characteristics that predict alcohol treatment utilization.

METHODS: Using data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), we examined attributes associated with treatment utilization among individuals with an AUD. We used stepwise backward selection logistic regression analysis to examine demographic and clinical predictors of treatment utilization, in order to identify opportunities to improve the delivery of services to this population.

RESULTS: Only 14.6% of individuals who met lifetime criteria for an AUD reported ever having received alcohol treatment (including self-help group participation). A greater proportion of respondents with both alcohol abuse and dependence (27.9%) reported having received treatment, compared with 7.5% of those with alcohol abuse only and 4.8% of those with alcohol dependence only. Older individuals, men, and those who were divorced, had less education or more lifetime comorbid mood, personality, and drug use disorders were also more likely to have received treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of individuals with an AUD never receive formal alcohol treatment, nor do they participate in self-help groups. Although natural recovery from an AUD is well documented, participation in alcohol treatment is associated with improved outcomes. The data presented here should be taken into account when efforts are made to enhance alcohol treatment utilization.

Sharing experience, conveying hope: Egalitarian relations as the essential method of Alcoholics Anonymous


Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Volume 17, Issue 2 , Pages 145 - 161
Special Issue: The Centrality of Values, Passions, and Ethics in the Nonprofit Sector . Issue Edited by Joyce Rothschild, Carl Milofsky.
Published Online: 22 Dec 2006
© Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Research Article
Sharing experience, conveying hope: Egalitarian relations as the essential method of Alcoholics Anonymous
Thomasina Borkman
George Mason University

Abstract
The predictions of Max Weber's iron cage of bureaucracy and Michels's iron law of oligarchy failed to materialize in Alcoholics Anonymous.

AA has maintained an alternative form of collectivistic-democratic voluntary organization for more than seventy years. Its organizational form was developed within its first five years and articulated in its foundational text, Alcoholics Anonymous, published in 1939.

Based on detailed histories of its early years, an analysis of AA's crucial ingredients suggests that six factors interacted to avoid the temptations of power, money, and professionalization that would have resulted in a bureaucratic form of organization or oligarchic leadership.

In order to avoid death and to obtain or maintain abstinence, the desperate cofounders stumbled on the essential method: egalitarian peers share their lived experiences, conveying hope and strength to one another.

In the context of the essential method, the two cofounders, from the Midwest and New York City, held similar spiritual beliefs and practiced a self-re?exive mode of social experiential learning gained from the Oxford Group, a nondenominational group that advocated healing through personal spiritual change; they downplayed their charismatic authority in favor of consulting with and abiding by the consensus of the group.


Contributor: Don Phillips

Alcohol and violence: use of possible confounders in a time-series analysis

RESEARCH REPORT
Alcohol and violence: use of possible confounders in a time-series analysis
Elin K. Bye
Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo, Norway
Elin K. Bye, Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, POB 565 Sentrum, N-0105 Oslo, Norway. E-mail: ekb@sirus.no

ABSTRACT
Aims
To assess the aggregate association between alcohol consumption and violence, while controlling for potential confounders.

Design and measurements
The data comprise aggregate time-series for Norway in the period 1880–2003 and 1911–2003 on criminal violence rates and per capita alcohol consumption. Possible confounders comprise annual rates of unemployment, divorce, marriage, total fertility rate, gross national product, public assistance/social care and the proportion of the population aged between 15 and 25. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) analyses were performed on differenced data. Both semilogarithmic and linear models were estimated.

Findings
Alcohol consumption was associated significantly with violence, and an increase in alcohol consumption of 1 litre per year per inhabitant predicted a change of approximately 8% in the violence rate. The parameter estimate for the alcohol variable remained unaltered after including the covariates both in the semilogarithmic and the linear models. Of the seven covariates included in the models, only divorce was associated significantly with violence rate.

Conclusions
The results suggest that alcohol consumption has an independent effect on violence rates when other factors are controlled for. The results support the assumption of a causal effect of alcohol consumption on violence, and it appears that alcohol consumption is an important factor when we wish to explain changes in violence rates over time.

Alcohol Use in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Russian Women

Arlinda F. Kristjanson, Sharon C. Wilsnack, Edwin Zvartau, Marina Tsoy, Boris Novikov (2007)

Alcohol Use in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Russian Women

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 31 (2), 299–307.


