The dynamics of more-than-human care in depot buprenorphine treatment: A new materialist analysis of Australian patients' experiences.

BACKGROUND: Long-acting injectable depot buprenorphine has become an important treatment option for the management of opioid dependence. However, little is known about patients' experiences of depot buprenorphine and its embodied effects. This qualitative study aims to explore patients' experiences of depot buprenorphine treatment, including how it feels within the body, experiences of dosing cycles across time, and how this form of treatment relies on wider ecologies of care beyond the clinical encounter. METHODS: Participants were recruited from sites in Sydney, regional New South Wales, and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Thirty participants (16 men, 14 women) participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants had histories of both heroin and prescription opioid consumption, and opioid agonist therapy including daily dosing of buprenorphine and methadone. RESULTS: Our analysis illuminates: (1) how patients' expectations and concerns about treatment are linked to past embodied experiences of withdrawal and uncertainty about the effectiveness of depot buprenorphine; (2) the diverse meanings patients attribute to the depot buprenorphine substrate 'under the skin'; and, (3) how depot buprenorphine is embedded within wider ecologies of care, such as counselling and social supports. CONCLUSION: Our analysis destabilises commonplace assumptions about a linear, causal relationship between the pharmacological action of depot buprenorphine and experiences of treatment. Instead, it highlights patients' variable experiences of depot buprenorphine, tracing the everyday practices, embodied feelings, expectations and wider networks of care that shape patient experiences. We conclude with some reflections on the implications of our analysis for alcohol and other drug treatment, specifically how they might inform the design of client education materials and care.

A qualitative study of using nicotine products for smoking cessation after discharge from residential drug and alcohol treatment in Australia.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among alcohol and other drugs (AOD) service clients and, despite interest in quitting, abstinence is rarely sustained. Nicotine products may assist after discharge from residential treatment services, but little is known about client receptivity to them. This study examined AOD withdrawal service clients' experiences of two types of nicotine products for smoking cessation post-discharge, combination nicotine replacement therapy (cNRT) and nicotine vaping products (NVP). METHODS: We held semi-structured telephone interviews with 31 Australian AOD service clients in a clinical trial of a 12-week smoking cessation intervention using Quitline support plus cNRT or NVP delivered post-discharge from a smoke-free residential service. We asked about health and social factors, nicotine cravings, Quitline experience, and barriers and facilitators to cNRT or NVP, then thematically analysed data. RESULTS: cNRT and NVP were described by participants as feasible and acceptable for smoking cessation. For most participants, cost limited cNRT access post study, as did difficulty navigating NVP prescription access. Quitline support was valued, but not consistently used, with participants noting low assistance with NVP-facilitated cessation. Participants considered both cessation methods acceptable and socially supported, and sought information on decreasing nicotine use via NVP. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: AOD service clients highly valued receiving cNRT or NVP with behavioural support for smoking reduction or abstinence. Both interventions were acceptable to service clients. Findings suggest a potential need to examine both whether NVP use should be permitted in this context, and guidance on the individual suitability of cNRT or NVP.

A phase III multisite randomised controlled trial to compare the efficacy of cannabidiol to placebo in the treatment of cannabis use disorder: the CBD-CUD study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is increasingly common and contributes to a range of health and social problems. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid recognised for its anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and antipsychotic effects with no habit-forming qualities. Results from a Phase IIa randomised clinical trial suggest that treatment with CBD for four weeks reduced non-prescribed cannabis use in people with CUD. This study examines the efficacy, safety and quality of life of longer-term CBD treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe CUD. METHODS/DESIGN: A phase III multi-site, randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled parallel design of a 12-week course of CBD to placebo, with follow-up at 24 weeks after enrolment. Two hundred and fifty adults with moderate-to-severe CUD (target 20% Aboriginal), with no significant medical, psychiatric or other substance use disorders from seven drug and alcohol clinics across NSW and VIC, Australia will be enrolled. Participants will be administered a daily dose of either 4 mL (100 mg/mL) of CBD or a placebo dispensed every 3-weeks. All participants will receive four-sessions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based counselling. Primary endpoints are self-reported cannabis use days and analysis of cannabis metabolites in urine. Secondary endpoints include severity of CUD, withdrawal severity, cravings, quantity of use, motivation to stop and abstinence, medication safety, quality of life, physical/mental health, cognitive functioning, and patient treatment satisfaction. Qualitative research interviews will be conducted with Aboriginal participants to explore their perspectives on treatment. DISCUSSION: Current psychosocial and behavioural treatments for CUD indicate that over 80% of patients relapse within 1-6 months of treatment. Pharmacological treatments are highly effective with other substance use disorders but there are no approved pharmacological treatments for CUD. CBD is a promising candidate for CUD treatment due to its potential efficacy for this indication and excellent safety profile. The anxiolytic, antipsychotic and neuroprotective effects of CBD may have added benefits by reducing many of the mental health and cognitive impairments reported in people with regular cannabis use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12623000526673 (Registered 19 May 2023).

