HealthCall: Smartphone Enhancement of Brief Interventions to Improve HIV Medication Adherence Among Patients in HIV Care.

Heavy drinking among people living with HIV (PLWH) reduces ART adherence and worsens health outcomes. Lengthy interventions are not feasible in most HIV care settings, and patients infrequently follow referrals to outside treatment. Utilizing visual and video features of smartphone technology, we developed HealthCall as an electronic means of increasing patient involvement in a brief intervention to reduce drinking and improve ART adherence. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the efficacy of HealthCall to improve ART adherence among PLWH who drink heavily when paired with two brief interventions: the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) Clinician's Guide (CG) or Motivational Interviewing (MI). Therefore, we conducted a 1:1:1 randomized trial among 114 participants with alcohol dependence at a large urban HIV clinic. Participants were randomized to one of three groups: (1) CG only (n = 37), (2) CG and HealthCall (n = 38), or (3) MI and HealthCall (n = 39). Baseline interventions targeting drinking reduction and ART adherence were ~ 25 min, with brief (10-15 min) booster sessions at 30 and 60 days. The outcome was ART adherence assessed using unannounced phone pill-count method (possible adherence scores: 0-100%) at 30-day, 60-day, 3, 6, and 12 months. Analyses were conducted using generalized linear mixed models with pre-planned contrasts. Of the 114 enrolled patients, 58% were male, 75% identified as Black/African American, 28% were Hispanic, and 62% had less than a high school education. The mean age was 47.5 years (standard deviation [SD] 10 years) and the mean number of years since they were diagnosed with HIV was 18.6 (SD 7.6). Participants assigned to HealthCall to extend the CG had increased levels of ART adherence at 60-day and 6-month follow-up (compared to CG only), although there was no statistically significant difference by 12-month follow-up. Participants who were assigned to HealthCall to extend the MI never had statistically significant higher levels of ART adherence. These results suggest that the use of a smartphone app can be used to initially extend the reach of a brief drinking intervention to improve ART adherence over a short period of time; however, sustained long-term improvements in ART adherence after intervention activity ends remains a challenge.

Comparing mental and physical health of U.S. veterans by VA healthcare use: implications for generalizability of research in the VA electronic health records.

OBJECTIVE: The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) electronic health records (EHR) offer a rich source of big data to study medical and health care questions, but patient eligibility and preferences may limit generalizability of findings. We therefore examined the representativeness of VA veterans by comparing veterans using VA healthcare services to those who do not. METHODS: We analyzed data on 3051 veteran participants age ≥ 18 years in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey. Weighted logistic regression was used to model participant characteristics, health conditions, pain, and self-reported health by past year VA healthcare use and generate predicted marginal prevalences, which were used to calculate Cohen's d of group differences in absolute risk by past-year VA healthcare use. RESULTS: Among veterans, 30.4% had past-year VA healthcare use. Veterans with lower income and members of racial/ethnic minority groups were more likely to report past-year VA healthcare use. Health conditions overrepresented in past-year VA healthcare users included chronic medical conditions (80.6% vs. 69.4%, d = 0.36), pain (78.9% vs. 65.9%; d = 0.35), mental distress (11.6% vs. 5.9%; d = 0.47), anxiety (10.8% vs. 4.1%; d = 0.67), and fair/poor self-reported health (27.9% vs. 18.0%; d = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity in veteran sociodemographic and health characteristics was observed by past-year VA healthcare use. Researchers working with VA EHR data should consider how the patient selection process may relate to the exposures and outcomes under study. Statistical reweighting may be needed to generalize risk estimates from the VA EHR data to the overall veteran population.

Heavy drinking among individuals with HIV: who drinks despite knowledge of the risk?

Heavy drinking can cause medical problems for individuals with HIV, and drinking despite medical contraindications indicates problem use. However, little is known about which individuals with HIV drink despite knowledge of health problems. This study utilizes two subsamples of individuals with HIV from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III): those reporting at least one drink (a) in their lifetime (n = 205) or (b) in the past year (n = 166). Participants reported on drinking despite health problems and psychopathology in the past year and in their lifetime, and family history of alcohol problems. Individuals with a drug use disorder (Adjusted Odds Ratios [AORs] = 3.56-12.65), major depressive disorder (AORs = 10.18-10.55), or a family history of alcohol problems (AORs = 33.60-96.01) were more likely to drink despite health problems. Anxiety and personality disorders did not increase risk. Individuals with HIV with drug use disorders or major depressive disorder are more likely to drink despite health problems. Individuals with a family history of alcohol problems were also more likely to do so, although further research is needed given large confidence intervals. Future research should consider how to help these individuals avoid alcohol-related harm.