Arlinda F. Kristjanson11Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota; and ,
Sharon C. Wilsnack11Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota; and ,
Edwin Zvartau22Departments of Pharmacology and Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia,
Marina Tsoy22Departments of Pharmacology and Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia, and
Boris Novikov22Departments of Pharmacology and Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia

1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota; and 2Departments of Pharmacology and Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia

Reprint requests: Arlinda F. Kristjanson, PhD, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, PO Box 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037; Fax: 701-777-6478; E-mail: akristja@medicine.nodak.edu

Abstract
Background:
Alcohol consumption in Russia is reportedly high for both men and women; most studies of Russian drinking have used questionnaires not designed specifically to measure alcohol consumption or to interview women. This study was designed specifically to measure drinking patterns among pregnant and nonpregnant Russian women.

Methods: Eight hundred ninety-nine women of child-bearing age in St. Petersburg, Russia, were interviewed in employment centers, educational centers, and at obstetric and gynecologic (OB/GYN) clinics and hospitals. Measurement of drinking used several types of drinking questions and time frames.

Results: Nearly all nonpregnant Russian women (95.9%) reported consuming alcohol in the last 12 months. Among nonpregnant women drinkers, 7.6% reported drinking heavily (29.58 mL or more ethanol/d), and 18.4% reported drinking ≥5 on at least 1 occasion. Contrary to expectations of Russian obstetricians, pregnant Russian women readily answered detailed questions about their drinking behavior during pregnancy.

Nearly all pregnant women drank in the year before they became pregnant; of these, 60.0% reported drinking when they knew they were pregnant, and 34.9% drank in the past 30 days. Among pregnant women who drank in the past 30 days, 7.4% reporting having ≥5 drinks on at least 1 occasion. Nevertheless, more than 90% of pregnant and nonpregnant Russian women believed that alcohol has a detrimental effect on pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusions: Pregnant and nonpregnant Russian women were willing to answer detailed questions about their drinking behavior. Although most pregnant women studied reduced their drinking during pregnancy, one-third of the pregnant women did not stop drinking. It is important to find out what enabled two-thirds of the pregnant women to stop drinking before or during their pregnancy.

Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence Among Excessive Drinkers in New Mexico

Sandra Woerle, Jim Roeber, Michael G. Landen (2007)
Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence Among Excessive Drinkers in New Mexico

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 31 (2), 293–298. Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence Among Excessive Drinkers in New Mexico


Sandra Woerle11National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC; ,
Jim Roeber22New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM., and
Michael G. Landen22New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM.

1National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC; 2New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM.

Reprint requests: Jim Roeber, MSPH, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, 1190 St. Francis Dr. N1313, PO Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502-6110; Fax: 505-827-0013; E-mail: Jim.Roeber@state.nm.us

Abstract
Background
: Excessive alcohol consumption claims more than 75,000 lives in the United States each year. The prevalence of alcohol dependence among excessive drinkers is not well known.

Methods: Data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in New Mexico were used to assess the prevalence of excessive drinking, including binge drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol-impaired driving, and alcohol dependence.
Results: Of 4,761 respondents, 16.5% were excessive drinkers; 14.4% binge drank and 1.8% were alcohol dependent. While the rates of alcohol dependence were higher among the youngest age group, males, those with some college education, and those of race/ethnicity other than White, non-Hispanic, only differences by age were statistically significant. The prevalence of alcohol dependence was the highest among those who reported alcohol-impaired driving in the past 30 days (15.9%), and was lower among those who reported heavy drinking (13.4%) and binge drinking (8.1%).

Conclusions: Although 16.5% of New Mexico adults had at least 1 type of excessive drinking, only 1.8% of all adults met the criteria for alcohol dependence. Furthermore, only a minority of those who reported binge drinking, heavy drinking, or alcohol-impaired driving met the criteria for alcohol dependence.

This suggests that most alcohol problems in New Mexico are likely due to excessive drinking among persons who are not alcohol dependent. The adverse health and social consequences associated with excessive drinking are not limited to those who are alcohol dependent, but extend to a broader range of problem drinkers across the population.

