Changes in mental health and help-seeking among young Australian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Young people may have elevated risk for poorer mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, yet longitudinal studies documenting this impact are lacking. This study assessed changes in mental health and help-seeking since COVID-19 restrictions in young Australians, including gender differences. METHODS: Data were drawn from a recent subsample (n = 443; 60% female; Mage = 22.0) of a prospective cohort originally recruited in secondary school to complete annual surveys. The subsample completed an additional COVID-19 survey during COVID-19 restrictions (May-June 2020), which was compared to responses from their latest annual survey (August 2019-March 2020). Mixed effect models with time and gender as the primary predictors were conducted for: (i) scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression 9-item (PHQ-9) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) modules assessed before and during COVID-19 restrictions, and (ii) self-reported help-seeking from a health professional in February 2020, and the month preceding May-June 2020. RESULTS: Mean symptom scores increased from before to during COVID-19 restrictions on the PHQ-9 (coefficient: 1.29; 95% CI 0.72-1.86) and GAD-7 (0.78; 95% CI 0.26-1.31), but there was no increase in help-seeking over time (odds ratio 0.50; 95% CI 0.19-1.32). There was no evidence of differential changes by gender. CONCLUSIONS: This study found increases in depression and anxiety symptoms but not greater help-seeking among young Australian adults during the first wave of the pandemic. Increasing availability and awareness of accessible treatment options and psychoeducation is critical, as well as further research into risk and protective factors to help target treatment to this vulnerable age group.

Substance use, socio-demographic characteristics, and self-rated health of people seeking alcohol and other drug treatment in New South Wales: baseline findings from a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the demographic characteristics, substance use, and self-rated health of people entering treatment in New South Wales public health services for alcohol, amphetamine-type stimulants, cannabis, cocaine, or opioids use, by principal drug of concern. DESIGN: Baseline findings of a cohort study; analysis of data in patient electronic medical records and NSW minimum data set for drug and alcohol treatment services. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: People completing initial Australian Treatment Outcomes Profile (ATOP) assessments on entry to publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment services in six NSW local health districts/networks, 1 July 2016 - 30 June 2019. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Socio-demographic characteristics, and substance use and self-rated health (psychological, physical, quality of life) during preceding 28 days, by principal drug of concern. RESULTS: Of 14 087 people included in our analysis, the principal drug of concern was alcohol for 6051 people (43%), opioids for 3158 (22%), amphetamine-type stimulants for 2534 (18%), cannabis for 2098 (15%), and cocaine for 246 (2%). Most people commencing treatment were male (9373, 66.5%), aged 20-39 years (7846, 50.4%), and were born in Australia (10 934, 86.7%). Polysubstance use was frequently reported, particularly by people for whom opioids or amphetamine-type stimulants were the principal drugs of concern. Large proportions used tobacco daily (53-82%, by principal drug of concern group) and reported poor psychological health (47-59%), poor physical health (32-44%), or poor quality of life (43-52%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of social disadvantage and poor health is high among people seeking assistance with alcohol, amphetamine-type stimulants, cannabis, cocaine, or opioids use problems. Given the differences in these characteristics by principal drug of concern, health services should collect comprehensive patient information during assessment to facilitate more holistic, tailored, and person-centred care.

Assessing driving-relevant attentional impairment after a multiday drinking session: A two-phase pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The possibility of residual impairment of cognitive performance after multiday drinking sessions is particularly important given the potential for the deleterious effects of fatigue and hangover. This pilot study aimed to devise a methodology to compare sober performance on driving-relevant attentional tasks at the end of a 4-day music festival with performance at varying levels of the breath-alcohol curve. METHODS: Fifty-two participants completed selective and sustained attention tasks at a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.00%, 0.05%, and 0.08% following acute dosing in a controlled laboratory setting. A subset of participants (n = 13) were then tested at the conclusion of a 4-day music festival at 0.00% BrAC, with task performance compared with laboratory results. RESULTS: During the laboratory phase, sustained attention was poorer at the 0.05% ascending timepoint only (compared to 0.00% BrAC). During the festival phase, participants made a greater number of errors on the selective attention task predeparture than at 0.00% and 0.05% BrAC in the laboratory. Sustained attention performance was poorer while intoxicated in the laboratory. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the absence of blood alcohol acutely may not be indicative of unimpaired cognitive performance and that other factors related to multiday drinking may produce driving-related attentional deficits. The findings reinforce the need to measure attentional performance in real-world drinking contexts despite the methodological complexities of doing so. A larger study is warranted to replicate the findings and should include attentional measures that either are more sensitive to the effects of acute alcohol intoxication than those in our study or are based on a driving simulator.