HIV, Hepatitis C, and Abstinence from Alcohol Among Injection and Non-injection Drug Users.

Individuals using illicit drugs are at risk for heavy drinking and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV). Despite medical consequences of drinking with HIV and/or HCV, whether drug users with these infections are less likely to drink is unclear. Using samples of drug users in treatment with lifetime injection use (n = 1309) and non-injection use (n = 1996) participating in a large, serial, cross-sectional study, we investigated the associations between HIV and HCV with abstinence from alcohol. About half of injection drug users (52.8 %) and 26.6 % of non-injection drug users abstained from alcohol. Among non-injection drug users, those with HIV were less likely to abstain [odds ratio (OR) 0.55; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.58] while those with HCV were more likely to abstain (OR 1.46; AOR 1.34). In contrast, among injection drug users, neither HIV nor HCV was associated with drinking. However, exploratory analyses suggested that younger injection drug users with HIV or HCV were more likely to drink, whereas older injection drug users with HIV or HCV were more likely to abstain. In summary, individuals using drugs, especially non-injection users and those with HIV, are likely to drink. Age may modify the risk of drinking among injection drug users with HIV and HCV, a finding requiring replication. Alcohol intervention for HIV and HCV infected drug users is needed to prevent further harm.

Effects of State-Level Tobacco Environment on Cigarette Smoking are Stronger Among Those With Individual-Level Risk Factors.

INTRODUCTION: To better understand the impact of the state-level tobacco environment (eg, tobacco control policies, attitudes towards smoking) on cigarette smoking, we examined whether the relationship of state tobacco environments to smoking is modified by individual-level vulnerability factors. METHODS: In a nationally representative sample of US adults (N = 34 638), past-year smoking and heavy smoking were examined. State-level tobacco environment was defined by tobacco-related control policies and attitudes, ranging from permissive to restrictive; individual vulnerability was defined by childhood maltreatment and/or parental substance problems. Additive interaction tested differences in state-level tobacco environment effects on smoking and heavy smoking by individual-level vulnerability. RESULTS: Significant interactions (P values < .01) indicated that the state tobacco environment had the strongest relationship to smoking outcomes among individuals with greatest individual vulnerability. For example, among respondents with childhood maltreatment and parental substance problems, those in states with permissive tobacco environments had 13.3% greater prevalence of smoking than those in restrictive states. Among respondents with neither individual-level risk factor, those in permissive states had 2.8% greater prevalence than those in restrictive states (interaction P value = .0002). CONCLUSIONS: Further restricting states' smoking environments could help reduce the prevalence of smoking and heavy smoking, particularly among those at increased individual risk in the general population. IMPLICATIONS: This study shows that the protective effect of restrictive state-level tobacco environments on smoking or heavy smoking was stronger among those especially vulnerable due to individual-level risk factors (parental substance problems, childhood maltreatment). Thus, public health campaigns to influence attitudes towards smoking or legislation to strengthen tobacco control could have a broad effect, particularly impacting those with vulnerability to smoking, which may help decrease smoking prevalence and reduce the massive public health burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.

Transdiagnostic psychopathology mediates the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in adulthood.

Exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with elevated rates of mental disorders, sexual risk behavior, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adulthood. Mental disorders themselves are associated with an increased risk for HIV/AIDs and STIs as well, and thus may mediate the association between CSA and HIV/AIDS and other STIs. The links among CSA, disorders, and STIs are unclear, however. The current study tested the hypothesis that the association of CSA with STIs is mediated by adult transdiagnostic psychopathology. We examined the potential mediating role of transdiagnostic psychopathology factors-internalizing (INT) and externalizing (EXT)-in the association between CSA and receiving a past-year diagnosis of HIV, AIDS, or another STI in a large, national probability sample of adults (N=34,653). Using indirect effects modeling, we found that 54.4% of the association between CSA and subsequent HIV/AIDS/STI diagnosis operated through transdiagnostic psychopathology. The proposed mediation model was supported, indicating that individuals reporting CSA had higher estimated levels of latent general liabilities for INT and EXT disorders, and it was largely these liabilities that accounted for the link between CSA and heightened risk of adult HIV, AIDS, and STI diagnoses.

