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The past decade has seen a marked increase in the illicit use of opioids, as well as a doubling of the percentage of individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorders. However, little is known about the differences between opioid users and nonopioid users in residential treatment. Further, no studies have been published that compare opioid users and nonopioid users in treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. To address this gap, this study examined differences between opioid and nonopioid substance users in residential treatment for co-occurring disorders. Data was drawn from 1,972 individuals treated between 2009 and 2011 at one of three private residential treatment centers that provide integrated treatment for co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Data was collected at program intake, and 1- and 6-month postdischarge using the Addiction Severity Index and the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment. To examine within-group changes in substance use, addiction severity, and mental health across time, linear mixed-model analyses were conducted with facility, year, age, gender, and race included as covariates. The authors found more similarities than differences between the two groups on baseline characteristics, treatment motivation, length of stay, and outcomes on measures of substance use, addiction severity, and mental health. The results demonstrate that though opioid users entered treatment with higher levels of substance use–related impairment, they were just as successful in treatment outcomes as their non-opioid-using peers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Substance use among college-age adults is of interest due to high levels of use and low levels of treatment access and engagement relative to other adults. Data collected from 1,972 clients in residential services were analyzed to investigate differences in use patterns, treatment outcomes, and other life area problems. Participants completed an Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) at baseline, and an ASI and Treatment Services Review at 1-month and 6-month postdischarge interviews. Almost a quarter (24.1%) of participants were college age (18–25 years old). They were more likely to be White and male, and less likely to complete treatment although they had a longer average length of stay. College-age adults improved on all outcome measures, and posttreatment service use shows significant difference between college-age and older participants. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underage drinking, or binge drinking, has become a major concern in U.S. society. At The University of Tennessee (UT) a computer-based intervention was put into place for the past 3 years with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The intervention was provided to all college students via UT's computer network system and was completed mostly online. Students were given a computerized, standardized assessment of alcohol use, and then a brief intervention was given based on the students' information. The intervention targeted students who were at highest risk for developing unsafe alcohol behaviors and/or increasing prior alcohol consumption habits in their first year of college. More than 54,000 graduate and undergraduate students completed the program. Since the launch of the program binge drinking has dropped 27% on campus, frequent binge drinking dropped 44%, and the number of liquor law violations to 18- to 20-year-olds decreased from 542 in 2004 to approximately 158 in 2007. The use of a computer-based intervention was comprehensive, low cost, and required low maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Like many areas of the country, the state of Tennessee is experiencing a recent and growing rise in the rate of methamphetamine use, particularly in rural areas of the state. While substance use is a known risk factor for contracting HIV/AIDS, there is limited information regarding the risk behaviors of rural methamphetamine users. This paper seeks to document the existence of known HIV risk behaviors as they relate to rural southern methamphetamine use. Qualitative interviews with ninety-seven current and former methamphetamine users from the Cumberland Plateau area, a rural mountainous region in the state of Tennessee, suggest that methamphetamine users are putting themselves at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases through high-risk injection and sexual behaviors. Additionally, the results present the perceptions of respondents regarding the impact of methamphetamine use on rural communities and related service needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores historical and recent trends in the delivery of residential adolescent substance abuse treatment, looking specifically at the impact of managed care on the service delivery system. Three historical eras are conceptualized by the authors: (1) an era prior to managed care in which services were provided on a fee for service basis by health insurance companies and lengths of stay were relatively longer; (2) an era of managed care in which services were funded through managed care organizations and lengths of stay were significantly reduced; and (3) the current era in which residential services are provided through self-pay and through other service systems. Awareness of these changes is important for all practitioners who provide services to adolescents and demonstrate the need to advocates for residential substance abuse services for all adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses African Americans, their being representative of one-third of all cumulative AIDS cases in the U. S., and how prevention and treatment have continued to be problematic because of a general distrust of mainstream social services. Traditional middle class European American intervention treatment models do not consider the barriers to prevention and intervention facing African Americans. Research has emphasized the need for promoting prosocial motives, including re-entry into a moral community, renewed spirituality, self-esteem, and establishment of one's role in the family.

Background: Currently, the capacity to provide buprenorphine treatment (BT) is not sufficient to treat the growing number of people in the United States with opioid use disorder (OUD). We sought to examine participant retention in care rates of primary care delivered BT programs and to describe factors associated with retention/attrition for participants receiving BT in this setting. Objectives: A PRISMA-guided search of various databases was performed to identify the articles focusing on efficacy of BT treatment and OUD. Method: A systematic literature search identified 15 studies examining retention in care in the primary care setting between 2002 and 2020. Random effects meta-regression were used to identify retention rates across studies. Results: Retention rates decreased across time with a mean 0.52 rate at one year. Several factors were found to be related to retention, including: race, use of other drugs, receipt of counseling, and previous treatment with buprenorphine. Conclusions: While we only investigate BT through primary care, our findings indicate retention rates are equivalent to the rates reported in the specialty care literature. More work is needed to examine factors that may impact primary care delivered BT specifically and differentiate participants that may benefit from care delivered in specialty over primary care as well as the converse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address HIV infection among college students, a comprehensive measure is needed that can be used with samples from culturally diverse populations. Therefore, this paper assessed the reliability and validity of an HIV/AIDS questionnaire that measures fours dimensions of HIV/AIDS awareness-factual knowledge, prejudice, personal risk, and misconceptions about HIV transmission, and will enable cross-cultural research. The International AIDS Questionnaire-Chinese Version (IIQ-C) was developed and validated by Davis, Tang, Chan, and Noel (1999) for use with Chinese populations. In this study, the validity and reliability of the International AIDS Questionnaire-English Version (IQA-E) was assessed on a sample of English-speaking college students from the United States (N = 200) and Australia (N = 74). The results of the CFA supported the four-factor model, and the normative data show patterns similar to previous research. The total IAQ-E had a high internal consistency (Cronhach's alpha = 0.88). The Cronbach's alphas for the sub-scales were 0.87 (myths), 0.81 (attitudes), 0.66 (personal risk), and 0.40 (facts). A 2-week test-retest reliability study on a sub-sample of 32 students revealed a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient of 0.882 (p < 0.001). This instrument provides a valid and reliable comprehensive measure of HIV/AIDS for use with English-speaking samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an analysis of literature on substance abuse among U.S. Latinos. High fertility and high immigration rates have made Latinos the largest minority in the U.S. Therefore, alcohol and illicit drug use within this population give reason for concern. Beginning in early adolescence, Latinos and native Americans lead the nation in alcohol and illicit drug use. They also have a high need for alcohol and illicit drug treatment compared to Whites and African-Americans. Even though family and peers have been shown to play an important role in the etiology of substance abuse across ethnic groups, research indicates that important differences exist within ethnic groups on these and other factors. In the article, research concerning ethnic differences has been reviewed in order to gain an understanding of the patterns and trajectories of substance use within the Latino community. Prevention and treatment interventions specific to Latinos have been described, and gaps in the literature are noted. Finally, implications of the current research findings for social workers and recommendations for future research have been discussed.