The experience of physiological and psychosocial alcohol-related harms across adolescence and its association with alcohol use disorder in early adulthood: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Different forms of alcohol-related harm (e.g., hangovers, fighting) may confer differential risk of clinically relevant alcohol problems. We examine: (i) patterns of transition in experiencing alcohol-related harms across adolescence; (ii) whether factors in early adolescence predict transition patterns; and (iii) whether transition patterns predict later alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms. METHODS: We used a longitudinal Australian cohort (n = 1828) to model latent class transition patterns of alcohol-related harms across three timepoints (Mage  = 13.9, 16.8, 18.8 years). Regression models assessed whether child, peer, and parent factors in early adolescence (Mage  = 12.9) predicted harms transition patterns and whether these patterns predicted AUD symptoms in early adulthood (Mage  = 19.8). RESULTS: Five transition patterns characterized most of the cohort (n ≈ 1609, 88.0%): (i) minimal harms (n ≈ 381, 20.8%); (ii) late physiological harms (n ≈ 702, 38.4%); (iii) early physiological harms (n ≈ 226, 12.4%); (iv) late all harms (n ≈ 131, 7.2%); and (v) gradual all harms (n ≈ 169, 9.2%). With late physiological harms as the reference, females had increased risk of experiencing early physiological harms (relative risk [RR]: 2.15; 99.5% CI: 1.19, 3.90). Late all harms (RR: 1.71; CI: 1.19, 2.47) and gradual all harms (RR: 1.84; CI: 1.37, 2.47) were each associated with increased odds of meeting criteria for AUD, even when patterns of alcohol consumption are considered. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents display heterogeneous transition patterns across physiological and psychosocial alcohol-related harms. Females are at greater risk of experiencing early physiological harms. Experience of both physiological and psychosocial harms in late adolescence is an important and potentially modifiable precursor to clinically relevant alcohol problems in early adulthood.

Clinical correlates and outcomes associated with pregabalin use among people prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: A five-year prospective cohort study.

AIMS: Pregabalin has become widely used as an alternative to opioids in treating certain types of chronic non-cancer pain, but few studies have examined its clinical efficacy outside trials. We address this gap by examining the utilization, correlates and clinical outcomes of pregabalin use among an Australian community-based cohort of people prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. METHODS: Through a five-year prospective cohort study (n = 1514) we examined associations between pregabalin use and pain severity and interference, mental health, opioid dose and past month use of ambulance and emergency department services. We used fixed-effects regression models to examine within-participant differences, and random-effects regression models to examine within- and between-participant differences in clinical outcomes. RESULTS: In an analysis of cases with complete data over five-years (n = 896), the prevalence of pregabalin use ranged from 16% at cohort entry to 29% at 36- and 48-months, and 46% reported pregabalin use at any time during the five years. Pregabalin use was associated with greater pain severity and interference and greater use of high-risk opioid doses (>90 oral morphine equivalents/day). Pregabalin use was not associated with changes in mental health symptoms, ambulance or emergency department attendance in the fixed or random effects models. CONCLUSIONS: Pregabalin use was common, but for most people use was not associated with clinically meaningful improvements in pain or functioning.

Cannabinoid polymorphisms interact with plasma endocannabinoid levels to predict fear extinction learning.

