Generalisability of the interpersonal theory of suicide to latent profiles of young people attending treatment in a suicide prevention service.

OBJECTIVE: The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) could help identify differences in groups of suicidal adolescents and inform treatment. METHOD: Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) using thwarted belongingness (TB), perceived burdensomeness (PB), hopelessness, and capability was conducted on data from an at-risk clinical sample (N = 500). The ITS prediction that changes in TB and PB are associated with changes in suicidal ideation was tested using admission and discharge data. RESULTS: Latent Profile Analysis identified three profiles with increasing complexity and severity on ITS factors. The profiles were labelled low-severity (7.6% of participants), moderate-severity (45.2%), and high-severity (47.2%). ITS predictions were partially supported for the full sample and only for the high-severity and moderate-severity subgroups, whereby changes in TB were significantly associated with changes in suicidal ideation over the course of treatment. However, changes in PB were only significant in the moderate-severity subgroup, and none of the ITS predictions were supported in the low-severity subgroup. Additionally, effect sizes for changes in TB and PB were modest in all analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the importance reducing low belongingness in youth, which is a component of all supported interventions of youth suicide prevention. However, given the modest association of changes in ITS variables had with changes in suicidal ideation, it may be fruitful to elaborate on the relative importance on types of low belongingness or include other non-ITS variables.

Substance Use Disorder and Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorder, PTSD, and Phobia Comorbidities Among Individuals Attending Residential Substance Use Treatment Settings.

Objective: Mental health comorbidities among individuals with a substance use disorder are common. This study provides an analysis of the prevalence, risk factors, and treatment outcomes (depression, anxiety and stress, and cravings) of individuals with comorbid depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), and/or eating disorders attending residential substance use treatment centers. Methods: Intake and three-month post-discharge assessments of 603 (69.3% men) people attending residential substance use treatment services were conducted using the Mental Health Screening Scale, Addiction Severity Index, Depression, Anxiety Stress Scale, and a cravings measure. Results: Anxiety disorders were common (94.5%), followed by depression (89.6%), PTSD (62.0%), OCD (33.7%), and eating disorders (21.4%). Nearly a quarter reported two comorbidities and 8.5% reported five comorbidities. Higher comorbidity levels were associated with having poorer mental health but not cravings at three-month post-discharge follow-up. Conclusions: Comorbidity is common and complex in presentations to residential substance use treatment settings. Higher levels of comorbidity are linked to poorer mental health, which remains over time.

Systematic review of guidelines for managing physical health during treatment for substance use disorders: Implications for the alcohol and other drug workforce.

ISSUES: Substance use disorders are associated with significant physical health comorbidities, necessitating an integrated treatment response. However, service fragmentation can preclude the management of physical health problems during addiction treatment. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise the recommendations made by clinical practice guidelines for addressing the physical health of people attending alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment. APPROACH: An iterative search strategy of grey literature sources was conducted from September 2020 to February 2021 to identify clinical practice guidelines. Content pertaining to physical health care during AOD treatment was extracted. Quality of guidelines were appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II (AGREE-II) tool. FINDINGS: Thirty-three guidelines were included for review. Fourteen guidelines were considered high quality based on AGREE-II scores. Neurological conditions (90.9%) and hepatitis (81.8%) were the most frequent health problems addressed. Most guidelines recommended establishing referral pathways to address physical health comorbidities (90.9%). Guidance on facilitating these referral pathways was less common (42.4%). Guidelines were inconsistent in their recommendations related to oral health, tobacco use, physical activity, nutrition and the use of standardised assessment tools. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Greater consistency and specificity in the recommendations made for integrating physical health care within addiction treatment is needed. Ensuring that recommendations are applicable to the AOD workforce and to treatment services limited by funding and resource constraints should enhance implementation. Future guideline development groups should consider increased consultation with the AOD workforce and inclusion of clinical tools and decision aids to facilitate referral pathways.

Evaluating an Aboriginal community controlled residential alcohol and other drug services: Use of benchmarking to examine within treatment changes in wellbeing.

