Should we offer prizes for not using drugs or alcohol?
Can we dispense with counselling, therapy, with treatment as we know it, and just punish or deprive people of rewards when they use substances in undesired ways, and reward them when they behave as we and/or they would wish?
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 2, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings Source Type: news
New Local Alcohol Profiles for England published
This week, Public Health England have released their updated Local Alcohol Profiles for England. Based on hospital admissions and mortality data, they provide the best available indicator of how alcohol-related health harms are distributed across English regions.
At a national level, the new figures show a 3% fall in alcohol-specific deaths in the period 2012-4 compared to the previous three years. They also show a 7% fall in chronic liver disease since 2006, although there has been little change in the last three years.
However, the data also shows a 1% rise in alcohol-related deaths over the same period.
Alcohol-specific...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 2, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
People in deprived communities more at risk of alcohol-related harm
New research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health shows that adults living in deprived communities in England are at greater risk of suffering alcohol-related disease and death compared to those living in non-deprived communities despite drinking similar amounts of alcohol. This is referred to as the ‘alcohol harm paradox’.
This new study is a collaboration between Bangor University, Liverpool John Moores University and Alcohol Research UK.
The article is open access and can be downloaded here:
The alcohol harm paradox: using a national survey to explore how alcohol may disproportionately impact heal...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - February 18, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News alcohol harm paradox health inequalities Source Type: news
Little impact from alcohol brief advice in London sexual health clinics
A major study conducted in London did not find clinically important reductions in drinking among excessive drinkers offered a brief intervention while attending sexual health clinics, nor did brief intervention seem a cost-effective use of health service resources.
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - February 5, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings brief interventions iba sexual health Source Type: news
Alcohol Research UK Postgraduate and Early Career Symposium – 15 March 2016
Register now for Alcohol Research UK’s Postgraduate and Early Career Symposium for 2016.
DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAMME HERE
Don’t miss out. Tickets are free.
The symposium will showcase some of the best new research in the field, and culminate in an evening debate on ‘The Future of Alcohol Research’ at the internationally acclaimed Ikon Gallery.
The Postgraduate and Early Career Symposium 2016 will take place on Tuesday, 15 March 2016 at THE REP, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP.
‘The Future of Alcohol Research’ debate will take place on the evening of 15 March at The Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Br...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - February 5, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Julie Symes Tags: Conference News Source Type: news
Alcohol Research UK Annual Conference – 16 March 2016
Critical Measures: Next Steps In Alcohol Research and Policy
Register now for our 2016 Annual Conference to take advantage of our early bird discount which has now been extended until 16 February 2016.
Download the conference programme to find out more.
We have an excellent line-up of speakers with a keynote by Jill Rutter, Institute for Government. Other featured speakers include Professor Mark Bellis (University of Bangor), Dr John Holmes (Sheffield University), Dr Annie Britton (University College London), Dr Vittal Katikireddi (University of Glasgow), Andrew Brown (Public Health England) and many more.
This one day c...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - February 5, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Julie Symes Tags: Conference News Source Type: news
Pre-detoxification Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Group intervention for dependent alcohol users
Conclusion
A Randomised Controlled Trial remains essential to provide concrete evidence for the effectiveness of APG. More research is also required to investigate the cognitive implications of medically assisted detoxification, and their potential contribution to relapse. However, this evaluation suggests that APG is promising intervention which should be further developed.
Further Information
Dr Christos Kouimtsidis MBBS, FRCPsych, MSc, PhD;
Consultant Psychiatrist in Addictions; iHEAR Partnership;
1 Prince ...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - January 21, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
Sports participation and alcohol use
A new paper from an Alcohol Research UK-funded PhD student has been published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Jin Zhou’s paper looks at the relationship between sports participation, wellbeing and alcohol use among UK students. Full text here (subscription needed). (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - January 21, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
Statement on new CMO guidelines on low risk drinking
Alcohol Research UK welcomes the new guidelines by the UK Chief Medical Officers and calls for a public debate to increase understanding on the levels of risk associated with alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Research UK welcomes the new CMO guidelines on low-risk drinking, which are strongly informed by recent research on the health effects of alcohol consumption at all levels.
The evidence of the association between alcohol and cancer has become stronger in recent years and shows that some cancer risks start to increase with any amount of alcohol consumption – though those risks are usually low to start with. Acknowle...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - January 8, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Julie Symes Tags: News guidelines risk risk factors Source Type: news
The new alcohol guidelines explained
The UK Chief Medical Officers have published new guidelines for low-risk levels of alcohol consumption. This brief guide will explain what they mean.
WHAT ARE THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR LOW-RISK DRINKING?
The revised guidelines recommend that:
Men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Ideally, this should be spread evenly over three days or more.
Drinkers should limit the amount they consume on single occasions, and intersperse drinking alcohol with eating food and drinking water.
Pregnant women should avoid drinking altogether.
The full guidelines, alongside a consultation document on...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - January 8, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Special Reports guidelines risk risk factors Source Type: news
Hot topic: How many drinkers should be in treatment?
What proportion of the UK’s problem drinkers are in treatment, how far does that fall short of the number who should be – and how do we judge ‘should’? Depending on where you draw the line, performance ranges from abysmal to excellent.
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - January 5, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings Source Type: news
Alcohol Research UK 2016 Annual Conference and Symposium
We are delighted to announce that our 2016 Annual Conference will take place on Wednesday, 16 March 2016 at The REP, in Birmingham, UK.
This is a must-attend event for anyone interested in hearing the UK’s leading experts’ debate the latest issues and trends on alcohol harms, policy and strategy. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - December 16, 2015 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Conference Source Type: news
Effects of Varenicline on alcohol enjoyment and consumption
Conclusion
Varenicline may affect enjoyment of drinking, but its potential to alter drinking behaviour is likely to be small.
Further Information
Conflicts of interest
PH and HM have received research funds and/or consultancy fees from manufacturers of smoking cessation medications. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
References
Childs, E., Roche, D. J. O., King, A. C. & De Wit, H. (2012). Varenicline Potentiates Alcohol-Induced Negative Subjective Responses and Offsets Impaired Eye Movements. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 36, 906-914.
Davis, T. J. & De Fiebre, C. M. (...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - December 16, 2015 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
Funding streams currently available
Postgraduate Research Studentships – Deadline 26th January 2016.
Support for Continuing Professional Development, Network/Conference Support, Conference Attendance Support – funding ongoing. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - November 26, 2015 Category: Addiction Authors: Andrea_Tilouche Tags: News Grants; Funding Source Type: news
Risky drinking behaviour: Alcohol brief interventions need shared vision to improve
A new briefing paper published today (16 November) by the Alcohol Academy, supported by Alcohol Research UK, warns that unless decisive and coordinated action is taken the effectiveness of the UK’s current approach to alcohol brief interventions will wane, hampering the programme’s ability to deliver important benefits to those at risk from harmful levels of drinking.
Brief intervention – known as ‘Identification and Brief Advice’ (IBA) in England – has been a central component of national and local alcohol strategies across the UK. However, despite its growing profile, IBA has proved difficult ...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - November 16, 2015 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Special Reports brief interventions iba Source Type: news