BACKGROUND: The endocannabinoid system is gaining increasing attention as a favorable target for improving posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments. Exposure therapy is the gold-standard treatment for PTSD, and fear extinction learning is a key concept underlying successful exposure. METHODS: This study examined the role of genetic endocannabinoid polymorphisms in a fear extinction paradigm with PTSD compared to healthy participants (N = 220). Participants provided saliva for genotyping, completed a fear conditioning and extinction task, with blood samples taken before and after the task (n = 57). Skin conductance was the outcome and was analyzed using mixed models. RESULTS: Results for cannabinoid receptor type 1 polymorphisms suggested that minor alleles of rs2180619 and rs1049353 were associated with poorer extinction learning in PTSD participants. The minor allele of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) polymorphism rs324420 was associated with worse extinction in PTSD participants. Subanalysis of healthy participants (n = 57) showed the FAAH rs324420 genotype effect was dependent on plasma arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) level, but not oleoylethanolamide or 2-arachidonoyl glycerol. Specifically, higher but not lower AEA levels in conjunction with the minor allele of FAAH rs324420 were associated with better extinction learning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide translational evidence that cannabinoid receptor 1 and AEA are involved in extinction learning in humans. FAAH rs324420's effect on fear extinction is moderated by AEA plasma level in healthy controls. These findings imply that FAAH inhibitors may be effective for targeting anxiety in PTSD, but this effect needs to be explored further in clinical populations.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cognitive Performance among People with Chronic Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.

OBJECTIVE: Opioids, often prescribed for chronic non-cancer pain, may adversely affect cognition. Research has not been synthesized in recent years, during which time academic interest has increased. This study presents meta-analyses on cognitive performance in people taking opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). METHODS: We ran systematic literature searches in EMBASE, Medline, and PsycINFO. Eligible studies included people taking opioids for CNCP, an opioid-free group (i.e., case-control) or session (e.g., pre-post), and objective cognitive assessments. Using random-effects meta-analyses, we computed pooled effect sizes for differential task performance for each study design across five domains (motor performance, attention, working memory, executive functions, memory). RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included. Case-control studies covered three control types (healthy, CNCP, taper-off). Pre-post studies were grouped into five follow-ups (four to six and six to nine weeks; three, six, and 12 months). Effect sizes ranged from 0.02-0.62. Cases showed small magnitude impairments in attention and memory compared with healthy controls. Although limited by small sample sizes, there was no clear evidence of impairment in cases compared with opioid-free controls with CNCP. Cases showed some cognitive improvements from opioid-free baseline to follow-up. Effects were strongest for attention and working memory and were apparent from four weeks to six months follow-up. Other effects were small and nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid therapy for CNCP did not worsen cognitive performance and improved it for some domains. People who take opioids for CNCP may evidence deficits in attention and memory, but this is unlikely to translate to global impairment and likely relates to pain more so than opioids.

Gender differences in the supply of alcohol to adolescent daughters and sons.

Background: Parents are the main supplier of alcohol to children but it is not known whether mothers and fathers equally contribute to the supply of alcohol to their female and male children as these children transition to adulthood.Objectives: i) to determine whether the gender of the parent is associated with the gender of the adolescent offspring when alcohol is supplied and ii) whether the gender of the parent supplying is associated with gender differences in adolescent binge drinking and alcohol related harms.Methods: Longitudinal cohort of 1,927 (males = 1052) Australian adolescents (mean age 12.9 years), recruited in 2010/11 from schools in Australia and surveyed annually for six years. We assessed the association between adolescent and parent gender related to subsequent adolescent drinking, binge drinking (>4 standard drinks), and alcohol-related harms.Results: At mean age of 12.9 years about one in ten children report parental supply of alcohol which increases to about four in ten children by 17.8 years. Mothers consistently more often supply their daughters with alcohol than their sons, [Wave 5 OR 1.77 (1.53,2.05)], while mothers less often supply sons than their daughters, [Wave 5 OR 0.82 (0.71,0.95)]. Mothers' supply of alcohol to daughters predicts substantially increased odds of daughters binge drinking, [OR 1.67 (1.10,2.53)] and experiencing alcohol related harms, [OR 1.65 (1.10,2.48)].Conclusion: There is a need to involve both mothers and fathers and to equally target female and male children in programs to reduce the harmful consequences of parental supply of alcohol to their children.

New psychoactive substances: challenges for drug surveillance, control, and public health responses.