INTRODUCTION: Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) have an important role in the Australian health-care sector. However, there has been a lack of research evaluating ACCOs in the treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. Using a benchmarking approach, the present study examined within treatment changes on measures of wellbeing for people attending a residential AOD ACCO. METHODS: The study focused on The Glen, an AOD residential treatment service that is managed by the Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation (n = 775). The Glen is a male-only service and provides treatment to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous men. The evaluation focused on measures of wellbeing (i.e. symptom distress and quality of life) collected at intake, 30 and 60 days during the person's stay. Comparative benchmarking was conducted with a cohort of men who were attending non-ACCO residential AOD treatment services (n = 4457). RESULTS: The Glen participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements on measures of wellbeing. The Glen participants were more likely to complete treatment than participants attending non-ACCO services. Likewise, Indigenous people attending The Glen were more likely to complete treatment (compared to Indigenous people attending non-ACCO services). Rates of reliable and clinically significant change suggested that changes in quality of life were largely equivalent between The Glen and non-ACCO services, while participants attending The Glen tended to demonstrate larger reductions in symptom distress compared to the non-ACCO services. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The study provides further support for the important role that ACCOs play in supporting Indigenous people in their recovery.

Continuing care following residential alcohol and other drug treatment: Continuing care worker perceptions.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the experiences of continuing care workers (CCW) in the implementation of continuing care programs. The current study sought to understand CCWs and supervisor perceptions of the successes and challenges of implementing a telephone-based continuing care intervention following residential alcohol and other drug treatment services. It also aimed to provide recommendations for treatment providers wishing to integrate continuing care into their treatment model, including the resources, training and supervision needs of CCWs. METHODS: The participants were eight CCWs and two independent supervisors who completed semi-structured interviews. Interview coding and analysis was guided by Iterative Categorisation procedures and an implementation framework. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used. RESULTS: Telephone delivery was advantageous, but even more enhanced, when there was a face-to-face session first to build rapport. Other key successes included CCWs who were confident and competent, as well as a match between the organisation's values and the philosophy of the continuing care program. Key challenges faced by CCWs related to a perceived lack of support from managers, difficulties accessing quiet office spaces and participant disengagement. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Interviews revealed several factors that may influence successful delivery of continuing care as part of alcohol and other drug treatment. These included features of the intervention (e.g. telephone delivery, evidence-based content), characteristics of the individual CCWs (e.g. flexibility in delivery of the intervention while maintaining fidelity), organisational culture (e.g. alignment of organisational values with continuing care) and resources (e.g. office space, flexible work schedules).

Health literacy and healthcare service utilisation in the 12-months prior to entry into residential alcohol and other drug treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Health literacy refers to an individual's capacity to gather, process and understand health information, make appropriate health decisions, and engage adequately with healthcare services. Inadequate health literacy has been linked to an increase in acute healthcare utilisation. Research suggests that people living with substance use disorders also access acute healthcare services at high rates. The study investigates whether overall health literacy is related to this population's use of general healthcare services. METHODS: A total of 568 participants were recruited from residential substance use treatment services located in NSW, Australia, as part of a randomised controlled trial; the Continuing Care Project. All participants completed a face-to face baseline questionnaire, which included the Health Literacy Questionnaire; a measure of multidimensional health literacy. Latent profile analysis was used to examine health literacy profiles, with multinominal regression analysis examining if healthcare service utilisation was related to these profiles. RESULTS: Three profiles of health literacy were identified and termed lowest (n = 86, 15.1%), moderate (n = 338, 59.5%) and highest health literacy (n = 144, 25.4%). The sample accessed both primary and acute healthcare services at high rates. When controlling for demographic variables, there were no significant differences identified between health literacy profiles and service use. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to use a multidimensional health literacy tool to examine health literacy and general healthcare service utilisation for people attending residential substance use disorder treatment. This population access high levels of healthcare services, however the role that health literacy may play in helping reduce acute healthcare use requires further investigation.

Polysubstance use classes and health outcomes among women attending specialist substance use treatment services.