Impact of Race and Ethnicity on Counseling for Alcohol Consumption: A Population-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey

Kenneth J. Mukamal
Impact of Race and Ethnicity on Counseling for Alcohol Consumption: A Population-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (OnlineEarly Articles). doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00326.x



Impact of Race and Ethnicity on Counseling for Alcohol Consumption: A Population-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey

Kenneth J. Mukamal
11Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Reprint requests: Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD, MPH, MA, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, RO-114, Boston, MA 02215; Fax: 617-667-2854; E-mail: kmukamal@bidmc.harvard.edu

Abstract
Background
: Counseling for alcohol use is of proven utility, but whether disparities in provision of counseling exist is uncertain.

Methods: Using the 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a population-based telephone survey, we examined participant-reported physician counseling for alcohol use among 15,498 adults in 5 U.S. states. Participants reported their usual alcohol intake, risky drinking (intake of 5 or more drinks on occasion, greater than 60 drinks per month, or driving after drinking), and whether a doctor had spoken with them about alcohol use.

Results: Race and ethnicity were strongly associated with reported receipt of alcohol counseling. Compared with whites, black and Hispanic adults had 2-fold higher odds of reporting receiving counseling among all participants, among problem drinkers, and among abstainers. There were modest differences according to sex, income, self-reported health, and education, but not body mass index. Multivariable adjustment and restriction to participants who reported a recent checkup did not alter these findings. No such disparity was noted for general diet counseling.

Conclusions: Clear racial and ethnic differences exist in physician counseling for alcohol use, with higher prevalence estimates among racial and ethnic minority populations. Although the cause of these differences is uncertain, systematic application of preventive medical services such as alcohol screening and counseling is needed for all patients.

The role of alcohol consumption in future classifications of alcohol use disorders.

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007 Jan 18; [Epub ahead of print]

The role of alcohol consumption in future classifications of alcohol use disorders.
Saha TD, Stinson FS, Grant BF.

Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biometry, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.

BACKGROUND: Item response theory (IRT) was used to determine whether DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence and consumption criteria were arrayed along a continuum of severity.

METHODS: Data came from a large, nationally representative sample of the U.S. adult population.

RESULTS: DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence criteria formed a continuum of alcohol use disorder severity along with the drinking 5+/4+ at least once a week in the past year criterion. Criteria were invariant across sex, race-ethnicity, and age subgroups.

CONCLUSION: The drinking 5+/4+ high-risk drinking pattern was identified as a suitable criterion for future classifications of DSM-IV alcohol use disorder. Some dependence criteria were among the least severe criteria, and some abuse criteria were among the most severe, findings that question the validity of DSM-IV abuse and dependence categories as distinct entities and that do not support the assumption of abuse as prodromal to dependence. Physical dependence and addiction were identified as defining elements of the continuum.

Further research examining their dimensional properties and relationships to high-risk drinking patterns appears warranted. An approach highlighting a more important role of consumption in future classifications of alcohol use disorder defined broadly to encompass all alcohol-related harm, including addiction and physical dependence, is discussed.

Notice of change in booking system - European Federation of Therapeutic Communities (EFTC) Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia - 6-9 June 2007

European Federation of Therapeutic Communities (EFTC) Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia - 6-9 June 2007


Please note that the conference organisers have altered the bank account details for booking this conference. If you are in possession of a booking form downloaded prior to 22nd January 2007, please download a replacement copy containing the correct banking details. The on-line booking system has also now been updated with the new details:

http://www.eftc-europe.com/conferentie/


You may wish to note also that as of 1st January 2007, the currency in Slovenia is the Euro.

Please accept my apologies for this change which was outwith the control of the organising committees

Contributor: Rowdy Yates

News Release - RESISTANCE TO THE USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO TREAT ADDICTION DISORDERS IS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO MARKET GROWTH

NEWS RELEASE

RESISTANCE TO THE USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO TREAT ADDICTION DISORDERS IS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO MARKET GROWTH



Stringent Reimbursement Policies Limit Prescription Drug Treatment, Particularly for Nicotine Addiction, According to a New Report from Decision Resources

January 23, 2007, Waltham, Mass.

- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that resistance to the use of prescription drugs to treat addiction in favor of cognitive-behavioral therapy (psychosocial support) alone, particularly among addiction counselors and in the primary care setting, is a significant barrier to growth in the addiction drug market.