The rapid emergence since the mid-2000s of a large and diverse range of substances originally designed as legal alternatives to more established illicit drugs (pragmatically clustered and termed new psychoactive substances; [NPS]) has challenged traditional approaches to drug monitoring, surveillance, control, and public health responses. In this section of the Series, we describe the emergence of NPS and consider opportunities for strengthening the detection, identification, and responses to future substances of concern. First, we explore the definitional complexity of the term NPS. Second, we describe the origins and drivers surrounding NPS, including motivations for use. Third, we summarise evidence on NPS availability, use, and associated harms. Finally, we use NPS as a case example to explore challenges and opportunities for future drug monitoring, surveillance, control, and public health responses. We posit that the current means of responding to emerging substances might no longer be fit for purpose in a world in which different substances can be rapidly introduced, and where people who use drugs can change preferences on the basis of market availability.

Validity and Reliability of the Computer-Administered Routine Opioid Outcome Monitoring (ROOM) Tool.

OBJECTIVE: The Routine Opioid Outcome Monitoring (ROOM) tool measures outcomes with opioids using an established framework which includes domains such as pain, mood, opioid use disorder, alcohol use, and constipation. This study aims to validate and establish the test-retest reliability of the computer-administered ROOM tool. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis of an online sample. SUBJECTS: Participants comprised those with chronic noncancer pain who regularly used prescription opioids. METHODS: Participants self-completed the online ROOM tool along with other validated measures (validation questionnaire), and those who were agreeable also completed the online test-retest questionnaire approximately two weeks later. Subcomponents of the ROOM tool (i.e., pain, mood, alcohol use, opioid use disorder, and constipation) were validated against longer measures of the same construct using Pearson correlation coefficients. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess the stability of the ROOM tool over time. RESULTS: A total of 324 participants completed the validation questionnaire, of whom 260 also completed the test-retest questionnaire. The opioid use disorder domain showed good sensitivity (73.6) and specificity (75.8) against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, any opioid use disorder. All ROOM components showed moderate correlation (r = 0.55-0.73) with their longer counterparts. Test-retest reliability was fair (0.58-0.75), indicating that responses were relatively stable over time. Reliability did vary, however, based on the components being measured and how certain tools were scored. CONCLUSION: The computer-administered ROOM tool is a valid approach for brief monitoring of outcomes with prescribed opioids in primary care settings and appears to be acceptable to people who are using prescribed opioids for chronic pain.

Validation of the OWLS, a Screening Tool for Measuring Prescription Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care.

OBJECTIVE: The OWLS is a screening tool for prescription opioid use disorder designed for use in primary care. This study aimed to confirm the optimal wording, scoring methods, and cutoff for the OWLS. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis of an online sample. SUBJECTS: Participants comprised those with chronic noncancer pain who regularly used prescription opioids. METHODS: Eligible participants self-completed an online version of the OWLS prescription opioid use disorder screening tool and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Substance Abuse module. Receiver operating characteristics were calculated for three scoring methods for the OWLS, and these were compared with DSM-5 classification of any use disorder and moderate to severe opioid use disorder. RESULTS: Among the sample (N = 324), utilizing scoring method (i) (i.e., positive endorsement ≥ response option "a little bit") and a cutoff of 3 increased the percentage of correctly classified participants, with concurrent increases in specificity and decreases in false discovery rate, and false positive rate. CONCLUSION: OWLS utilizing scoring method (i) with a cutoff of 3 was shown to be the optimal version and scoring method of this tool. This represents a time-efficient, simple scoring method, allowing for quick and accurate screening for opioid use disorder to occur.

Development of a Brief Patient-Administered Screening Tool for Prescription Opioid Dependence for Primary Care Settings.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a short, patient-administered screening tool that will allow for earlier assessment of prescription opioid dependence (often referred to as addiction) in primary care settings. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis (N = 1,134) from the two-year time point of the Pain and Opioids IN Treatment (POINT) cohort was used in the scale development. SUBJECTS: Participants who completed two-year interviews in the POINT study, a prospective cohort study that followed people with chronic noncancer pain over a five-year period, and who were prescribed strong opioids for a minimum of six weeks at baseline. METHODS: An advisory committee provided advice on wording and content for screening in primary care settings. Univariate logistic regression identified individual items that were significantly associated with meeting ICD-11 criteria for prescription opioid dependence. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) were conducted, and items were reduced to identify a small item set that were discriminative and shared a simple underlying structure. RESULTS: Sixty-four variables associated with ICD-11 criteria for prescription opioid dependence were initially identified. Four rounds of EFA were performed, resulting in five items remaining. CFA identified two possible four-item combinations, with the final combination chosen based on greater item endorsement and the results of goodness-of-fit indices. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing prescription opioid dependence is an important part of the global public health challenge surrounding rising opioid-related harm. This study addresses an important initial requisite step to develop a brief screening tool. Further studies are required to validate the tool in clinical settings.