INTRODUCTION: Substance use is increasingly prevalent among women. Little research examines subgroups of women with substance use issues to identify their characteristics and thus enable treatment recommendations. The present study used latent class analysis to identify subgroups of substance use among women in substance-use treatment based on use in the 30 days prior to intake and examined changes in mental health and treatment outcomes following 60 days of treatment. METHODS: Participants were women (N = 493) attending specialist non-government substance use treatment services in New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS: Four distinct classes of substance users were identified: (i) Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) Polysubstance (40.6%, n = 200); (ii) Alcohol Only (33.1%, n = 163); (iii) Cannabis and Alcohol (17.0%, n = 84) and (iv) Other Polysubstance (9.3%, n = 46). Women in the ATS Polysubstance class were the youngest and those in the Alcohol Only class were the oldest. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that classes with high polysubstance use (ATS Polysubstance) differed from the single-substance use class (Alcohol Only). The ATS Polysubstance class had significantly greater improvements in health outcomes after 60 days compared to the Alcohol Only class. These findings suggest that although women with polysubstance use can benefit from substance use treatment, younger women (ATS Polysubstance) may benefit even more than older women (Alcohol Only). Future research should utilise a longitudinal design and examine additional psychosocial characteristics to extend on current findings.

Predictors of consent and engagement to participate in telephone delivered continuing care following specialist residential alcohol and other drug treatment.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Although continuing care programs have been shown to improve alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment outcomes, uptake of continuing care has been low. The current study aimed to determine predictors of participants' who both re-confirmed consent to engage in telephone-based continuing care and commenced continuing care once they left residential AOD treatment. These participants had initially consented to partake in continuing care during the course of their residential stay. METHODS: Participants were 391 individuals (232 males, 59% and 158 females, 40%) accessing therapeutic communities for AOD treatment provided by The Australian Salvation Army and We Help Ourselves (WHOS). Measures at baseline, collected during residential treatment, included demographics, primary substance of concern, abstinence goal, refusal self-efficacy, cravings for substances, mental health diagnoses, psychological distress, quality of life and feelings of loneliness. All measures were used as predictor variables to determine characteristics of participants who re-confirmed consent to engage in continuing care and commenced continuing care following residential AOD treatment. RESULTS: Completing residential treatment, being unmarried, and higher levels of loneliness predicted re-confirmation of consent to participate in continuing care following discharge from residential treatment. Participants who were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander were less likely to provide re-confirmation of consent. Participants were more likely to commence continuing care if they completed residential treatment, were older, and had longer years of substance use. CONCLUSIONS: Tailoring continuing care programs to reach a broader array of individuals such as Indigenous populations and persons who exit treatment services early is needed to ensure these programs can reach all individuals who might need them.

Facilitators and barriers to integrating physical health care during treatment for substance use: A socio-ecological analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Clinical practice guidelines recommend physical health be addressed when treating substance use disorders. Yet, the integration of alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and physical health care is seldom actualised. This is particularly the case in the non-government sector. Using the socio-ecological model as a framework, this study aimed to examine the facilitators and barriers to integrating physical health in non-government AOD services. DESIGN AND METHODS: Interviews were conducted with residential and outpatient AOD services across New South Wales, Australia. Qualitative data were collected from service users (n = 20) and clinicians (n = 13). Interview data were transcribed then systematically coded and analysed using iterative categorisation. RESULTS: Most staff recognised physical health care as a fundamental component of treatment for substance use even when there were personal, professional and structural barriers for doing so. Service users reported a diverse range of health and social benefits when physical health care was incorporated in to AOD treatment. An exception to this was some negative experiences with health-care providers that were not identified by staff. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of developing resources to enhance the health literacy and capacity of non-government AOD services to address the physical health of clients. Given some clients reported negative experiences with health-care providers that were not identified by staff, services should seek regular feedback from clients regarding their experiences with external providers. The effectiveness of existing and new physical health initiatives within non-government organisation AOD services needs more formal evaluation.

Health literacy of people living with mental illness or substance use disorders: A systematic review.

AIM: Health literacy is one's ability to use cognitive and social skills to access, understand and appraise health information. Despite poor health outcomes of people living with mental illness there is limited research assessing their health literacy. This systematic review aims to synthesise research on health literacy rates, conceptualizations, and outcomes of people living with mental illness, including substance use disorders. This will provide insights into how health literacy might be targeted to reduce these health inequities. METHODS: A search of published literature in multiple databases up until February 2019 was conducted. One reviewer screened the titles, abstracts and keywords of identified publications and the eligibility of all full-text publications were assessed for inclusion along with a second reviewer. Both reviewers independently rated the quality of the included studies. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included in the review. Rates and measures of health literacy varied. Low health literacy and health literacy weaknesses were identified. There is a lack of research on the relationship between health literacy and other outcomes, particularly health service engagement. CONCLUSION: The review highlights the high rates of low health literacy within this population compared with general populations. Most studies used a functional health literacy measure, despite its limitations, with only a few using multidimensional measures. Overall, there is limited research examining the impact that this populations health literacy has on their recovery and how it affects them over time. The review emphasizes the importance of practitioners assessing and targeting health literacy needs when working with this population.

