Prevalence of HIV risk-related drug use and sexual activity among men who have sex with men attending a specialist UK club drug clinic
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, Page 50-59, March 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine patterns of drug use among a cohort of drug treatment-seeking drug-using gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), and whether these activities differ between, or predict, HIV status. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional study was conducted in a specialist club drug clinic in London covering 407 consecutive attendees who identified as MSM. Substance use, including injecting drug use (IDU), associated sexual activity and self-reported HIV status were measured by clinical interview and Nationa...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - March 2, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Visualising “junkies” and “meth heads” – a visual analysis of the persistent negative reputation of heroin and meth users
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, Page 40-49, March 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the persistent negative reputation of two particular types of drug users, the so-called heroin junkie and the meth head. The visual portrayal of both kinds of users in the media has been consistent in the last decades. Inspired by films and anti-drug campaigns, stereotypical ideas about heroin and meth users dominate the visual portrayals. Existing research has already shown that this standardised picture is not applicable uniformly. Nevertheless, the important role of the visual element for constituting bel...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - March 2, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
How can schools help to reduce the harm associated with teenage substance use? Development of a theoretically driven whole-school approach
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, Page 1-11, March 2017. Purpose Substance use prevalence varies considerably between schools, but to date, whole school approaches for reducing substance use have only been moderately effective. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel multifaceted whole-school approach to reduce substance use primarily among teenagers aged 11-14 years. Design/methodology/approach The outlined approach is premised on the proposal that schools can reduce the harms associated with substance use by promoting school connectedness and improving the school-related experiences of weakly connecte...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - March 2, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Self-stigma in military personnel with alcohol dependence: comparison with a civilian sample before qualified withdrawal treatment
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose The present study aims to highlight the differences in self-stigma between a military and a civilian sample in order to infer military-specific aspects of the stigmatization process. Design/methodology/approach Before undergoing a 3-week course of qualified withdrawal treatment, 55 German military personnel were examined in terms of self-stigma, abstinence self-efficacy, duration of alcohol abuse, severity of alcohol dependence, and current mental disorders. Afterwards, the participants were compared with a non-military sample of 173 subjects with alcohol de...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Prevalence of HIV-risk related drug use and sexual activity among men who have sex with men attending a specialist UK club drug clinic.
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose To examine patterns of drug use among a cohort of drug treatment-seeking drug-using gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), and whether these activities differ between, or predict, HIV status. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional study in a specialist club drug clinic in London covering 407 consecutive attendees who identified as MSM.
Substance use, including injecting drug use (IDU); associated sexual activity; and self-reported HIV status were measured by clinical interview and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System data tool. Fi...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Visualising ‘junkies’ and ‘meth heads’ – A visual analysis of the persistent negative reputation of heroin and meth users.
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose This research paper explores the persistent negative reputation of two particular types of drug users, the so-called heroin junkie and the meth head. The visual portrayal of both kinds of users in the media has been consistent in the last decades. Inspired by films and anti-drug campaigns, stereotypical ideas about heroin and meth users dominate the visual portrayals. Existing research has already shown that this standardised picture is not applicable uniformly. Nevertheless, the important role of the visual element for constituting beliefs about drug use and...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
“Keep an eye on me, doc!”: Outpatient voluntary supervised disulfiram for treatment of alcohol use disorders in a community setting
This study describes the medium term outcomes of patients commencing disulfiram in a specialised drug and alcohol outpatient setting in Australia. Design/methodology/approach Data was extracted from outpatient clinical notes for all patients commenced on disulfiram at any location in the drug and alcohol service between 1 January and 31 December 2013. Findings 80 patients were included in the study. At three months following commencement of treatment, 42 patients (53%) were considered to have been successfully retained in treatment. 36 (45%) patients reported remaining completely abstinent from alcohol during their first...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Self-reported reasons for voluntary abstinences by adolescent cannabis users
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose Factors influencing cannabis use have been previously identified mainly using multivariate approaches. However, there is a dearth of information collected from the perspective of the adolescent cannabis user, in particular for voluntary abstinences. This was the present study ’s aim. Design/methodology/approach 38 cannabis users were identified from a sample of 261 adolescents recruited from schools. They completed open ended questions identifying reasons for voluntary abstinences. Thematic analysis was used to assess their responses. Findings Voluntary a...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Risk and protective factors for alcohol use among school-going adolescents in Montevideo (Uruguay)
This study explores risk and protective factors for alcohol use among school-going adolescents in Montevideo (Uruguay). Design/methodology/approach A self-report survey was administered to 331 school-going adolescents in Montevideo (Uruguay) (Mage= 13; SD = .05), using (i) the alcohol screening instrument of the Uruguayan National Drug Board to assess adolescents ’ alcohol use(yes/no), (ii) a screening instrument for psychopathology and resilience (the Adolescent Self Report), and (iii) a socio-demographic questionnaire. Findings Logistic regression analyses identified antisocial behavior, substance use and negative em...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
How can schools help to reduce the harm associated with teenage substance use?: Development of a theoretically-driven whole-school approach
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose Purpose
Substance use prevalence varies considerably between schools, but to date, whole school approaches for reducing substance use have only been moderately effective. This paper develops a novel multifaceted whole school approach to reduce substance use primarily among teenagers aged 11-14 years.
