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Research has identified a wide range of health conditions related to alcohol and drug use in studies conducted primarily in developed countries and in populations with severe alcohol and drug problems. Little is known about medical conditions in those with less severe alcohol and drug use in developing countries. We used WHO AUDIT and ASSIST screeners to identify hazardous drinking or drug use in public health clinics in Cape Town, South Africa, and included questions about doctor-diagnosed medical conditions. Using logistic regression we examined the relationship of medical conditions to hazardous alcohol, drug and tobacco use. Those with hazardous substance use had higher prevalence of many health conditions including tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, migraine, chronic bronchitis, and liver cirrhosis. Optimal treatment for some medical conditions may include treatment of underlying hazardous substance use, particularly use of drugs other than alcohol. In these populations, access to substance use treatment is limited and even brief interventions or advice may be useful.

Objectives. We examined the relationship between psychosocial antecedents in earlier adolescence and problems related to substance use and related adverse health consequence (e.g., respiratory diseases, neurocognitive symptoms, and general malaise) in adulthood. We specifically focused on parent-child bonding in earlier adolescence and internalizing behaviors in later adolescence and their effects on problems related to substance use in the mid-20s and health problems in the mid-30s. Methods. Our team interviewed a community-based sample of 502 participants over a 30-year period (1975, 1983, 1985-1986, 1997, 2002, and 2005). Results. We found a strong relationship between internalizing behaviors in later adolescence and adverse health consequences in the mid-30s. Internalizing behaviors in later adolescence served as a mediator between low parent-child bonding in earlier adolescence and later adverse health consequences. Problems related to substance use in the late 20s and early 30s were related directly to later adverse health consequences and indirectly as mediators between earlier psychosocial difficulties (i.e., internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, poor ego integration, and maladaptive coping) and later adverse health consequences. Conclusions. Policies and programs that address parent-child bonding and internalizing behaviors should be created to reduce problems related to substance use and, ultimately, later health problems. (doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.127225)

This article reports findings of an exploratory study of 71 parents with substance abuse conditions involved in a child dependency court. Over half (59%) of the parents had a co-occurring mental health condition. Parents with co-occurring conditions (PWCC) differed in several important ways from those with only substance abuse conditions. PWCC were also more likely than their case managers were to report a need for mental health treatment. Implications for child welfare practice and research are offered., Parental substance abuse has dearly been identified as a major contributing factor in cases of child abuse and neglect since the mid-1980s. Current estimates from national studies suggest that 50 [...]

The urgent need to identify and tackle drug abuse among adolescent groups rather than in middle age is examined.

A federally funded faith-based program is evaluated that has served African Americans using heroin and cocaine and are at risk for HIV/AIDS in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The results have shown that a continuum of intensive faith-based and noncoercive outcome, case management and substance abuse treatment services can be implemented and might be effective for the target population.

Objectives. We assessed the detection of mental illness in an adult population of substance abuse patients and the rate of referral for mental health treatment. Methods. We obtained combined administrative records from 1994 to 1997 provided by the New Jersey substance abuse and mental health systems and estimated detection and referral rates of patients with co-occurring disorders (n = 47379). Mental illness was considered detected if a diagnosis was in the record and considered undetected if a diagnosis was not in the record but the patient was seen in both treatment systems within the same 12-month period. Predictors of detection and referral were identified. Results. The detection rate of co-occurring mental illness was 21.9% (n = 10364); 57.9% (n = 6001) of these individuals were referred for mental health treatment. Methadone maintenance clinics had the lowest detection rate but the highest referral rate. Male, Hispanic, and African American patients, as well as those who used heroin or were in the criminal justice system, had a higher risk of mental illness not being detected. Once detected, African American patients, heroin users, and patients in the criminal justice system were less likely to be referred for treatment. Conclusions. There is a need to improve the detection of mental illness among substance abuse patients and to provide integrated treatment.

Objective. We examined trends in delivery of mental health and substance abuse services at the nation's community health centers. Methods. Analyses used data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Care's (BPHC) 1998 and 2003 Uniform Data System, merged with county-level data. Results. Between 1998 and 2003, the number of patients diagnosed with a mental health/substance abuse disorder in community health centers increased from 210 000 to 800 000. There was an increase in the number of patients per specialty mental health/substance abuse treatment provider and a decline in the mean number of patient visits, from 7.3 visits per patient to 3.5 by 2003. Although most community health centers had some on-site mental health/substance abuse services, centers without on-site services were more likely to be located in counties with fewer mental health/substance abuse clinicians, psychiatric emergency rooms, and inpatient hospitals. Conclusions. Community health centers are playing an increasingly central role in providing mental health/substance abuse treatment services in the United States. It is critical both to ensure that these centers have adequate resources for providing mental health/substance abuse care and that they develop effective linkages with mental health/substance abuse clinicians in the communities they serve.

HIV-infected substance users have poorer health outcomes than other HIV risk groups. Few studies have examined the impact of specific types of substance use on health care. This study investigated the associations between specific types of substances of abuse and access to health care. HIV-infected individuals living in eight different single room occupancy hotels in the Bronx, New York, were interviewed between August 1999 and February 2001 regarding demographics, health care access and utilization, and drug and alcohol use. Of the 238 participants, the majority were male (59%), black or Hispanic (93%), and active drug users (61%). Individuals reporting any drug or crack/cocaine use were less likely to have a regular provider than those reporting no drug or no crack/cocaine use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.50, p = 0.05; AOR = 0.35, p = 0.004, respectively), while those with binge alcohol use were more likely to have a regular doctor than those without binge alcohol use (AOR = 2.61, p = 0.05). Individuals reporting any drug or crack/cocaine use were also less likely to perceive quality of health care positively (AOR = 0.50, p = 0.02; AOR = 0.37, p = 0.002, respectively). Heroin use, and injection drug use were not associated with these outcomes. When the sample was limited to recent drug users, similar patterns were found. Although drug use in general is associated with negative health outcomes, in this study, poorer measures of access to health care among substance users was associated predominantly with crack/cocaine use. It is important that clinicians and researchers working with substance-using populations understand how specific types of substance use differentially impact on health care.

Byline: Penelope P. Ziegler, MD Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a complex disorder that has been shown to cause modifications in the structure and function of the brain's [...]

Empirical model of relation between posttraumatic stress disorders and substance use disorders in substance abusers, based on physical health and functional status of vital organs in substance abusers, is presented.

Heroin users of Chengdu, China, were studied with regard to their potential to contract HIV through shared syringes.