Routine outcome measurement in specialist non-government alcohol and other drug treatment services: Establishing effectiveness indicators for the NADAbase.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The collection of routine outcome measurement (ROM) data provides an opportunity for service providers to conduct benchmarking to inform quality assurance practices. To conduct comparative benchmarking, it is important that services have access to comparative data. This paper aims to establish effectiveness indicators for ROM data collected within the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector. DESIGN AND METHODS: ROM data were collected by specialist non-government AOD treatment services within the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies online database (i.e. NADAbase). All participants were attending treatment within New South Wales, Australia (N = 21 572). Effectiveness indicators were calculated by using effect sizes, standard error of measurement, and rates of reliable and clinically significant change. The study focused on quality of life (EUROHIS Quality of Life Scale), psychological distress (Kessler-10) and substance dependence (Substance Dependence Scale). RESULTS: Since 2010, 21 572 unique people have completed at least one NADAbase Client Outcome Measure. Amphetamines (36%) and alcohol (32%) were the most commonly reported primary substances of concern. Effectiveness indicators were established for the total sample, as well as for people attending residential rehabilitation (n = 8161) and community-based (n = 10 306) treatment services. Standard error of measurement was the least stringent effectiveness indicator (i.e. a higher proportion of people demonstrated improvement), while the clinically significant change was the most stringent approach. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated the utility of the NADAbase to establish effectiveness indicators for benchmarking purposes. Recommendations are provided for the use of benchmarking to inform quality assurance activities in the sector.

Substance Use and Co-occurring Physical Health Problems: File Review of a Residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Service.

Objectives: Physical health conditions cause significant disability and mortality among people living with alcohol and other drug problems. There has been limited research on the prevalence of health problems among clinical samples of people with substance use disorders, particularly among those in residential treatment. Yet residential settings provide unique opportunity for responding to health needs. To better understand the health of people attending treatment for substance use disorders, this study conducted a file review to examine the prevalence of physical health problems as identified during routine residential care. Methods: A retrospective review of client files collected between 2013 and 2017 (N = 172) was completed at a residential treatment service in NSW, Australia. Data were extracted to examine the prevalence of physical health problems recorded at entry into treatment. Correlates of health problems were estimated using bivariate descriptive analyses and logistic regression. Results: The majority of clients in treatment for substance use had a comorbid physical health problem (80.7%). Musculoskeletal problems were the most frequently reported medical issue (38.6%). Odds for some physical health problems were related to client gender, age, and primary substance of concern. Male gender remained the strongest predictor of dental health problems when controlling for age and substance type (odds ratio [OR] = 3.60). Primary alcohol use remained the strongest predictor of nutritional deficiencies when controlling for client age (OR = 4.43). Among clients with a physical health problem and who had a treatment episode of at least 14 days (n = 110), just over half (55.5%) were referred to a health-related practitioner or service during their treatment episode. Conclusions: This study contributes to the literature by reporting on the incidence of physical health problems among people in residential treatment for substance use disorders. The high prevalence of physical health morbidity iterates the role of non-medical staff working within drug and alcohol services in the identification of client health needs. The findings support calls for systematic screening of physical health as part of routine care for substance use disorders improved integration of substance treatment and the broader primary health care system.

Exploring the Relationships Between Eating Disorders and Mental Health in Women Attending Residential Substance Use Treatment.