Measuring Alcohol Use-Related Shame and Guilt: Development and Validation of the Perceptions of Drinking Scale.

Background: The dispositional tendency to experience guilt is inversely related to disordered alcohol use, while dispositional shame-proneness appears to share a positive relationship with alcohol problems. Objective: In order to further research in this domain, a new measure of alcohol use-related shame and guilt is described. Methods: Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Drinking Scale (PODS) were validated across two independent samples (Sample 1 N = 293, Sample 2 N = 429). Results: A four factor model of the PODS was identified in exploratory factor analysis. The hypothesized four-factor PODS model was validated in an independent sample using CFA (RMSEA = .046; CFI = .99; TLI = .99). Alcohol use-related shame and guilt were reliably differentiated, and test re-test stability, divergent and convergent validity was established. Alcohol use-related shame was not clearly related to taking action to address problematic alcohol use, but was positively related with measures of negative affect and using avoidance-based coping strategies. Conversely, alcohol use-related guilt was generally unrelated to measures of negative affect and was clearly associated with the taking of action to address problematic alcohol use. Conclusions: The Perceptions of Drinking Scale has good psychometric properties and also appears to reliably distinguish between experiences of alcohol use-related shame and guilt. Both alcohol use-related shame and guilt appear to be positively associated with the contemplation of changing one's alcohol use-related behaviors. Only alcohol use-related guilt was clearly linked to the taking of action to address problematic drinking behavior.

Antidepressant Use Among People Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Noncancer Pain.

OBJECTIVE: Although depression and chronic pain often coexist, few studies have examined antidepressant use among people with pain. This study examines the prevalence and characteristics associated with antidepressant use among people prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). DESIGN: Baseline data from a prospective cohort study. SETTING: Australian community. SUBJECTS: A total of 1166 people prescribed opioids for CNCP. METHODS: Baseline data collection consisted of a self-completed seven-day medication diary and telephone interview to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics and mental/physical health using validated questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to examine characteristics associated with antidepressant use, reporting adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of the 1166 participants, 668 (57.3%) were female, and the median (interquartile range) age was 59 (49-68) years. About half the cohort (N = 637, 54.6%) used antidepressants. Of these, 329 (51.7%) reported moderate to severe depression. Amitriptyline was the most commonly used antidepressant (17.3%). Factors independently associated with antidepressant use were being female (AOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.13-1.92), more years lived in pain (AOR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.00-1.02), and use of nonopioid analgesics (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.01-1.78), benzodiazepines and related drugs (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.36-2.49), antiepileptics (AOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.38-2.51), and antipsychotics (AOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.22-3.77). CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressant use is common among people with CNCP prescribed opioids. Those using antidepressants were more likely to use other psychotropic medicines concurrently, highlighting that they are a high-risk population requiring comprehensive assessment to optimize outcomes and reduce potential harms from polypharmacy.