Neuropsychological Assessment Battery-Screening Module (S-NAB): performance in treatment-seeking cocaine users.

UNLABELLED: Abstract Background: Cocaine use is associated with cognitive impairments, which can have a negative effect on treatment retention and drug use. Thus, there is an increasing demand for a screening cognitive battery can be used by clinicians to detect such impairments in cocaine patients so that treatment can be adapted to patients' specific cognitive strengths and deficits. The Neuropsychological Assessment Battery-Screening Module (S-NAB) test for adults takes approximately 35-45 min to administer, and assesses attention, language, memory (verbal and visual), visual spatial reasoning, and executive functioning. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to present S-NAB score results for a sample of treatment seeking adult cocaine users to determine its potential utility for detecting cognitive impairments in this population. METHODS: In the present sample, 145 adult cocaine users participated in screening to enroll in an intervention to decrease cocaine use (59% male; 73.1% African American); screening included the S-NAB and self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of the sample (44%) met criteria for impairment, i.e. composite scores of one or more standard deviations below the mean. Furthermore, memory scores were significantly lower than language and spatial scores (p < 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The impairments detected by the S-NAB were generally consistent with those previously observed in samples of cocaine users completing other batteries, as well in other substance abusing samples completing the S-NAB. This suggests that the S-NAB can be considered an additional appropriate battery, as an alternative to other existing batteries, for assessment of the cognitive functioning of adult cocaine users.

An Intervention to Reduce Drinking Among Individuals With HIV and Hepatitis C: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Heavy drinking poses serious risks to individuals with HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and especially HIV/HCV coinfection. We adapted the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Clinician's Guide to address HIV/HCV coinfection and paired this with the "HealthCall" smartphone app to create an intervention tailored to HIV/HCV. After formative work and pretesting with HIV/HCV coinfected heavy drinkers, we conducted a pilot trial to determine potential of this new intervention for decreasing drinking. METHOD: A sample of 31 HIV/HCV coinfected heavy drinkers were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 16) or control (n = 15; psychoeducation and brief advice) conditions. All participants completed a 60-day program consisting of approximately 25-minute-long baseline sessions and brief 5-10-minute booster sessions at 30 and 60 days, as well as an assessment-only follow-up at 90 days. Outcomes were measured using the Timeline Followback at baseline, 30, 60, and 90 days. Generalized linear models were used for analysis. RESULTS: Intervention participants drank fewer mean drinks per drinking day at 60 days (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.43, p = .03) and 90 days (IRR = 0.34, p < .01). Intervention participants also reported fewer drinking days at 90 days (mean difference = 34.5%; p < .01). Self-efficacy differed between groups during intervention (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Although our sample was small, our results suggested lower drinking among participants who received a modified Clinician's Guide intervention plus use of the smartphone app HealthCall, in comparison with education and advice alone. A larger study is indicated to further examine this brief, disseminable intervention for HIV/HCV coinfected drinkers.

Validity of the DSM-5 tobacco use disorder diagnostics in adults with problematic substance use.

BACKGROUND: DSM-5 tobacco use disorder (TUD) nosology differs from DSM-IV nicotine dependence (ND) by including craving and DSM-IV abuse criteria, a lower threshold (≥ 2 criteria), and severity levels (mild; moderate; severe). We assessed concurrent and prospective validity of the DSM-5 TUD diagnosis and severity and compared validity with DSM-IV ND diagnosis. METHODS: The sample included U.S. adults with current problematic substance use and past year cigarette smoking (N = 396). Baseline assessment collected information on DSM-IV ND and DSM-5 TUD criteria, smoking-related variables, and psychopathology. Over the following 90 days, electronic daily assessments queried smoking and cigarette craving. Variables expected to be related to TUD were validators: cigarette consumption, cigarette craving scale, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, and psychiatric disorders. Regression models estimated the association of each validator with DSM-5 TUD and severity levels, and differential association between DSM-5 TUD and DSM-IV ND diagnoses. RESULTS: DSM-5 TUD and DSM-IV ND were associated with most baseline validators (p-values < 0.05), with significantly stronger associations with DSM-5 TUD for number of days smoked (p = 0.023) and cigarette craving scale (p = 0.007). Baseline DSM-5 TUD and DSM-IV ND predicted smoking and craving on any given day during follow-up, with stronger associations for DSM-5 TUD (association difference [95% CI%]: any smoking, 0.53 [0.27, 0.77]; number of cigarettes smoked, 1.36 [0.89, 1.78]; craving scale, 0.19 [0.09, 0.28]). Validators were associated with TUD severity in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: DSM-5 TUD diagnostic measures as operationalized here demonstrated concurrent and prospective validity. Inclusion of new criteria, particularly craving, improved validity and clinical relevance.