Objective: Comorbid eating disorders (EDs) and ED symptoms are highly prevalent among women with substance use disorders and may be a barrier to recovery. Higher rates of psychiatric illness are common when more than one disorder is present. Yet little is known about the rates and risk factors for EDs/ED symptoms in women attending treatment centers in Australia. The primary aim is to examine the prevalence of ED symptoms among women attending treatment centers. This study also examines past physical and sexual abuse and mental health as specific predictors of EDs/ED symptoms. Methods: Participants were 1,444 women attending residential treatment for substance use issues provided by the Salvation Army in Australia. Measures included the Addiction Severity Index, the Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care, medication use, hospitalization, mental health, and past abuse. Results: Alcohol was the primary substance of concern for 53.3% of the women, followed by amphetamines (17.5%), and the mean age was 37.83 years (SD = 10.8). Nearly 60% of women screened positive for ED symptoms and 32% reported a previous or current ED. Women with a history of sexual abuse had significantly greater odds (1.96) of positive screening for an ED compared to those without a history of sexual abuse. Similarly, compared to women without a history of physical abuse, those who did have a history had significantly higher odds (1.59) of a positive screen for an ED. These women were also significantly more likely to have had a health care provider recommend they take medications for psychological or emotional problems in the past 30 days, χ2(1) = 8.42, p = .004, and during their lifetime, χ2(1) = 17.89, p < .001. They also had a significantly greater number of overnight hospitalizations for medical problems compared to those who screened negative, t(137) = -2.19, p = .03. Conclusions: Women with comorbid substance use issues and EDs are highly likely to have a history of past abuse. This combination of comorbidities makes treatment and recovery difficult. Increased awareness and research are required to explore integrated approaches to treatment that accommodate these vulnerabilities and improve long-term outcomes.

Health literacy in people living with mental illness: A latent profile analysis.

Health literacy comprises cognitive and social skills that enable people to understand health information and maintain good health. Research examining the health literacy of people living with mental illness is scarce. The aim of the present study was to identify distinct subgroups of health literacy in individuals attending mental health treatment and determine if profiles and health literacy levels differ from other populations accessing healthcare services and on health characteristics. Participants (N = 325) were attending Neami National Australia services. Participants completed the multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify health literacy profiles. Participants reported lowest health literacy scores in appraising health information, navigating the healthcare system, and finding good health information. Three health literacy profiles were identified; low (20.4%), moderate (61.3%), and high (18.3%). Compared to the other populations (i.e. private hospital patients, men with prostate cancer, older individuals with diabetes, general population, people attending substance dependence treatment), the current sample tended to have lower health literacy scores. The findings highlight the need to increase overall health literacy and consider an individualised approach to enhance specific health literacy domains.

The residential status of children whose parents are in treatment for methamphetamine use.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Methamphetamine (MA) use has increased markedly over the past decade, during which time there has been an increase in children in out of home care. This study explores whether MA use in parents attending residential treatment services for substance use issues is associated with higher proportions of children living out of the home. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were collected from individuals attending residential treatment centres provided by the Australian Salvation Army between 2009 and 2016. Centres provide residential alcohol and other substance use treatment in a modified therapeutic community. Trained staff administered sections of the Addiction Severity Index measuring substance use, legal and parenting status, and the Mental Health Screening Form-III at intake. Data were limited to those who had at least one child under 18 years; final sample size was 2964. RESULTS: Of the 2964 parents, 36.3% nominated MAs use as a primary or secondary substance of use. Between 2011 and 2016, a significantly greater proportion of parents using MAs (86.1%), had at least one child not living at home compared to those using other substances (81.3%; χ2 =7.95, P = 0.005). The proportion of female parents increased significantly 14.7% (2009) to 37.9% (2016; χ2 = 51.54, P < 0.001). Also, more males (83.7%) than females (79.6%) had a child living out of home (χ2 = 11.23, P = 0.01). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Given that MA use can result in increased risks of violence and neglect the increase in parents using the substance is concerning. The growing number of mothers in treatment warrants further investigation, particularly as women face inherent difficulties in seeking treatment with dependent children.

Unhealthy behavior clustering and mental health status in United States college students.

Objective: Examine the association of health risk behavior clusters with mental health status among US college students. Participants: 105,781 US college students who completed the Spring 2011 National College Health Assessment. Methods: We utilized the latent class analysis to determine clustering of health risk behaviors (alcohol binge drinking, cigarette/marijuana use, insufficient physical activity, and fruit/vegetable consumption), and chi-square and ANOVA analyses to examine associations between the class membership and mental health (mental health diagnoses, psychological symptoms, and self-injurious thoughts/behaviors). Results: Three classes were identified with differing rates of binge drinking, substance use, and insufficient physical activity but similar rates of insufficient fruit/vegetable consumption. Students classified with the highest rates of binge drinking and cigarette/marijuana use had the highest rates across all mental health variables compared to other classes. Conclusions: Students who reported engaging in multiple health risk behaviors, especially high alcohol and cigarette/marijuana use, were also more likely to report poorer mental health.