The new Pharmacor report Addiction Disorders finds that the failure of general practitioners to recognize drug addiction or to properly screen their patients, coupled with apathy about the benefits of drug treatment and reluctance to admit drug-addicted patients into their practice, continues to suppress diagnosis rates and drug-treatment rates in the world's major pharmaceutical markets (the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom). Experts believe that enhanced awareness through education is necessary to bring treatment to more patients.

The report, which covers the markets for addiction to nicotine, alcohol, opioids, and psychostimulants, also finds that stringent reimbursement policies from third-party payers and national health systems limits the prescription of drugs to treat nicotine addiction. In the United States and Europe, in particular, limited reimbursement restricts prescription drug use for this large population of patients.

"Addiction experts cite the need for more-comprehensive reimbursement of both behavioral therapies and pharmacotherapies for addiction disorders," said Kate Hohenberg, principal director at Decision Resources. "

In Europe, reimbursement for nicotine addiction-smoking cessation-is of particular concern. Although the World Health Organization and the European countries under study recognize cigarette smoking as a major health concern, physicians say reimbursement for nicotine addiction therapies is typically not available.

In the United States, addiction specialists report that the reimbursement of therapies to treat all addictions is notably inadequate."



About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (http://www.decisionresources.com/) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets.

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Contributor: Don Phillips

The History, Concepts and Theories of Self-Help Groups: From an International Perspective

The History, Concepts and Theories of Self-Help Groups: From an International Perspective

Tomofumi Oka Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Sophia University,, Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8554 Japan
Email: t-oka@sophia.ac.jp

Thomasina Borkman Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University,Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 USA
Email: tborkman@gmu.edu

The Japanese version is included in
The Japanese Journal of Occupational Therapy 34(7), 718-722, (July, 2000)

Excerpt:
" The third idea focuses on the special perspective of the problem or predicament and its resolution that self-help groups develops that are different from medical or professional views of their problem. Antze (1976) called it "ideology" and Kennedy and Humphreys (1994) used the term "worldview." Borkman (1999) expanded on these ideas to emphasize that the alternative perspectives are "liberating meaning perspectives," that is, they are less likely to be stigmatizing, and more likely to be constructive, positive, and view the members in a dignified and respectful manner than professional perspectives. This idea is also related to "emancipation from suppression", which Oka (1999) proposed as one of "the three basic processes and qualities of self-help groups", the others being "sharing" and "individual independence." Professionals are often unaware that their technical perspectives are stigmatizing, dehumanizing, or implicitly negative about living with the condition. Qualitative research, rather than quantitative or conventional research, is needed to explore these perspectives.

" The fourth idea is based on the view of self-help groups as voluntary organizations, not as a form of therapy or treatment. Borkman (1999, p. 17) states that "the social science literature on self-help / mutual aid has taken a disproportionately therapeutic and individualistic perspective, focusing on such questions as how individuals are benefited by their participation in a group."

" The advantage of the voluntary action perspective is that it more clearly distinguishes self-help groups from government-controlled or professionally-controlled groups or health foundations that are set up for people with a problem like diabetes but diabetics do not control the organization -- professional managers, or health professionals or government types control the organization. The voluntary action perspective also focuses on organizational issues such as leadership, leader burnout, lack of members willing to contribute to maintaining the organization, problems recruiting or retaining members, etc. which the treatment and therapy perspectives does not. The voluntary action perspective also points to questions of how do self-help groups contribute to society, to building social capital or to changing professional practices."

For access to the US version of the article go to:
http://pweb.sophia.ac.jp/~t-oka/papers/2000/jjot.html

Contributor: Don Phillips

Implications for Treatment and Prognosis of Borderline and Substance Use Disorders

