The Relationship between Substance Use, Strain, and Depression among College Students

This project examined the relationship between substance use and depression using General Strain Theory as a theoretical foundation. The relationship between strain, depression, and substance use has yet to be rigorously established in the literature. The goal of this project was to determine whether depression serves as a mediator between the sociological concept of strain and substance use. The hypothesis for this project was that strain would have a positive effect upon depression and substance use, and depression will act as a mediator between strain and substance use. 832 college students between the ages of 18-25 filled out an anonymous online survey containing questions from the Beck Depression Inventory, the Drug Use Screening Inventory Revised, and the Drug Abuse Screening Test. Demographic data was also collected and served as the control variables for the analysis. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. Pearson correlation tests and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out on explanatory and control variables. The statistical findings of this project signify that depression acted as a mediator between strain and substance use. Comparison of findings to past studies and avenues of future research will be discussed.

External validation of an opioid misuse machine learning classifier in hospitalized adult patients

Background Opioid misuse screening in hospitals is resource-intensive and rarely done. Many hospitalized patients are never offered opioid treatment. An automated approach leveraging routinely captured electronic health record (EHR) data may be easier for hospitals to institute. We previously derived and internally validated an opioid classifier in a separate hospital setting. The aim is to externally validate our previously published and open-source machine-learning classifier at a different hospital for identifying cases of opioid misuse. Methods An observational cohort of 56,227 adult hospitalizations was examined between October 2017 and December 2019 during a hospital-wide substance use screening program with manual screening. Manually completed Drug Abuse Screening Test served as the reference standard to validate a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier with coded word embedding features from the clinical notes of the EHR. The opioid classifier utilized all notes in the EHR and sensitivity analysis was also performed on the first 24 h of notes. Calibration was performed to account for the lower prevalence than in the original cohort. Results Manual screening for substance misuse was completed in 67.8% (n = 56,227) with 1.1% (n = 628) identified with opioid misuse. The data for external validation included 2,482,900 notes with 67,969 unique clinical concept features. The opioid classifier had an AUC of 0.99 (95% CI 0.99–0.99) across the encounter and 0.98 (95% CI 0.98–0.99) using only the first 24 h of notes. In the calibrated classifier, the sensitivity and positive predictive value were 0.81 (95% CI 0.77–0.84) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.68–0.75). For the first 24 h, they were 0.75 (95% CI 0.71–0.78) and 0.61 (95% CI 0.57–0.64). Conclusions Our opioid misuse classifier had good discrimination during external validation. Our model may provide a comprehensive and automated approach to opioid misuse identification that augments current workflows and overcomes manual screening barriers.

Demographic correlates of nicotine dependence in psychiatric patients

Background: Tobacco and nicotine dependence has high prevalence in patients with psychiatric disorders. The present study was conducted to delineate demographic correlates of tobacco and nicotine dependence in psychiatric patients.Methods: 102 patients were sampled from Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, Agra. Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence for Smoking, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence for Smokeless Tobacco, The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were used along with a proforma for recording demographic and clinical details of the patients.Results: The results suggested that the severity of nicotine dependence in total sample was as Very Low in 2.9%, Low in 15.7%, medium in 42.2%, and High in 39.2%. The results of association between demographic variables and nicotine dependence suggested that there was statistically significant association between nicotine dependence and gender, place of residence, marital status, type of family, annual income, history of mental illness, History of substance use and duration of tobacco use.Conclusions: The medium and high level of nicotine dependence amount to 81.40% sample is of true concern which warrant for an active intervention for tobacco cessation programs in majority of the patients.

Primary Care Recognition and Treatment of Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Methamphetamine addiction remains one of the most common substance use disorders encountered by physicians and is often unrecognized in the current opioid epidemic. Methamphetamine remains widely available in the United States despite laws designed to limit illicit production. Physical signs of methamphetamine abuse are not always recognized in the primary care setting. The utilization of the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) has helped in the identification of drug abusers in this setting. The mainstay of treatment remains cognitive behavioral therapy. Though various medications have been tried, none have gained FDA approval because of the lack of proven efficacy. The most promising treatment modality on the horizon appears to be immunotherapy. Treatment, while not necessarily efficacious in the long term, is widely available today.