Construct validity of DSM-5 cannabis use disorder diagnosis and severity levels in adults with problematic substance use.

The DSM-5 definition of cannabis use disorder (CUD) differs from DSM-IV by combining abuse and dependence criteria (without the legal criterion) and including withdrawal and craving criteria. Information on construct validity of the DSM-5 CUD diagnosis and severity levels is lacking. This study examines the associations between DSM-5 CUD and severity classification and a set of concurrent validators. Adults with problematic substance use were recruited from two settings: a research setting in an urban medical center and a suburban inpatient addiction treatment program. Participants who reported past-year cannabis use (n = 392) were included in this study and completed a semi-structured, clinician-administered diagnostic interview. Regression models estimated the associations between binary DSM-5 CUD and severity levels with a set of validators, including cannabis use variables, psychopathology, and functional impairment. DSM-5 CUD and all severity levels were associated with cannabis use validators, including number of days used, self-reporting that cannabis use was a major problem, and greater cannabis craving. DSM-5 CUD and severe CUD were associated with other psychiatric disorders and social impairment. Findings add information about the validity of DSM-5 CUD diagnosis and severity levels, with severe CUD receiving the strongest support from its association with validators across all domains, as distinct from the mild and moderate CUD measures that were associated with cannabis-specific validators alone. Severe CUD is likely to require more intensive treatment to bolster physical, psychiatric, and social functioning, whereas the mild and moderate severity thresholds provide useful information for identifying less severe disorders for prevention and brief intervention.

Diagnosing Prescription Opioid Use Disorder in Patients Using Prescribed Opioids for Chronic Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The diagnostic criteria for opioid use disorder, originally developed for heroin, did not anticipate the surge in prescription opioid use and the resulting complexities in diagnosing prescription opioid use disorder (POUD), including differentiation of pain relief (therapeutic intent) from more common drug use motives, such as to get high or to cope with negative affect. The authors examined the validity of the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders, DSM-5 opioid version, an instrument designed to make this differentiation. METHODS: Patients (N=606) from pain clinics and inpatient substance treatment who ever received a ≥30-day opioid prescription for chronic pain were evaluated for DSM-5 POUD (i.e., withdrawal and tolerance were not considered positive if patients used opioids only as prescribed, per DSM-5 guidelines) and pain-adjusted POUD (behavioral/subjective criteria were not considered positive if pain relief [therapeutic intent] was the sole motive). Bivariate correlated-outcome regression models indicated associations of 10 validators with DSM-5 and pain-adjusted POUD measures, using mean ratios for dimensional measures and odds ratios for binary measures. RESULTS: The prevalences of DSM-5 and pain-adjusted POUD, respectively, were 44.4% and 30.4% at the ≥2-criteria threshold and 29.5% and 25.3% at the ≥4-criteria threshold. Pain adjustment had little effect on prevalence among substance treatment patients but resulted in substantially lower prevalence among pain treatment patients. All validators had significantly stronger associations with pain-adjusted than with DSM-5 dimensional POUD measures (ratios of mean ratios, 1.22-2.31). For most validators, pain-adjusted binary POUD had larger odds ratios than DSM-5 measures. CONCLUSIONS: Adapting POUD measures for pain relief (therapeutic intent) improved validity. Studies should investigate the clinical utility of differentiating between therapeutic and nontherapeutic intent in evaluating POUD diagnostic criteria.

HealthCall: A randomized trial assessing a smartphone enhancement of brief interventions to reduce heavy drinking in HIV care.