Implications for Treatment and Prognosis of Borderline and Substance Use Disorders
By Ulrike Feske, PhD, Paul H. Soloff, MD, and Ralph E. Tarter, PhD, Psychiatric Times
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in the regulation of emotion,interpersonal relationships, self-image, and impulse control. Approximately2% of the general population meet criteria for BPD.
In psychiatric treatment settings, prevalence rates for BPD are considerably higher, with rates of 8% for outpatients and 15% for inpatients.
An estimated 3% to 10%of persons with BPD commit suicide.
The disorder constitutes a significant social and economic burden on family resources and health care systems since it is associated with severe functional impairment and high rates of treatment utilization.BPD and substance use disorder (SUD) often co-occur. Comorbid BPD and SUD is related to a variety of severe adverse outcomes, including participation in the sex trade; a large number of sexual partners; needle sharing; polysubstance use; more frequent and more serious drug overdoses; increased risk of suicide attempts; and more severe psychiatric, family, and legal problems.
BPD has also been found to complicate the treatment of SUD.
This article provides an overview of the prevalence of co-occurring BPD and SUD, neurobiologic hypotheses for the link between BPD and SUD, and treatment options that have proved effective for persons with comorbid BPD and SUD.
BPD and SUD comorbidity
Apart from antisocial personality disorder, BPD is probably the most common personality disorder in persons with SUD. Nearly one third of those with a lifetime SUD diagnosis also have BPD (median, 27%; range, 5.2% to74.0%).
BPD appears to be less prevalent in persons with alcohol use disorders (median, 16%; range, 3.2% to 27.4%) than in those with drug use disorders, especially cocaine and opioid abuse.
For example, Ross and colleagues found that almost half (47%) of individuals using heroin who entered treatment for SUD also had BPD. Note that the prevalence of BPD in this sample is far higher than that reported in other studies. Diagnostic discrepancies across studies examining the rates of comorbidity in persons with SUD are probably due to confounding methodologic factors, including the use of different assessment instruments, variable evaluator training, and differing sample characteristics (eg, treatment-seeking vs nontreatment-seeking). Women with SUD are more likely to have BPD than men.
For Wikipedia discussion on dialectical behavioral therapy go to:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectical_behavioral_therapy
Contriutor: Don Phillips

Substance Abuse in Women: Does Gender Matter

"Substance Abuse in Women: Does Gender Matter? By Sudie E. Back, PhD, Regana Contini, MD, and Kathleen T. Brady, MD, PhD , Psychiatric Times URL:http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=196902111 January 2007, Vol. XXIV, No. 1

Converging lines of evidence suggest that a relationship between trauma , post traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders also may be particularly important for women. Early life stress, particularly sexual abuse, is more common in girls than in boys and is associated with a risk of substance use disorders. Women exposed to violence in adulthood also demonstrate a higher risk for drug and alcohol dependence. Moreover, alcohol and drug abuse place women at risk for repeated victimization, thus perpetuating the cycle of victimization and substance use.

There has been a growing awareness in recent years of the importance of gender in medical treatment and research. While much past research in addiction focused on men, there is now recognition that biologic and psychosocial differences between men and women influence the prevalence,presentation, comorbidity, and treatment of substance use disorders.
For instance, Greenfield and colleagues conducted an extensive review of the literature published from 1975 to 2005 on substance abuse treatment in women. They found a tremendous increase in attention to gender differences in the literature during the past 15 years; 90% of the articles discussing gender had been published since 1990.This increase in awareness of gender-specific issues is also seen in the clinical sector, with about 40% of substance abuse treatment facilities now providing special programs or groups for women.

In this article, we summarize and discuss the findings of various studies that have looked at the epidemiology; relationship of comorbidity and victimization; diagnostic and screening issues; course of illness; psychosocial and biologic influences; and treatment of substance abuse in terms of the influence of female gender.

Epidemiology
A number of epidemiologic survey studies have demonstrated that the prevalence rates of drug and alcohol use disorders are consistently higher among men than among women.

The most recent of these studies, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), surveyed more than 40,000adults and found that men are twice as likely as women to meet lifetime DSM-IV criteria for any drug use disorder (13.8% of men vs 7.1% of women).

Twelve-month prevalence rates of alcohol abuse are almost 3 times as high among men as they are among women (6.9% of men vs 2.6% of women).

These ratios are consistent with the findings of other past epidemiologic surveys, showing that the gender differential for alcohol use disorders is higher than that for drug use disorders.

In contrast, prescription drug abuse in women closely approaches that of men. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported 12-month prevalence rates of abuse or dependence for nonmedical use of pain relievers to be 1.4% for men and 1.1% for women 18 to 25 years old, and 0.5% for men and 0.4% for woman 26 years and older.

The differential for tobacco use and dependence is substantially less than for any other drug of abuse; only slightly more men than women report tobacco use (13.5% men vs 10.2% women) and meet criteria for tobacco dependence (31% men vs 27% women).