Adolescent Suicidal Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia: Analysis of Acute Harms Assessed via Ambulance Data.

PURPOSE: This study investigated changes in suicidal ideation, attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)-related ambulance attendances among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An interrupted time series analysis using data from the National Ambulance Surveillance System, a globally unique mental health and suicide surveillance system. Patients aged 12-17 years from the state of Victoria, Australia who were attended by ambulance for suicide attempts, suicide ideation, and NSSI between January 2016 and October 2021 were included. Monthly ambulance attendances during the pre-COVID period (January 2016-March 2020) were compared to those in the peak period of COVID-19 (April 2020-October 2021). RESULTS: There were 20,125 ambulance attendances for suicide ideation, suicide attempt, and NSSI in adolescents over the study period. During the pre-COVID period, the number of suicide ideation, attempts, and NSSI attendances was increasing by 1.1% per month (incidence rate ratio [IRR]:1.011; 95% confidence interval [1.009-1.013], p < .001). There was no change in the rate of all suicide ideation, attempt, and NSSI for all adolescents during the period of COVID-19. However, when disaggregated by gender, there was a 0.7% increase in the monthly rate of attendances for females (IRR: 1.007 [1.001-1.013], p = .029), and a 3.0% decrease for males (IRR: 0.970 [0.964-0.975], p < .001). DISCUSSION: Adolescent female suicide ideation, attempt, and NSSI attendances increased during the COVID-19 period, compared with males in the same time period. These findings suggest tailored intervention strategies may be needed to address the increasing trends of self-harm among young people.

Evaluation of an SMS Based Alcohol Intervention for Same Sex Attracted Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (Trial registration ID: redacted) was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the Step One program, an SMS-based alcohol intervention for same-sex attracted women (SSAW). METHODS: Ninety-seven SSAW who scored ≥8 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were randomly allocated to receive the Step One program (n = 47; mean age = 36.79) or a weekly message containing a link to a website with health information and support services for LGBT individuals (n = 50; mean age = 34.08). Participants completed questionnaires on alcohol use, wellbeing, and help-seeking at baseline (T1), intervention completion (T2; 4 wk after baseline) and 12 wk post-intervention (T3). In addition, participants in the intervention condition completed feasibility and accessibility measures at T2, and a subsample (n = 10) was interviewed about acceptability at T3. RESULTS: Across conditions, participants significantly reduced their alcohol intake and improved their wellbeing and help-seeking over time. However, there were no significant differences between the intervention and control condition. Furthermore, frequency of help-seeking was low; only four intervention group participants and three control group participants began accessing support between T1 and T3. Overall, our findings indicate the intervention would benefit from revision prior to implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Our approach was consistent with best practice in the development of an ecologically valid intervention; however, this intervention, in its current form, lacks the complexity desired by its users to optimally facilitate alcohol reduction among SSAW. Keywords: Alcohol intervention; Intervention mapping framework; Randomized controlled trial (RCT); Same-sex attracted women; Short-message service (SMS).

Using ambulance surveillance data to characterise blood-borne viral infection histories among patients presenting with acute alcohol and other drug-related harms.