INTRODUCTION: Heavy drinking among people living with HIV (PLWH) worsens their health outcomes and disrupts their HIV care. Although brief interventions to reduce heavy drinking in primary care are effective, more extensive intervention may be needed in PLWH with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder. Lengthy interventions are not feasible in most HIV primary care settings, and patients seldom follow referrals to outside treatment. Utilizing visual and video features of smartphone technology, we developed the "HealthCall" app to provide continued engagement after brief intervention, reduce drinking, and improve other aspects of HIV care with minimal demands on providers. We conducted a randomized trial of its efficacy. METHODS: The study recruited alcohol-dependent PLWH (n = 114) from a large urban HIV clinic. Using a 1:1:1 randomized design, the study assigned patients to: Motivational Interviewing (MI) plus HealthCall (n = 39); NIAAA Clinician's Guide (CG) plus HealthCall (n = 38); or CG-only (n = 37). Baseline MI and CG interventions took ~25 min, with brief (10-15 min) 30- and 60-day booster sessions. HealthCall involved daily use of the smartphone app (3-5 min/day) to report drinking and health in the prior 24 h. Outcomes assessed at 30 and 60 days and at 3, 6 and 12 months included drinks per drinking day (DpDD; primary outcome) and number of drinking days, analyzed with generalized linear mixed models and pre-planned contrasts. RESULTS: Study retention was excellent (85%-94% across timepoints). At 30 days, DpDD among patients in MI + HealthCall, CG + HealthCall, and CG-only was 3.80, 5.28, and 5.67, respectively; patients in MI + HealthCall drank less than CG-only and CG + HealthCall (IRRs = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.84, and 0.64, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.87, respectively). At 6 months (end-of-treatment), DpDD was lower in CG + HealthCall (DpDD = 4.88) than MI + HealthCall (DpDD = 5.88) or CG-only (DpDD = 6.91), although these differences were not significant. At 12 months, DpDD was 5.73, 5.31, and 6.79 in MI + HealthCall, CG + HealthCall, and CG-only, respectively; DpDD was significantly lower in CG + HealthCall than CG-only (IRR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.51, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: During treatment, patients in MI + HealthCall had lower DpDD than patients in other conditions; however, at 12 months, drinking was lowest among patients in CG + HealthCall. Given the importance of drinking reduction and the low costs/time required for HealthCall, pairing HealthCall with brief interventions merits widespread consideration.

Psychosocial and health problems associated with alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder in U.S. adults.

BACKGROUND: Although the problems associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are well known, little is known about the psychosocial problems associated with cannabis use disorder (CUD), and the harmfulness of CUD relative to AUD. We compared the odds of psychosocial and health-related problems between individuals with DSM-5 AUD-only, CUD-only and co-occurring AUD+CUD. METHODS: The 2012-2013 NESARC-III, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized US adults (n = 36,309), assessed participants for DSM-5 AUD, CUD, and psychosocial (interpersonal, financial, legal) and health-related problems. Based on their responses, participants were categorized into mutually exclusive groups: no AUD/CUD, AUD-only, CUD-only, and AUD+CUD. Multivariable logistic regression models examined the associations between psychosocial problems and the four AUD/CUD groups, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: People with AUD-only, CUD-only, and AUD+CUD had higher odds of most interpersonal problems (adjusted odds ratio [aORs] 1.07-4.01), financial problems (aORs 1.53-4.28), legal problems (aORs 3.34-7.71), and health-related problems (aORs 1.29-1.92). The odds of psychosocial and health-related problems were similar for CUD-only and AUD-only in direct comparisons. Compared to those with AUD-only, those with AUD+CUD had higher odds of most problems examined (aORs 1.42-2.31). In contrast, there were few differences when comparing AUD+CUD with CUD-only. CONCLUSIONS: AUD and CUD were similarly associated with interpersonal, financial, and legal problems, emergency treatment and suicide attempt. People with AUD+CUD had higher odds of certain problems than individuals with either AUD-only or CUD-only. Although most people who use cannabis do not experience harms, our results indicate that CUD does not appear to be less harmful than AUD.

Agreement between DSM-5 and DSM-IV measures of substance use disorders in a sample of adult substance users.

BACKGROUND: In DSM-5, definitions of substance use disorders (SUD) were changed considerably from DSM-IV, yet little is known about how well DSM-IV and DSM-5 SUD diagnoses agree among substance users. Because data from many studies are based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, understanding the agreement between DSM-5 and DSM-IV SUD diagnoses and reasons for discordance between these diagnoses is crucial for comparing results across studies. MEASUREMENTS: Prevalences and chance-corrected agreement of DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV substance dependence were evaluated in 588 substance users in a suburban inpatient addiction program and an urban medical center, using a semi-structured interview (PRISM-5). Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, opioid, sedative, and stimulant use disorders were examined. Cohen's kappa was used to assess agreement between DSM-5 and DSM-IV SUD (abuse or dependence), DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV dependence, and DSM-5 moderate/severe SUD and DSM-IV dependence. RESULTS: Agreement between DSM-5 and DSM-IV SUD was excellent for all substances (κ = 0.84-0.99), except for cannabis and tobacco (κ = 0.75; 0.80, respectively). The most common reason for diagnostic discrepancies was a positive DSM-5 SUD diagnosis but no DSM-IV diagnosis, due to the lowered DSM-5 SUD threshold. Agreement between DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV dependence was excellent for all substances (κ = 0.88-0.94), except for alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis (κ = 0.63-0.75). Agreement between moderate/severe DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV dependence was excellent across all substances. CONCLUSION: While care should be used in interpreting results of studies using different methods, studies relying on DSM-IV or DSM-5 SUD diagnostic criteria offer similar information and thus can be compared when accumulating a body of evidence.