Psychiatric comorbidity and victimization
One area that has received considerable attention is gender differences in psychiatric comorbidity. Both epidemiologic studies and studies of treatment-seeking patients indicate that gender differences in the patterns of comorbid psychiatric disorders in substance users follow the same patterns seen in the general population, with women more likely to meet criteria for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder and men more likely to meet criteria for antisocial personality disorder.

However, a number of studies indicate that for women, the onset of the psychiatric disorder is more likely to antedate the onset of the substance use disorder. This suggests gender differences in the relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders.

For complete article go to:http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=196902111

Contributor: Don Phillips

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Spirituality/religiosity promotes acceptance-based responding and 12-step involvement


Spirituality/religiosity promotes acceptance-based responding and 12-step involvement
Adam W. Carrico, Elizabeth V. Gifford, and Rudolf H. Moos
Drug and Alcohol Dependence 16 January 2007 online

Abstract
Background
Previous investigations have observed that spirituality/religiosity is associated with enhanced 12-step involvement. However, relatively few studies have attempted to examine the mechanisms for this effect. For the present investigation, we examined whether Acceptance-Based Responding – awareness or acknowledgement of internal experiences that allows one to consider and perform potentially adaptive responses – accounted for the effect spirituality/religiosity on 12-step self-help group involvement 2 years after a treatment episode.

Methods
Data were collected as part of a multi-site treatment outcome study with 3698 substance-dependent male veterans recruited at baseline. Assessments were conducted at baseline, discharge, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. We utilized structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among latent variables of spirituality/religiosity, Acceptance-Based Responding , and 12-step involvement over time.

Results
In the final model, spirituality/religiosity was not directly related to 12-step involvement at 2-year follow-up. However, spirituality/religiosity predicted enhanced Acceptance-Based Responding at 1-year follow-up after accounting for discharge levels of Acceptance-Based Responding . In turn, Acceptance-Based Responding at 1-year follow-up predicted increased 12-step involvement at 2-year follow-up after accounting for discharge levels of 12-step involvement.

Conclusions
Spirituality/religiosity promotes the use of post-treatment self-regulation skills that, in turn, directly contribute to ongoing 12-step self-help group involvement.

CARTOON E-CARD - What the beer industry really thinks about kids and alcohol.




Download PDF (black/white) Download PDF (color)

While this cartoon might make you chuckle, it's a sobering fact that this year, more than 5,000 underage youth will die from alcohol-related causes -- that’s more than 13 kids every day. Big beer companies pretend not to target youth, while their slick, teen-friendly marketing saturates TV, the Internet, sporting events, magazines -- everywhere. And beer executives use their lobbying muscle to block proven strategies that reduce underage drinking. Why? Because up to 20% of their profits come from underage consumption.

Let's fight back. Sign the Get Serious petition to demand effective alcohol policies from our elected leaders, then tell your friends and colleagues about this page.


Jointogether/Getserious

Distilled Spirits Council Commends Efforts Of The Oregon Underage Drinking Task Force


PRESS RELEASES

Distilled Spirits Council Commends Efforts Of The Oregon Underage Drinking Task Force

For Immediate Release - 1/16/2007

Contact: Public AffairsTelephone: 202-682-8840

Council Part of Task Force Committed to Reducing Underage Drinking Through Support of Tough Legislative Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Distilled Spirits Council commended Attorney General Hardy Myers and the initiatives of the Oregon Underage Drinking Task Force today following a press conference at the State Capitol. On hand to announce the Task Force’s agenda were Attorney General Myers, First Lady Mary Oberst, Representative Phil Barnhart, Representative Tom Butler and Pam Erickson of the Oregon Partnership.

“Despite significant progress over the past 20 years, underage drinking remains a complex, societal problem that persists in communities across the nation,” said David Wojnar, vice president of the Distilled Spirits Council, whose organization was a partner in the Task Force.

According to a 2005 Oregon/PIRE study on underage drinking, an overwhelming majority of Oregon minors who drink get alcohol illegally from parents, friends or other social sources.
“We look forward to working with all fellow members of the Task Force in this legislative process,” Wojnar said. “Working together, we can make a difference.” Wojnar noted that the Distilled Spirits Council has actively supported similar legislative efforts to reduce underage drinking in many states.