OBJECTIVE: Preventable transmission of blood-borne viruses (BBV), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), continue in at-risk populations, including people who use alcohol and drugs (AODs). To our knowledge, no studies have explored the use of ambulance data for surveillance of AOD harms in patients with BBV infections. METHODS: We used electronic patient care records from the National Ambulance Surveillance System for people who were attended by an ambulance in Victoria, Australia between July 2015 and July 2016 for AOD-related harms, and with identified history of a BBV infection. Descriptive and geospatial analyses explored the epidemiological and psychosocial characteristics of patients for these attendances. RESULTS: The present study included 1832 patients with a history of a BBV infection who required an ambulance for AOD-related harms. Amphetamines were reported in 24.7% of attendances where the patient identified HIV history, and heroin was reported more often for patients with viral hepatitis history (HCV: 19.2%; HBV: 12.7%). Higher proportions of attendances with a viral hepatitis history were observed in patients from the most socially disadvantaged areas. Geospatial analyses revealed higher concentrations of AOD attendances with a BBV history occurring in metropolitan Melbourne. CONCLUSIONS: Our study describes the utility of ambulance data to identify a sub-population of patients with a BBV history and complex medical and social characteristics. Repeat attendances of BBV history patients to paramedics could present an opportunity for ongoing surveillance using ambulance data and possible paramedic intervention, with potential linkage to appropriate BBV services.

Leveraging Online Treatment to Re-examine the Association Between Alcohol Use and Disinhibition.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive disinhibition underpins alcohol and drug use problems. Although higher-risk substance use is consistently associated with poorer disinhibition, current findings may be limited by narrow recruitment methods, which over-represent individuals engaged in traditional treatment services with more severe presentations. We embedded a novel gamified disinhibition task (the Cognitive Impulsivity Suite; CIS) in a national online addiction support service ( https://www.counsellingonline.org.au/ ). METHOD: Participants aged 18 to 64 ( N = 137; 109 women) completed the Alcohol-Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) along with the CIS, which measures three aspects of disinhibition (Attentional Control, Information-Sampling, and Feedback Monitoring/Shifting). The majority of the sample comprised people with alcohol use, and AUDIT scores were differentiated into 'higher-risk' or 'lower-risk' groups using latent-class analysis. These classes were then regressed against CIS performance measures. RESULTS: Compared to lower-risk, higher-risk alcohol use was associated with poorer attentional control and feedback monitoring/shifting. While higher-risk alcohol use was associated with slower information accumulation, this was only observed for older adults, who appeared to compensate with a more conservative response criterion. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal novel relationships between higher-risk alcohol use and specific aspects of disinhibition in participants who sought online addiction help services.

Opioid-related ambulance attendances during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria, Australia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Public health measures introduced to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus likely affected opioid supply and demand, as well as the patterns and contexts of opioid use. We measured opioid-related harms during the first 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria, Australia. DESIGN: We adopted an interrupted time series analysis design using interventional autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. Opioid-related ambulance attendance data between January 2015 and March 2022 were extracted from the National Ambulance Surveillance System. SETTING: Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (≥15 years) attended to by an ambulance for opioid-related harms. MEASUREMENTS: Monthly opioid-related ambulance attendances for three drug types: heroin, prescription opioids and opioid agonist therapy (OAT) medications. FINDINGS: The monthly rate of heroin-related attendances fell by 26% immediately after the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions. A reduced rate of heroin-related attendances was observed during COVID-19 restrictions, resulting in 2578 averted heroin-related attendances. There was no change in the rate of attendances for extra-medical OAT medications or prescription opioids. CONCLUSIONS: Strict COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria, Australia appear to have resulted in a substantial reduction in heroin-related ambulance attendances, perhaps because of border closures and restrictions on movement affecting supply, changing patterns of drug consumption, and efforts to improve access to OAT. Despite policy changes allowing longer OAT prescriptions and an increased number of unsupervised doses, we found no evidence of increased harms related to the extra-medical use of these medications.

Economic evaluations of alcohol pharmacotherapy: Systematic review of economic evaluations of pharmacotherapy for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use disorders confer a significant burden of disease and economic cost worldwide. However, the utilisation of pharmacotherapies to manage alcohol use disorder is poor. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of economic evaluation studies of alcohol use disorder pharmacotherapies. METHODS: A search was conducted in Embase, Medline, CINAHL, PsychINFO and EconLit (August 2019, updated September 2022). Full economic evaluations using pharmacotherapy to treat alcohol use disorders were included. Included studies were stratified by medication and summarised descriptively. The Consensus on Health Economic Criteria list was used to assess the methodological quality. RESULTS: A total of 1139 studies were retrieved, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria. All studies were conducted in high-income countries. Four studies analysed nalmefene, four studies assessed acamprosate, three for naltrexone and four for stand-alone and/or combinations of naltrexone and acamprosate. There were 21 interventions synthesised from 15 studies as some studies evaluated multiple interventions and comparators. More than half of the included studies (73%) reported pharmacotherapy as dominant (less costly and more effective than comparators). From healthcare payer perspectives, five studies found that pharmacotherapy added to psychosocial support was dominant or cost-effective, accruing additional benefits at a higher cost but under accepted willingness to pay thresholds. Three analyses from a societal perspective found pharmacotherapy added to psychosocial support was a dominant or cost-effective strategy. Quality scores ranged from 63% to 95%. CONCLUSION: Pharmacotherapy added to psychosocial support was cost-effective from both healthcare and societal perspectives, emphasising an increased role for pharmacotherapy to reduce the burden of alcohol use disorders.