Concerns and Help-Seeking Among Patients Using Opioids for Management of Chronic Noncancer Pain.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of long-term opioid treatment for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) remains controversial. This study examined whether patients who report problematic opioid use sought help and/or perceived barriers to help-seeking. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,086 people prescribed opioids for CNCP via a large prospective cohort called the Pain and Opioids IN Treatment (POINT) study. Patients' characteristics and help-seeking were examined according to scores on the Prescribed Opioids Difficulties Scale (PODS). RESULTS: Participants scoring "intermediate" (17%) or "high" (30%) on the PODS were younger and reported more complex pain presentations, higher opioid doses, poorer physical health, moderate to severe anxiety and depression, aberrant behavior, past month opioid use disorder and help-seeking (compared with the "low" PODS group, 53%). One-quarter (26%) had sought help, most commonly from a primary care physician, specialist pain clinic, family member/partner, counselor/psychologist, and the Internet. Participants in the "high" PODS group were more likely to have sought help from an alcohol or other drug service, addiction specialist, or drug information helpline. Common barriers to help-seeking were desire for self-management and concern that their opioid treatment may be discontinued. Although 35% met criteria for likely opioid use disorder, only 4.8% reported lifetime treatment with methadone or buprenorphine; participants' ratings indicated significant perceived stigma associated with these medications. CONCLUSIONS: The PODS is effective in identifying patients who are concerned about their opioid use. Strategies to address stigma related to drug treatment, including better integration of primary health, specialist pain, and addiction services, are important in reducing opioid-related harm.

Parent hazardous drinking and their children's alcohol use in early and mid-adolescence: prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Why adolescents' drinking is associated with their parents' drinking remains unclear. We examined associations in a prospective cohort study, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and family factors. METHODS: We recruited 1927 children from grade 7 classes (mean age 13 years), and one of their parents, in three Australian states, contacted participants annually from 2010 to 2014, and analysed data from assessments at ages 13, 14, 15 and 16 years. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) subscale to identify hazardous drinking in parents (score ≥5) and children (score ≥3) and constructed mixed-effect logistic regression models, accounting for clustering within school and adjusting for likely confounders. We evaluated the sensitivity of estimates by imputing missing values assuming the data were missing at random vs. missing not at random. RESULTS: Parent hazardous drinking predicted mid-adolescent hazardous drinking, e.g. 15 years olds whose parents [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.00; 95% confidence interval 1.51-2.64] or parents' partners (aOR 1.94; 1.48-2.55) were hazardous drinkers had higher odds of being hazardous drinkers at age 16. The magnitude of univariate associations changed little after adjusting for covariates, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the association, across a wide range of assumptions about the missing data. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between parents' and their adolescent children's hazardous drinking are unlikely to be due to confounding by socio-demographic and family factors. Parents should be encouraged, and supported by public policy, to reduce their own alcohol consumption in order to reduce their children's risk of becoming hazardous drinkers.

Age of Alcohol Initiation and Progression to Binge Drinking in Adolescence: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Early alcohol initiation is common and has been associated with the development of alcohol problems. Yet, past research on the association of age of initiation with later problem drinking has produced inconsistent findings. Using prospective data from the Australian Parental Supply of Alcohol Longitudinal Study cohort, this study examined age of alcohol initiation, and of first drunkenness, and associations with subsequent drinking in adolescence. METHODS: A total of 1,673 parent-child dyads recruited through Australian secondary schools completed annual surveys for 5 years (grades 7 to 11). Limiting the sample to those adolescents who had initiated alcohol use by age 17 (n = 839), multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between (i) age of initiation to alcohol use (consuming at least 1 full serve) and (ii) age of first drunkenness, and 2 outcomes: (i) binge drinking (consuming >4 standard drinks on a single occasion), and (ii) the total number of alcoholic drinks consumed in the past year, adjusted for a range of potential child, parent, family, and peer covariates. RESULTS: Fifty percent of adolescents reported alcohol use and 36% reported bingeing at wave 5 (mean age 16.9 years), and the mean age of initiation to alcohol use for drinkers was 15.1 years. Age of initiation was significantly associated with binge drinking and total quantity of alcohol consumed in unadjusted and adjusted models. Age of first drunkenness was associated with total quantity of alcohol consumed in unadjusted models but not adjusted models and was not associated with subsequent bingeing. CONCLUSIONS: Initiating alcohol use earlier in adolescence is associated with an increased risk of binge drinking and higher quantity of consumption in late secondary school, supporting an argument for delaying alcohol initiation for as long as possible to reduce the risk for problematic use in later adolescence and the alcohol-related harms that may accompany this use.

Knowledge of Opioid Overdose and Attitudes to Supply of Take-Home Naloxone Among People with Chronic Noncancer Pain Prescribed Opioids.