Test-retest reliability of DSM-5 substance disorder measures as assessed with the PRISM-5, a clinician-administered diagnostic interview.

AIM: In DSM-5, the definitions of substance use disorders (SUD) were changed considerably, yet little is known about the reliability of DSM-5 SUD and its new features. METHODS: The test-retest reliability of DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV substance dependence (SD) was evaluated in 565 adult substance users, each interviewed twice by different clinician interviewers using the semi-structured Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders, DSM-5 version (PRISM-5). DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV SD criteria were assessed for past year and lifetime, yielding diagnoses and severity levels for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, opioids, sedatives, hallucinogen, and stimulant use disorders. Cohen's and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) assessed reliability for categorical and graded outcomes, respectively. Factors potentially influencing reliability were explored, including inpatient vs. community participant, days between interviews gender, age, race/ethnicity, and SUD severity. RESULTS: DSM-5 SUD diagnoses had substantial to excellent reliability for most substances (κ = 0.63-0.94), and moderate for others (hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives; κ = 0.50-0.59). For graded outcomes (DSM-5 SUD mild, moderate, severe; criteria count 0-11), reliability was substantial to excellent (ICC = 0.74-0.99). Comparisons of DSM-5 SUD and DSM-IV SD reliability showed few significant differences. Reliability of the DSM-5 craving criterion was excellent for heroin (κ = 0.84-0.95) and moderate to substantial for other substances (κ = 0.49-0.76). The only factor influencing reliability of SUD was severity, with milder disorders significantly more likely to be discordant between the interviews. CONCLUSION: Reproducibility is crucial to good measurement. In a large sample using rigorous methodology, diagnoses and dimensional measures from clinician-administered interviews for DSM-5 SUD were generally highly reliable.

Assessment of Didactic Transesophageal Echocardiography Education During Anesthesia Residency.

BACKGROUND: Transesophageal echocardiography can be a useful monitor during noncardiac surgery, in patients with comorbidities and/or undergoing procedures associated with substantial hemodynamic changes. The goal of this study was to investigate if transesophageal-echocardiography-related knowledge could be acquired during anesthesia residency. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, a prospective observational study was performed in two anesthesiology residency programs. After a 41-week didactic transesophageal-echocardiography-education curriculum residents' exam scores were compared to baseline. The educators' examination was validated against the National Board of Echocardiography's Examination of Special Competence in Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography. RESULTS: After the 41-week course, clinical anesthesia (CA)-3 exam scores increased 12% compared to baseline (P = .03), CA-2 scores increased 29% (P = .007), and CA-1 scores increased 25% (P = .002). Pearson correlation coefficient between the educators' exam score and the special competence exam percentile rank was 0.69 (P = .006). Pearson correlation coefficient between the educators' exam score and the special competence exam scaled score was 0.71 (P = .0045). CONCLUSIONS: The 41-week course resulted in significant increases in exam scores in all 3 CA-classes. While didactic knowledge can be learned by anesthesiology residents during training, it requires significant time and effort. It is important to educate residents in echocardiography, to prepare them for board examinations and to care for the increasingly older and sicker patient population. Further work needs to be done to determine optimal methods to provide such education.

Association between change in self-efficacy to resist drinking and drinking behaviors among an HIV-infected sample: Results from a large randomized controlled trial.

Heavy drinking among HIV-infected individuals is associated with health complications. Health-behavior self-efficacy may be characteristically low among this population or negatively affected by HIV-infected status. We assessed whether self-efficacy to resist drinking increased during brief educational and motivational drinking-reduction interventions within HIV primary care and whether increases in self-efficacy predicted drinking among HIV-infected heavy drinkers. Results indicate that increases in self-efficacy from baseline to end-of-intervention inversely predicted drinking at end-of-intervention and at follow-up. Findings suggest that brief treatment interventions within HIV primary care may promote self-efficacy and that increases in self-efficacy predict initiation and maintenance of drinking reductions among HIV patients.