Experiences of telehealth among people receiving alcohol and other drug treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future telehealth delivery.

INTRODUCTION: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated the rapid uptake of telehealth to deliver treatment for alcohol and other drug (AOD) concerns. However, little is known about how the move from in-person to telehealth delivery impacted clients' experience of care. This qualitative study aimed to explore experiences of telehealth among people receiving alcohol and other drug treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their preferences regarding future telehealth care. METHODS: Participants were aged 34-66 years (M = 44 years, 60% male) and were recruited from Victorian AOD treatment services and consumer networks. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (i) experiences of the practical impacts of telehealth; (ii) experiences of telehealth interactions; and (iii) preferences for future telehealth. Contextual factors, including location and socioeconomic status, were found to impact clients' ability to access reliable telehealth with sufficient privacy. While telehealth was generally associated with increased treatment engagement (for a typically stigmatised population), participants noted varying effects on the therapeutic alliance. Although in-person treatment was generally favoured, participants often valued telehealth as a modality to provide empathic care during the pandemic. Participants expressed a preference for a hybrid treatment model in the future, in which they could choose a combination of telehealth and in-person services. CONCLUSION: Client and clinician information and training are vital to improve the future delivery of telehealth for AOD treatment.

Determining the Impact of Opioid Policy on Substance Use and Mental Health-Related Harms: Protocol for a Data Linkage Study.

BACKGROUND: Increasing harms related to prescription opioids over the past decade have led to the introduction of a range of key national and state policy initiatives across Australia. These include introducing a mandatory real-time prescription drug-monitoring program in the state of Victoria from April 2020 and a series of changes to subsidies for opioids on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme from June 2020. Together, these changes aim to influence opioid supply and reduce harms related to prescription opioids, yet few studies have specifically explored how these policies have influenced opioid prescribing and related harms in Australia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of a range of opioid-related policies on hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) presentations in Victoria, Australia. In particular, the study aims to understand the effect of various opioid policies and opioid-prescribing changes on (1) the number and rates of ED presentations and hospital admissions attributed to substance use (ie, opioid and nonopioid related) or mental ill-health (eg, suicide, self-harm, anxiety, and depression), (2) the association between differing opioid dose trajectories and the likelihood of ED presentations and hospital admissions related to substance use and mental ill-health, and (3) whether changes in an individual's opioid prescribing change the risk related to ED presentations and hospital admissions related to substance use and mental ill-health. METHODS: We will conduct a population-level linked data study. General practice health records obtained from the Population Level Analysis and Reporting platform are linked with person-level data from 3 large hospital networks in Victoria, Australia. Interrupted time series analysis will be used to examine the impact of opioid policies on a range of harms, including the rates of presentations related to substance use (opioid and nonopioid) and mental ill-health among the primary care cohort. Group-based trajectory modeling and a case-crossover design will be used to further explore the impact of changes in opioid dosage and other covariates on opioid and nonopioid poisonings and mental ill-health-related presentations at the patient level. RESULTS: Given that this paper serves as a protocol, there are currently no results available. The deidentified primary health data were sourced from electronic medical records of approximately 4,717,000 patients from 542 consenting general practices over a 6-year period (2017-2022). The submission of results for publication is planned for early 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study will add to the limited evidence base to help understand the impact of opioid policies in Australia, including whether intended or unintended outcomes are occurring as a result. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EU PAS Register EUPAS104005; https://www.encepp.eu/encepp/viewResource.htm?id=104006. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/51825.

