News Feature Channel: Substance Abuse

A 37% Drop in Overdose Deaths From Drugs Mixed with Opioids - Fentanyl Included

Ohio State University — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:55:26 EST

Expanded treatment options, increased naloxone distribution and targeted education campaigns likely led to a 37% reduction in overdose deaths from opioids combined with stimulant drugs other than cocaine, according to the results of a large federally funded study.

Brain Imaging of Neuromelanin May be Key to Understanding Extensive Substance Use

Stony Brook University — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:00:47 EST

A study that used a specialized type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), named neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, showed that this type of MRI signal was increased in regions of the midbrain in young adults ages 20 to 24 who had an extensive alcohol and drug use history. The findings are published early online in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Nationwide Study Uncovers Disparities in Screening for Substance Use Among Injured Adolescents

Children's Hospital Los Angeles — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:05:10 EST

Injuries and substance abuse are leading causes of adolescent deaths. Screening adolescents for substance use can reduce the risk of future drug and alcohol use and reinjury. But how are clinicians deciding who to screen?

Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation to Host Symposium on Xylazine Crisis in Pennsylvania

The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:05:01 EST

The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education announces a symposium titled "The Next Chapter of the Opioid Epidemic in Pennsylvania: The Xylazine Crisis" to be held on November 23, 2024, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Bluemle Life Science Building at Jefferson Med in Philadelphia.

Older Gay & Lesbian Adults at Greater Risk of Polysubstance Use: Study

Yale School of Medicine — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:05:47 EST

Study Reveals Sources of Opioid Poisoning Among Children

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:05:32 EST

Rutgers Health research finds the medications of grandparents and pets, as well as discarded items, pose unexpected hazards for young children.

Rutgers and New Jersey Partner to Provide Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care Practices in Newark and Elizabeth

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 19:05:58 EST

Behavioral health professionals at Rutgers will work with the state to increase and improve the delivery of mental health and substance use services to the underserved communities of Newark and Elizabeth under a $4.5 million federal grant.

Cannabis and older adults: Poll shows current use patterns, beliefs and risks

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 08:00:00 EST

One in 5 older adults used cannabis products that include THC in the last year. Among them, 20% said they drove within 2 hours of using cannabis, and a similar percentage said they experience at least one potential signs of addiction.

Virtual learning detrimental to school attendance, especially in districts with higher poverty rates, study finds

University of Notre Dame — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 10:05:57 EST

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of chronic absenteeism have nearly doubled across the nation for students in kindergarten through grade 12.This increase was tied to the mode of instruction during the early years of the pandemic.

Physical health has its yardsticks. Mental health is still searching for the right ruler

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 16:05:29 EST

A national initiative led by the National Institutes for Mental Health is now underway to find figurative "rulers" that can accurately measure and compare the quality of the various mental health treatments available.

Three Concepts Key to Recovery from Substance Use Disorders Identified Via Reviewing 30+ Years of Scientific Findings

Research Society on Alcoholism — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:00:00 EST

Certain concepts have a demonstrated basis for aiding recovery from dangerous alcohol or substance use, according to an analysis of scientific literature since 1990. Self-efficacy (a belief in one's ability to achieve a goal), social support, and managing cravings are among the treatment elements best supported by evidence. Effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) depends on understanding how human behaviors change and incorporating that knowledge into clinical practice. An ongoing research effort continues to investigate varying treatment approaches and how they relate to recovery outcomes, but those findings have not been well synthesized into a useful format. For the new review published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, researchers from around the USA reviewed published studies, identified the treatment elements best supported by data, and evaluated their potential as key factors in behavior change. The researchers drew

Nationally Recognized Behavioral Scientist Dr. Kelly Dunn Named Director of the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine

University of Maryland School of Medicine — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:05:53 EST

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, one of the nation's leading researchers on opioid use disorder, as the inaugural Director of the School's Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine

National Academy of Medicine Selects FAU for Substance Use, Opioid Crises Collaborative

Florida Atlantic University — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 08:30:46 EST

FAU joins the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Combating Opioid Crises. This pilot project, involving more 80 organizations, aims to enhance coordination and address addiction challenges through collaboration among public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Researchers warn of dangers associated with rising kratom use

American College of Physicians (ACP) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:00:00 EST

Researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and WorkIt Health suggest it's time for physicians to embrace asking patients about kratom use, the same as they would cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamines, or heroin.

Prescription painkiller misuse and addiction are widespread in chronic pain patients

University of Bristol — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:05:00 EST

A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in ten patients experiences opioid dependence or opioid use disorder and nearly one in three shows symptoms of dependence and opioid use disorder.

Fentanyl May Increase or Decrease Oxygen Levels Depending on Dosage

American Physiological Society (APS) — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:05:44 EST

Your Best Friend From High School? Here's Why Their Genes Mattered

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 03:00:00 EST

Peer social genetic effects - the influence of a social partner's genotype on the observable traits of another - influence risk for addiction and psychiatric disorders later in life, a Rutgers researcher finds

Opioid Crisis Escalates in Appalachia: Rural Areas Hit Hardest, Study Finds

The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:05:02 EST

A recent study reveals a troubling surge in opioid-related deaths across the Appalachian region, with rural areas suffering the highest rates.

Research Highlights Tiktok as Tool in Opioid Harm Reduction

University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:05:58 EST

Welcome to Pocket Science: a glimpse at recent research from Husker scientists and engineers. For those who want to quickly learn the "What," "So what" and "Now what" of Husker research.

Government of Canada Invests in National Coordination and Indigenous-Led Research on Effective Substance Use Interventions

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 16:05:12 EST

Government of Canada invests in national coordination and Indigenous-led research on effective substance use interventions