Search

Objective:The purpose of this study was to examine differences between older and younger adults who received integrated treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, including differences on demographic and baseline characteristics (e.g., substance use, readiness for change, mental health symptoms, and severity of problems associated with substance use), as well as predictors of retention in treatment.Methods:This study included 1400 adults who received integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment services at one of two private residential facilities offering residential and outpatient services. Initial analyses consisted of basic descriptive and bivariate analyses to examine differences between older (≥ 50 years old) and younger (< 50 years old) adults on baseline variables. Next, three ordinary least squares regression models were employed to examine the influence of baseline characteristics on length of stay.Results:Three main findings emerged. First, older adults differed from younger adults on pre-treatment characteristics. Older adults used more alcohol and experienced greater problem severity in the medical and alcohol domains, while younger adults used more illicit drugs (e.g., heroin, marijuana, and cocaine) and experienced problems in the drug, legal, and family/social domains. Second, while readiness to change did not differ between groups at baseline, older adults remained enrolled in treatment for a shorter period of time (nearly four days on average) than younger adults. Third, the pattern of variables that influenced length of stay in treatment for older adults differed from that of younger adults. Treatment retention for older adults was most influenced by internal factors, like psychological symptoms and problems, while younger adults seemed influenced primarily by external factors, like drug use, employment difficulties, and readiness for change.Conclusions:The results of this study add to the limited knowledge base regarding older adults receiving integrated treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders by documenting that age-based differences exist in general and in the factors that are associated with the length of stay in residential treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the importance of an innovative residential treatment program organized by Tennessee based drug courts. Topics discussed include the Davidson County, Tennessee Drug Court Residential Program (DC4) dedicated to assist offenders in their rehabilitation, suggestions offered by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals regarding efforts of drug courts in substance abuse treatment and treatment of individuals incarcerated for an alcohol or drug violation.

There is growing evidence that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prevents HIV acquisition. However, in the United States, approximately only 4% of people who could benefit from PrEP are currently receiving it, and it is estimated only 1 in 5 physicians has ever prescribed PrEP. We conducted a scoping review to gain an understanding of physician-identified barriers to PrEP provision. Four overarching barriers presented in the literature: Purview Paradox, Patient Financial Constraints, Risk Compensation, and Concern for ART Resistance. Considering the physician-identified barriers, we make recommendations for how physicians and students may work to increase PrEP knowledge and competence along each stage of the PrEP cascade. We recommend adopting HIV risk assessment as a standard of care, improving physician ability to identify PrEP candidates, improving physician interest and ability in encouraging PrEP uptake, and increasing utilization of continuous care management to ensure retention and adherence to PrEP.