Changes in opioid agonist treatment initiation among people prescribed opioids for pain following voluntary and mandatory prescription drug monitoring program implementation: A time series analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP) are increasingly used to identify people prescribed high-dose opioids. However, little is known about whether PDMPs impact opioid agonist treatment (OAT) uptake, the gold standard for opioid use disorder. This study examined the impact of PDMP implementation on OAT initiation among people prescribed opioids, in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: De-identified electronic records from all 464 Victorian general practices included in the POLAR database were used. OAT initiation was defined as a new OAT prescription between 1 April 2017 and 31 December 2020, with no OAT prescriptions in the year prior. Interrupted time series analyses were used to compare outcomes before (April 2017 to March 2019) and after (April 2019 to December 2020) PDMP implementation. Binary logistic regression was used to examine differences in patients' characteristics associated with OAT initiation prior to and after PDMP implementation. RESULTS: In total, 1610 people initiated OAT, 946 before and 664 after PDMP implementation. No significant immediate (step) or longer-term (slope) changes in the rates of OAT initiation were identified following PDMP implementation, after adjusting for seasonality. A high opioid dose (>100 mg oral morphine equivalent) in the 6-months prior to OAT initiation was the only significant characteristic associated with reduced odds of OAT initiation post-PDMP implementation (odds ratio 0.29; 0.23-0.37). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: PDMP implementation did not have a significant impact on OAT initiation among people prescribed opioids. Findings suggest additional clinical initiatives that support OAT initiation are required to ensure PDMPs meet their intended target of reducing opioid-related harms.

Enriching qualitative alcohol and other drug research by engaging lived experience peer researchers in a dual-interview approach: A case study.

INTRODUCTION: Engaging people with lived experience of alcohol and other drug use as peer researchers in qualitative research is becoming more common. However, there are differing opinions on how to best engage and support peer researchers. CASE PRESENTATION: Through this case study the researchers aimed to illustrate the potential benefits of a peer/academic researcher dual-interview approach as a qualitative method in research. In the study, a peer researcher who had lived experience of alcohol and other drug use collaborated with an academic researcher who had qualitative expertise. Semi-structured interviews (N = 22) were undertaken with men and women with lived experience of alcohol and other drug harms (n = 14) and healthcare staff (n = 8) from alcohol and other drug, and broader healthcare services. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The research team contend that in a dual-interview approach, rather than peer/academic researchers being binary opposites, there exists a continuum along which peer and academic researchers travel back and forth; that supports recognition of similarities and differences; and deepens mutual respect. Engaging peer researchers also represents an opportunity for meaningful capability building, with the ultimate and important goal of having peer researchers drive their own research agendas, and move from supporting to leading alcohol and other drug-related research.

Impact of work and coping factors on mental health: Australian truck drivers' perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Truck driving is one of the most common male occupations worldwide. Drivers endure long working hours, isolation, separation from family, compromised sleep, and face rigid regulatory requirements. Studies have documented the work factors contributing to poor health outcomes, however these have not been explored in the Australian context. The aim of this grounded theory study was to explore the impact of work and coping factors on mental health of Australian truck drivers from their perspective. METHODS: Recruitment used a purposive snowball sampling, through social media campaigns and direct email invites. Interview data were collected via phone/teleconference, audio recorded and typed verbatim. Inductive coding and thematic analysis were completed with triangulation of themes. RESULTS: Seventeen interviews were completed (94% male). Six themes arose, two supporting (Connections; Coping methods), and four disrupting mental health (Compromised supports; Unrealistic demands; Financial pressures; Lack of respect). Drivers had concerns regarding the many things beyond their control and the interactions of themes impacting their health even further. CONCLUSION: This study explored the impact of work and coping factors affecting truck driver mental health in Australia. Themes described the importance of connections and coping methods drivers had to support their health. Many factors that compromised their health were often outside their control. These results highlight the need for a multi-faceted collaboration between stakeholders; the driver, employing companies, policy makers/regulators and the public to address the negative impact of truck driving on mental health.

How does a family history of psychosis influence the risk of methamphetamine-related psychotic symptoms: Evidence from longitudinal panel data.