Wojnar further stated that the distilled spirits industry has a long history of working with communities nationwide to combat underage drinking and drunk driving. He cited as examples funding the development of the breathalyzer in the 1940’s, co-sponsoring the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” public service campaign in the 1980’s, and the work of The Century Council, a not-for-profit organization funded by America’s leading distillers, which has programs available for communities, parents and other adults to fight underage drinking and drunk driving.

For more information regarding The Century Council’s programs, visit http://www.centurycouncil.org/.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

New Study Shows American Indians and Alaska Natives Continue to Have Higher Rates of Alcohol Use and Illicit Drug Use Disorders Than Other Racial Grou


Contact Media Services: (240) 276-2130
Date: 1/23/2007
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press
Telephone: 240-276-2130

New Study Shows American Indians and Alaska Natives Continue to Have Higher Rates of Alcohol Use and Illicit Drug Use Disorders Than Other Racial Groups
American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 12 or older were less likely to have used alcohol in the past year than were members of other racial groups, but they were more likely than members of other racial groups to have a past-year alcohol use disorder and to have a past-year illicit drug use disorder, according to new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Substance Use and Substance Disorders among American Indians and Alaska Natives shows that 60.8 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives and 65.8 percent of other racial groups used alcohol in the past year, that 10.7 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives reported having a past-year alcohol use disorder compared with 7.6 percent of other racial groups and that 5.0 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives had a past-year illicit drug use disorder compared with 2.9 percent of other racial groups.
American Indians and Alaska Natives also had higher rates than members of other racial groups for past-year marijuana use (13.5 percent vs. 10.6 percent), cocaine use (3.5 percent vs. 2.4 percent), and disorders involving hallucinogen use (2.7 percent vs. 1.7 percent). However, rates of past-year heroin use and past-year nonmedical use of pain relievers, tranquilizers, and sedatives were similar for American Indians and Alaska Natives and members of other racial groups. All findings are annual averages based on combined 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data.
“Tragically, American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to have higher rates of substance use disorders than other racial groups within the United States,” says Terry L. Cline, Ph.D., SAMHSA Administrator.
“While improvements in some areas of substance use have been realized, such as decreased alcohol use in the past year, we intend to keep working to ensure that culturally appropriate substance abuse treatment and native healing approaches can bring help where it is so badly needed.”
For this report, American Indians and Alaska Natives include all respondents who reported this race, including those who reported it in addition to another race or ethnicity. This categorization varies from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health in which persons who identify themselves as Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native are categorized as Hispanic, and persons who identify themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native and another race (e.g., White, Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or other) are categorized as “two or more races.”
Illicit drugs refer to marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, or prescription-type drugs used nonmedically. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), on which this report is based, defines illicit drug or alcohol dependence or abuse using criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Substance dependence or abuse includes such symptoms as withdrawal, tolerance, use in dangerous situations, trouble with the law, and interference in major obligations at work, school, or home during the past year.
The complete report is available online at http://oas.samhsa.gov.
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by SAMHSA. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Mental health and substance use: dual diagnosis - A new journal for 2008 CALL FOR PAPERS

The publisher, Taylor & Francis, has commissioned the journal 'Mental health and substance use: dual diagnosis', which will commence publication in February 2008. The journal will be published 3 times per annum. Each issue is 96 pages in B5 format, with approximately 500 words per page.

The journal editor, Philip D. Cooper has issued a call for papers. These will be subject to double-anonymous peer-review. Manuscripts should be sent by email only to: Philip D. Cooper editor@mhsu.co.uk

The editor is particularly keen to lead the debate relating to the term 'dual diagnosis'.
The issue of appropriate terminology is one that has caused a great deal of discussion when exploring the concept of this journal. There appears to be a lack of consensus around terminology internationally. 'Dual diagnosis' is used interchangeably with terms, such as, 'co-existing/comorbid/co-occurring mental health and substance use.'

It is questionable whether any of the terms applied fully reflect the complexity of the issues surrounding the individual, nor the mutually dependent nature of mental health and substance use problems. However, at this moment in time, whilst the term dual diagnosis is inadequate, it is the most widely recognised and used term for this group internationally. It is our belief that a journal aiming to explore and develop knowledge, interest, and understanding of this complex issue, should lead the debate to identify and define a universally agreed term which reflects the multifaceted needs of individuals experiencing substance use and mental health problems.


