Examining the relationship between head trauma and opioid use disorder: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine recent literature and determine common clinical risk factors between antecedent traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the following development of opioid misuse and provide a framework for clinical identification of at-risk subjects and evaluate potential treatment implications within this association. DESIGN: A comprehensive systematic literature search of PubMed was conducted for articles between 2000 and December 2022. Studies were included if the human participant had any head trauma exposure and any chronic opioid use or dependence. After eligibility criteria were applied, 16 studies were assessed for thematic trends. RESULTS: Opioid use disorder (OUD) risks are heightened in cohorts with head trauma exposed to opioids while in the hospital, specifically with tramadol and oxycodone. Chronic pain was the most common predictor of long-term OUD, and continuous somatic symptoms associated with the TBI can lead to long-term opioid usage. Individuals who present with coexisting psychiatric conditions pose significantly more risk associated with a higher risk of long-term opioid use. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that therapists and clinicians must consider a risk profile for persons with TBI and follow an integrated care approach to account for mental health, prior substance misuse, presenting somatic symptoms, and current medication regimen during evaluation.

Prevalence of Diabetes in Nepali-Speaking Bhutanese Americans Living in the Greater Harrisburg Area.

Members of the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugee community had resettled in the United States beginning in 2008 after previously being settled in United Nations (UN) refugee camps in Nepal. Due to the recency of their resettlement, there has been little research regarding diabetes in the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese American community. This study sought to identify the prevalence of diabetes in Nepali-speaking Bhutanese Americans living in the Greater Harrisburg Area and whether this community was at a higher risk of developing diabetes due to changes in diet and physical activity lifestyle behaviors. This study was conducted using an anonymous online survey. Anyone over the age of 18 and a self-identified member of the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese American community living in the Greater Harrisburg Area was included, regardless of their diabetes status. This study excluded individuals under the age of 18, those found outside the limits of the targeted region, and those who do not self-identify as members of the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese American community. Through this survey, data regarding demographics (age and gender), length of stay in the US, diabetes status (present or absent), consumption of rice (increased or decreased post-resettlement), and physical activity status (increased or decreased post-resettlement) were collected. The current prevalence of diabetes in this population was compared against the one reported by the CDC before migration and against the prevalence of diabetes in the general population of the United States of America (USA). The association between rice consumption, physical activity, and diabetes was analyzed using the odds ratio. The survey yielded responses from 81 participants. Results showed a 2.29 times higher prevalence of diabetes in the Bhutanese-speaking Nepali population of the Greater Harrisburg Area, Pennsylvania, compared to the general population of the USA. Results indicated a 37 times higher prevalence of diabetes after resettlement in the USA compared to the population's self-reported prevalence before the resettlement. The data showed that increased rice consumption or decreased physical activity alone did not significantly increase the risk of developing diabetes. However, the combination of decreased physical activity and increased rice consumption significantly increased the risk of diabetes, with an odds ratio of 5.94 (CI: 1.27 to 27.56, p-value: 0.01). The higher prevalence of diabetes in this community justifies diabetes education around causes, symptoms, treatments, and preventative healthcare methods. Greater awareness of the issue among the members of this community, as well as their healthcare providers, paves the way for future studies to identify all possible risk factors for diabetes in this community. Once risk factors are identified, early interventions and screening tools can be implemented to mitigate the onset of disease in this population in the future.

Exploring the link between ACEs and opioid use: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current literature surrounding the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and opioid use disorder (OUD) to guide clinical identification of high-risk individuals and assess treatment implications. DESIGN: A PubMed search was conducted from the year 2000 to 2022 using a series of primary and secondary search terms. A total of 21,524 unique results were screened for relevancy to ACEs and OUDs. After excluding unrelated articles, a total of 48 articles were included in this systematic review. RESULTS: Increased frequency of ACEs was directly related to increased risk of OUD and lower onset age. ACEs were also associated with OUD severity. ACEs linked to OUD included childhood neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Additionally, dysfunctional childhood home environment, female gender, and psychiatric/behavioral comorbidities increased the risk of OUD, while resilience was found to be a protective factor. Multiple biochemical markers were associated with both ACEs and OUD. CONCLUSIONS: Children experiencing multiple ACEs should be the target of preventative intervention by medical professionals. Clinicians should include ACEs in their opioid misuse risk assessment. High incidence of co-occurring psychiatric/behavioral disorders provides multiple treatment avenues for patients with OUD. Resilience, along with being therapy target, should be fostered early in the life course. Incorporation of family members may improve opioid abuse treatment outcomes. Future research should focus on interventions interrupting the progression of ACEs to OUD along with proposed biochemical pathways.