AIMS: To determine whether the risk of psychotic symptoms during weeks of methamphetamine use was dependent on, increased by, or independent of having a family history of psychosis. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of 13 contiguous 1-week periods of data (1370 weeks). A risk modification framework was used to test each scenario. SETTING: Geelong, Wollongong and Melbourne, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in a randomized controlled trial of treatment for methamphetamine dependence (n = 148) who did not have a primary psychotic disorder on enrolment. MEASUREMENTS: Psychotic symptoms in the previous week were defined as a score of 3+ on any of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale items of hallucinations, unusual thought content or suspiciousness. Any (vs no) methamphetamine use in the previous week was assessed using the Timeline Followback method. Self-reported family history of psychosis was assessed using the Diagnostic Interview for Psychosis. FINDINGS: The risk of psychotic symptoms in the past week was independently associated with methamphetamine use in that week (relative risk [RR] = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.3-4.3) and with having a family history of psychosis (RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 0.9-7.0); the joint risk among participants with a family history of psychosis during weeks when they were using methamphetamine was large (RR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.0-7.9). There was no significant interaction between a family history of psychosis and methamphetamine use in predicting psychotic symptoms (interaction RR = 0.7 95% CI = 0.3-1.8), but there was a small non-significant excess risk due to the interaction (0.20 95% CI = -1.63 to 2.03). CONCLUSIONS: Among people dependent on methamphetamine, the relative risk of psychotic symptoms during weeks of methamphetamine use does not appear to be dependent on, or increased by, having a family history of psychosis. However, a family history of psychosis does appear to be an independent risk factor that contributes to the absolute risk of psychotic symptoms in this population.

Staying with the silence: Silence as affording care in online alcohol and other drug counselling.

As the name 'talk therapy' suggests, a key aim of alcohol and other drug counselling, psychotherapy and other talk therapies is to discuss issues, concerns and feelings with a health professional. Implicit here is the therapeutic value of talking through issues with a trained professional. But as with all interactions, therapeutic encounters involve silences and pauses as key aspects of the communicative process. Despite their ubiquity in the therapeutic encounter, research tends to either dismiss silences as inconsequential or as having undesirable effects, such as generating awkwardness or even disengagement from treatment. Drawing on Latour's (2002) concept of 'affordance' and a qualitative study of an Australian alcohol and other drug counselling service, we explore the varied functions of silences in online text-based counselling sessions. For clients, these include the role of silence in affording opportunities to engage in other everyday practices, such as socialising, caregiving or working - practices that can generate comfort and reduce distress, which in turn may support the therapeutic encounter. Similarly, for counsellors, temporal silences provide opportunities to confer with other counsellors and provide tailored care. However, protracted silences can raise concerns about the safety and wellbeing of clients who do not respond promptly or who exit encounters unexpectedly. Similarly, the sudden cessation of online care encounters (often associated with technical difficulties) can leave clients feeling frustrated and confused. In tracking these diverse affordances of silence, we draw attention to its generative potential in care encounters. We conclude by exploring the implications of our analysis for conceptions of care that underpin alcohol and other drug treatment.

A brief intervention for improving alcohol literacy and reducing harmful alcohol use by women attending a breast screening service: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of a brief alcohol intervention for improving awareness of alcohol as a breast cancer risk factor, improving alcohol literacy, and reducing alcohol consumption by women attending routine breast screening. DESIGN: Single-site, double-blinded randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Maroondah BreastScreen (Eastern Health, Melbourne), part of the national breast cancer screening program. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 40 years or more, with or without a history of breast cancer and reporting any alcohol consumption, who attended the clinic for routine mammography during 5 February - 27 August 2021. INTERVENTION: Active arm: animation including brief alcohol intervention (four minutes) and lifestyle health promotion (three minutes). CONTROL ARM: lifestyle health promotion only. MAJOR OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in proportion of women who identified alcohol use as a clear risk factor for breast cancer (scaled response measure). RESULTS: The mean age of the 557 participants was 60.3 years (standard deviation, 7.7 years; range, 40-87 years); 455 had recently consumed alcohol (82%). The proportions of participants aware that alcohol use increased the risk of breast cancer were larger at four weeks than at baseline for both the active intervention (65% v 20%; odds ratio [OR], 41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 18-97) and control arms of the study (38% v 20%; OR, 4.9; 95% CI, 2.8-8.8), but the change over time was greater for the active intervention arm (arm × time: P < 0.001). Alcohol literacy also increased to a greater extent in the active than the control arm, but alcohol consumption did not significantly change in either arm. CONCLUSION: A tailored brief alcohol intervention for women attending breast screening was effective for improving awareness of the increased breast cancer risk associated with alcohol use and alcohol literacy more broadly. Such interventions are particularly important given the rising prevalence of risky drinking among middle-aged and older women and evidence that even very light alcohol consumption increases breast cancer risk. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04715516 (prospective; 20 January 2021).