Objective: Take-home naloxone (THN) is recommended in response to pharmaceutical opioid-related mortality. Some health professionals are reluctant to discuss THN for fear of causing offense. The aims of this study were to assess knowledge of opioid overdose and attitudes toward THN for opioid overdose reversal in people with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Australia, September to October 2015. Subjects: A subset of participants (N = 208) from a cohort of people prescribed restricted opioids for CNCP. Methods: Questions added in the two-year telephone interviews examined knowledge of overdose symptoms and attitudes toward community supply of naloxone. Associations with overdose risk factors and naloxone supply eligibility criteria with attitudes toward naloxone were explored. Results: Fourteen percent reported ever experiencing opioid overdose symptoms. Participants correctly identified fewer than half of the overdose signs and symptoms. After receiving information on naloxone, most participants (60%), thought it was a "good" or "very good" idea. Few participants reported that they would be "a little" (N = 21, 10%) or "very" offended (N = 7, 3%) if their opioid prescriber offered them naloxone. Positive attitudes toward THN were associated with male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-3.50), past year cannabis use (OR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.03-6.16), and past year nicotine use (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.14-3.91). Conclusions: Most participants had positive attitudes toward THN but low knowledge about opioid overdose symptoms. Strategies for educating patients and their caregivers on opioid toxicity are needed. THN may be best targeted toward those with risk factors in terms of overdose prevention and acceptability.

Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of cannabinoid replacement therapy (Nabiximols) for the management of treatment-resistant cannabis dependent patients: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The cannabis extract nabiximols (Sativex®) effectively supresses withdrawal symptoms and cravings in treatment resistant cannabis dependent individuals, who have high relapse rates following conventional withdrawal treatments. This study examines the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of longer-term nabiximols treatment for outpatient cannabis dependent patients who have not responded to previous conventional treatment approaches. METHODS/DESIGN: A phase III multi-site outpatient, randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled parallel design, comparing a 12-week course of nabiximols to placebo, with follow up at 24 weeks after enrolment. Four specialist drug and alcohol outpatient clinics in New South Wales, Australia. One hundred forty-two treatment seeking cannabis dependent adults, with no significant medical, psychiatric or other substance use disorders. Nabiximols is an oromucosal spray prescribed on a flexible dose regimen to a maximum daily dose of 32 sprays; 8 sprays (total 21.6 mg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 20 mg cannabidiol (CBD)) four times a day, or matching placebo, dispensed weekly. All participants will receive six-sessions of individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and weekly clinical reviews. Primary endpoints are use of non-prescribed cannabis (self-reported cannabis use days, urine toxicology), safety measures (adverse events and abuse liability), and cost effectiveness (incremental cost effectiveness in achieving additional Quality Adjusted Life Years). Secondary outcomes include, improvement in physical and mental health parameters, substance use other than cannabis, cognitive functioning and patient satisfaction measures. DISCUSSION: This is the first outpatient community-based randomised controlled study of nabiximols as an agonist replacement medication for treating cannabis dependence, targeting individuals who have not previously responded to conventional treatment approaches. The study and treatment design is modelled upon an earlier study with this population and more generally on other agonist replacement treatments (e.g. nicotine, opioids). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12616000103460 (Registered 1st February 2016).

Using the Severity of Dependence Scale to screen for DSM-5 khat use disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) as a screening tool for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition-defined khat use disorder. METHODS: Cross-sectional, purposive sample of past-year khat consumers aged 16 and above were recruited from khat markets and cafes from university and general community in Adama, Ethiopia. Participants self-completed a survey comprising current substance use disorder. RESULTS: The SDS formed a unifactorial structure, consistent with the dependence construct. Almost three quarters (73%) of the sample were identified as experiencing Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition khat use disorder. The SDS demonstrated excellent discrimination (area under the curve = 0.92) and an optimal cut-off as a score of 3 or greater, with sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 96%. This classification validly identified a group with more frequent and higher dose khat use than participants that did not screen positive. CONCLUSION: Although khat is a mild stimulant, there is clear evidence that some consumers are both concerned with their use and experience problems associated with their use. Consistent with its application for other drugs, the SDS is a brief and simple screening tool that appears to validly identify individuals experiencing a khat use disorder syndrome and experiencing high rates of adverse consequences in association with use.