Types of manuscripts welcome
The Journal welcomes a range of contributions.
The following examples are considered for publication:

a.. Reports of research and innovative practice. These will be peer-reviewed.
b.. Short reports and reports of clinical cases, either single cases of interest or small numbers of unusual presentations. These will be peer-reviewed.
c.. Review articles providing either a meta-analysis of a subject or a comprehensive literature review on a subject. These will be peer-reviewed.
d.. Personal opinions on a subject which may be controversial and of which we may commission a response.
e.. Emails/letters-to-the-editor on matters relating to co-existing mental health and substance use. Remember that there may be at least a six-month delay between receipt of an Email and its publication; therefore, topicality should not rely on immediate publication.
f.. Membership organisation profiles.·
Information about forthcoming events.·
Media reviews: see Instructions to Author for details


Manuscript wordage
Manuscripts should be in English and up to 3000 words in length. However, articles of any length will be considered.

Clients who abused alcohol have higher net benefit to cost than those who abused other drugs



The net benefits associated with treatment are significantly higher among clients who abused alcohol than those who abused other drugs – California Benefit-Cost Study

The California benefit-cost analysis of substance abuse treatment study found that substance abuse treatment is associated with monetary benefit to society, representing a greater than 7:1 ratio of benefits to cost.
The net benefits associated with substance abuse treatment were significantly higher among clients who abused alcohol than those who abused other drugs:

“Multiple Regression Models.
To examine the extent to which the net benefits associated with substance abuse treatment vary across client subgroups, we estimated a linear regression of net benefits (total costs minus total benefits) as a function of the client’s age; sex; marital, employment, and homelessness status; education; treatment modality; primary substance abused; and ASI subscale scores. The net benefits associated with substance abuse treatment were $4,888 lower among women than men ( p=.007). Clients who abused alcohol had $8,185 ( p=.02) more in net benefits than those who abused substances other than alcohol, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, or marijuana.” p.13.

Thanks to Jason Schwarz, Addiction and Recovery News, for providing the link to the California benefit-cost analysis of substance abuse treatment study.

New website - International Harm Reduction Association


The International Harm Reduction Association is pleased to announce the launch of its new website:www.ihra.net
The new website includes the latest news from the organisation, the regional harm reduction networks and the global harm reduction movement.
There is also information about IHRA, its partners and its projects.To coincide with the website launch, IHRA is also pleased to announce the re-launch of the “50 Best” Collection of papers on “HIV Prevention and Care for Injecting Drug Users” – a free resource comprising of the best papers, articles and documents in the field.
This can be viewed at:http://www.ihra.net/50BestCollectionsOverview.Please take the time to explore the new website and let us know what you think
18TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REDUCTION OF DRUG RELATED HARM13TH - 17TH MAY 2007WARSAW, POLAND

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Being drunk monthly or more at age 13 was significant factor associated with increased risk of pregnancy - UK Study



Does the UK government’s teenage pregnancy strategy deal with the correct risk factors? Findings from a secondary analysis of data from a randomised trial of sex education and their implications for policy


E Allen1, C Bonell2, V Strange3, A Copas1, J Stephenson1, A M Johnson1 and A Oakley3


1 Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research, University College London, London, UK2 Public and Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK3 Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, London, UK



Background: Much of the UK government’s 1999 report on teenage pregnancy was by necessity based on rather old or non-longitudinal research.


Aim: To examine the associations between risk factors identified in the report and pregnancy at or before age 16 years among young women and partners of young men using the more recent data.


Results: The following factors were significantly associated with increased risk of pregnancy at or before age 16 years in young women: non-privately owned housing; lack of expectation of being in education at age 20 years; expectation of being a parent by age 20 years; belief that over half one’s peers are sexually active; intention to skip school; being drunk monthly or more; and ability to identify a sexual health service. Being born to a teenage mother was associated with pregnancy at borderline significance. Lack of expectation of being in education at age 20 years, belief that over half one’s peers are sexually active and being drunk monthly or more at age 13 years remained significant on adjustment for factors from other risk categories. Young women who could communicate easily with their mother or female guardian were considerably less likely to report pregnancy at or before age 16 years. This remained significant on adjustment for factors in other categories.

Full Text (PDF)