Epidemiology of Adult DSM-5 Major Depressive Disorder and Its Specifiers in the United States.

Importance: No US national data are available on the prevalence and correlates of DSM-5-defined major depressive disorder (MDD) or on MDD specifiers as defined in DSM-5. Objective: To present current nationally representative findings on the prevalence, correlates, psychiatric comorbidity, functioning, and treatment of DSM-5 MDD and initial information on the prevalence, severity, and treatment of DSM-5 MDD severity, anxious/distressed specifier, and mixed-features specifier, as well as cases that would have been characterized as bereavement in DSM-IV. Design, Setting, and Participants: In-person interviews with a representative sample of US noninstitutionalized civilian adults (≥18 years) (n = 36 309) who participated in the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (NESARC-III). Data were collected from April 2012 to June 2013 and were analyzed in 2016-2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Prevalence of DSM-5 MDD and the DSM-5 specifiers. Odds ratios (ORs), adjusted ORs (aORs), and 95% CIs indicated associations with demographic characteristics and other psychiatric disorders. Results: Of the 36 309 adult participants in NESARC-III, 12-month and lifetime prevalences of MDD were 10.4% and 20.6%, respectively. Odds of 12-month MDD were significantly lower in men (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.46-0.55) and in African American (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.54-0.68), Asian/Pacific Islander (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67), and Hispanic (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.62-0.78) adults than in white adults and were higher in younger adults (age range, 18-29 years; OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.48-3.55) and those with low incomes ($19 999 or less; OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.49-2.04). Associations of MDD with psychiatric disorders ranged from an aOR of 2.1 (95% CI, 1.84-2.35) for specific phobia to an aOR of 5.7 (95% CI, 4.98-6.50) for generalized anxiety disorder. Associations of MDD with substance use disorders ranged from an aOR of 1.8 (95% CI, 1.63-2.01) for alcohol to an aOR of 3.0 (95% CI, 2.57-3.55) for any drug. Most lifetime MDD cases were moderate (39.7%) or severe (49.5%). Almost 70% with lifetime MDD had some type of treatment. Functioning among those with severe MDD was approximately 1 SD below the national mean. Among 12.9% of those with lifetime MDD, all episodes occurred just after the death of someone close and lasted less than 2 months. The anxious/distressed specifier characterized 74.6% of MDD cases, and the mixed-features specifier characterized 15.5%. Controlling for severity, both specifiers were associated with early onset, poor course and functioning, and suicidality. Conclusions and Relevance: Among US adults, DSM-5 MDD is highly prevalent, comorbid, and disabling. While most cases received some treatment, a substantial minority did not. Much remains to be learned about the DSM-5 MDD specifiers in the general population.

Modified cognitive behavioral therapy (M-CBT) for cocaine dependence: Development of treatment for cognitively impaired users and results from a Stage 1 trial.

Cognitive impairments are associated with poor outcomes when treating cocaine dependent patients, but behavioral interventions to mitigate this impact have not been developed. In this Stage 1A/1B treatment development study, several compensatory strategies (e.g., content repetition, daily logs, diaries, visual presentation) were combined to create a modified cognitive behavioral therapy (M-CBT) for treating cocaine dependence. Initially, a select group of therapists, neuropsychology experts, and patients were asked to provide input on early drafts of the treatment manual and companion patient workbook. After an uncontrolled small trial (N = 15) and two rounds of manual development (Stage 1A), a pilot randomized clinical trial (N = 102) of cocaine dependent outpatients with and without cognitive impairments was conducted (Stage 1B). Participants were randomized to M-CBT (N = 52) or CBT (N = 50). Both treatments were individually delivered over 12 weeks with assessments conducted at baseline, end-of-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome was frequency of cocaine use, measured by number of days used in the prior 7 days. Participants in the two treatment groups did not differ significantly on drug use reduction or retention in treatment. However, among participants who completed at least 9 weeks of treatment, those in M-CBT showed a trend toward greater reduction in cocaine use compared to those in the CBT group. M-CBT is feasible for impaired and nonimpaired cocaine dependent participants. However, M-CBT treatment did not show significant superiority over standard CBT in the present sample. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).