Alcohol and drug use disorders in patients with cancer and caregivers: effects on caregiver burden

BackgroundThe estimated prevalence of alcohol use disorders in patients with advanced cancer is reported as 4%–38%. There are limited data regarding alcohol and drug use disorders in caregivers of patients with cancer and the effects on other issues.AimTo establish the prevalence of alcohol and drug use disorders in a large cohort of patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers.To evaluate the relationship between alcohol and drug use disorders and patient symptoms and caregiver burden.DesignThe patient with cancer and caregiver completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tool, CAGE questionnaire and Drug Abuse Screening Test. The patient completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale–Short Form, and the caregiver completed the Zarit Burden Questionnaire.Statistical analysis compared cases and non-cases of alcohol and drug use disorders with symptom and burden score.Setting/participantsPatients with cancer, and their caregivers, were recruited from 11 UK sites, 6 hospices and 5 hospitals.ResultsFive hundred and seven patients and their caregivers were recruited. Twenty-seven patients (5%) and 44 caregivers (9%) screened positively for alcohol use disorders on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tool. Thirty patients (6%), and 16 caregivers (3%), screened positively for drug abuse problems on the Drug Abuse Screening Test.There was a significantly higher carer burden score in caregivers screening positively for alcohol and drug abuse problems.ConclusionsThe prevalence of alcohol use disorders in patients with cancer and caregivers was lower than reported in previous studies. Caregiver burden scores were significantly higher in carers screening positively for alcohol and drug use disorders.Trial registration numberTrial registered National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Portfolio (CPMS ID 30723) IRAS ID 198753.

Relationship between Religiosity and Risky Behaviours of Taking Drugs Among Youth

Drug addiction is a phenomenon that constantly threatens the nation. The threat to youth is particularly worrying as these youths are expected to pursue future development of our country. At the same time, for young Muslims, they are increasingly abandoning the practice of Islam that can clearly guide one's actions in everyday life. This study aims to look at the relationship between religiosity and risky behaviour of taking drugs among youth. The findings of this correlational study are presented in descriptive and inferential. 127 students were selected in this study. The Religiosity and Personality Index (MRPI) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-20) had been used as the instruments of the study. Cronbach’s Alpha for the whole of the MRPI Islamic Worldview Scale, MRPI Religious Personality Scale and DAST-20 are 0.697 (19 items), 0.931 (27 items) and 0.690 (20 items) respectively. The data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS20). The findings show that the Islamic Worldview of MRPI is at a moderate level (51.2%), Religious Personality of MRPI is at a high level (63.8%), while DAST-20 is at the level of case exploration (51.2%). Finally, implications of the study and suggestions for further research and contributions were also discussed.

HUBUNGAN PENGARUH SOSIAL DAN SPIRITUAL DENGAN TINGKAT PENYALAHGUNAAN NARKOBA PADA NARAPIDANA DI RUTAN SUNGAI PENUH KERINCI JAMBI

Narkoba merupakan obat-oatan terlarang yang menimbulkan ketergantungan yang sangat merugikan apabila digunakan tanpa pengendalian dan pengawasan. Faktor Pengaruh sosial dan spiritual yang rendah mengakibatkan seseorang beresiko melakukan penyalahgunaan narkoba, adanya faktor pengaruh dari luar dan masalah nilai spiritual yang rendah membuat seseorang melakukan penyalahgunaan narkoba. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat Hubungan Pengaruh Sosial dan Spiritual dengan Tingkat Penyalahgunaan Narkoba pada Narapidana di Rutan Sungai Penuh Kerinci Jambi. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah cross sectional. Populasi pada penelitian ini berjumlah 52 orang, Sampel pada penelitian ini sebanyak 52 orang dengan teknik total sampling Instrumen penelitian dengan menggunakan kuesioner konformitas, kuesioner Daily Spiritul Experience Scale (DSES) dan kuesioner Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST). Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada Bulan Juni tahun 2018. Dari hasil penelitian ini, didapatkan (59,6%) responden memiliki pengaruh sosial kurang baik, (61,5%) dengan nilai spiritual rendah dan (57,7%) dengan tingkat penyalahgunaan narkoba berat. Hasil uji statistik menunjukkan adanya hubungan yang bermakna antara pengaruh sosial dengan tingkat penyalahgunaan narkoba pada narapidana di Rutan P value = 0,000 dan adanya hubungan yang bermakna antara spiritual dengan tingkat penyalahgunaan narkoba pada narapidana di Rutan dengan P value = 0,000. Di harapkan pada petugas Polisi Rutan khususnya di Rutan Sungai Penuh Kerinci Jambi untuk meningkatkan kegiatan keagamaan, meningkatkan nilai spiritual dan meningkatkan pengetahuan narapidana terhadap dampak buruk terhadap pengaruh sosial yang tidak baik.