Design/methodology/approach Approach
The outlined approach is premised on the proposal that schools can reduce the harms associated with substance use by promoting school connectedness and improving the school-related experiences of weakly co...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Self-stigma in military personnel with alcohol dependence: comparison with a civilian sample before qualified withdrawal treatment
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose The present study aims to highlight the differences in self-stigma between a military and a civilian sample in order to infer military-specific aspects of the stigmatization process. Design/methodology/approach Before undergoing a 3-week course of qualified withdrawal treatment, 55 German military personnel were examined in terms of self-stigma, abstinence self-efficacy, duration of alcohol abuse, severity of alcohol dependence, and current mental disorders. Afterwards, the participants were compared with a non-military sample of 173 subjects with alcohol de...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Prevalence of HIV-risk related drug use and sexual activity among men who have sex with men attending a specialist UK club drug clinic.
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose To examine patterns of drug use among a cohort of drug treatment-seeking drug-using gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), and whether these activities differ between, or predict, HIV status. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional study in a specialist club drug clinic in London covering 407 consecutive attendees who identified as MSM.
Substance use, including injecting drug use (IDU); associated sexual activity; and self-reported HIV status were measured by clinical interview and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System data tool. Fi...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Visualising ‘junkies’ and ‘meth heads’ – A visual analysis of the persistent negative reputation of heroin and meth users.
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose This research paper explores the persistent negative reputation of two particular types of drug users, the so-called heroin junkie and the meth head. The visual portrayal of both kinds of users in the media has been consistent in the last decades. Inspired by films and anti-drug campaigns, stereotypical ideas about heroin and meth users dominate the visual portrayals. Existing research has already shown that this standardised picture is not applicable uniformly. Nevertheless, the important role of the visual element for constituting beliefs about drug use and...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
“Keep an eye on me, doc!”: Outpatient voluntary supervised disulfiram for treatment of alcohol use disorders in a community setting
This study describes the medium term outcomes of patients commencing disulfiram in a specialised drug and alcohol outpatient setting in Australia. Design/methodology/approach Data was extracted from outpatient clinical notes for all patients commenced on disulfiram at any location in the drug and alcohol service between 1 January and 31 December 2013. Findings 80 patients were included in the study. At three months following commencement of treatment, 42 patients (53%) were considered to have been successfully retained in treatment. 36 (45%) patients reported remaining completely abstinent from alcohol during their first...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Self-reported reasons for voluntary abstinences by adolescent cannabis users
Drugs and Alcohol Today,Volume 17, Issue 1, March 2017. Purpose Factors influencing cannabis use have been previously identified mainly using multivariate approaches. However, there is a dearth of information collected from the perspective of the adolescent cannabis user, in particular for voluntary abstinences. This was the present study ’s aim. Design/methodology/approach 38 cannabis users were identified from a sample of 261 adolescents recruited from schools. They completed open ended questions identifying reasons for voluntary abstinences. Thematic analysis was used to assess their responses. Findings Voluntary a...
Source: Drugs and Alcohol Today - January 22, 2017 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