Health literacy in substance use disorder treatment: A latent profile analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Health literacy refers to the degree to which people can access and understand health information, as well as communicate their health needs to service providers. Whilst health literacy is increasingly being examined within general community samples, there is limited research focused on substance use disorders where the need for health literacy is likely to be high. The aim of this study was to examine the health literacy profiles of people attending substance use disorder treatment and to examine how these profiles were related to measures of quality of life, mental health, and physical health. DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants were attending specialist non-government substance use disorder treatment across New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australia Capital Territory, Australia (N = 298). Participants completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire, a multi-dimensional measure of health literacy. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify profiles of health literacy within the sample. RESULTS: Three distinct health literacy profiles were identified, and termed low (24.2%), moderate (62.8%) and high health literacy (13.1%). Participants with lower levels of health literacy had lower levels of social support in their home environment outside of treatment, as well as lower levels of quality of life, higher levels of psychological distress, and poorer mental health. There was no difference between the three profiles on measures of physical health. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The current study found that low to moderate health literacy levels were common for those attending residential substance abuse treatment. Participants with lower health literacy tended to have poorer quality of life and mental health. Future research should examine strategies to improve health literacy amongst people attending alcohol and other drug treatment. It may also be useful for service providers to consider ways to minimise the impact of low health literacy on the health needs and outcomes of this vulnerable population.

Quality of life of individuals seeking treatment at specialist non-government alcohol and other drug treatment services: A latent class analysis.

Quality of Life (QOL) is increasingly being recognised as an important indicator of recovery from substance use treatment. The current study aimed to determine if there are distinct subclasses of QOL among a broad range of people attending specialist non-government alcohol and other drug treatment services, and how QOL might be associated with substance use, mental health, treatment and demographic characteristics of these individuals. The sample included 9958 individuals attending specialist non-government treatment for alcohol or other substance use in New South Wales, Australia. Cross sectional data on quality of life, drug use, treatment variables, psychological distress and substance dependence severity was collected. Latent class analysis was conducted to identify quality of life classes within the sample. Regression analyses were then performed to identify which individual, treatment and health outcomes were associated with these classes. Three distinct quality of life classes were identified, and termed low (n = 3048), moderate (n = 4211) and high quality of life (n = 2699). Classes differed across individual characteristics, substance use and psychological distress. As hypothesised, greater substance use and higher distress was evident in the lowest quality of life class. Quality of life is an important measure of an individuals' level of functioning during recovery from substance use. The identification of subgroups of individuals with substance use disorders based on their quality of life classes may help guide interventions to improve their overall global functioning and treatment outcomes.

The Work-Family Interface and Sleep Quality.

OBJECTIVE: This article investigated whether work-to-family conflict (WFC) and work-to-family enrichment (WFE) were associated with employee sleep quality. WFC and WFE reflect the potential for experiences at work to negatively and positively influence nonworking life respectively, and may have implications for sleep quality. In this article, we examined whether WFC and WFE were linked with sleep quality via hedonic balance (i.e., positive affect relative to negative affect). PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 3,170 employed Australian parents involved in the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. METHODS: Information on WFC, WFE, hedonic balance, sleep quality, and relevant covariates was collected through a structured interview and self-completion questionnaire. RESULTS: WFC was associated with poorer sleep quality (ß = .27, p < .001), and this relationship was stronger in males than females and in dual parent-single income families. WFC was also found to be indirectly associated with poor sleep quality via a lower hedonic balance (ß = .17, 99% confidence interval [.14, .20]). WFE was not directly associated with sleep quality, but was indirectly associated with better sleep quality via a higher hedonic balance (ß = -.04 [-.07, -.02]). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that aspects of the work-family interface are associated with employee sleep quality. Furthermore, affective experiences were found to link WFC and WFE with sleep quality. Workplace interventions that target WFC and WFE may have implications for employee sleep.

Polysubstance use in treatment seekers who inject amphetamine: Drug use profiles, injecting practices and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The injection of amphetamine is becoming increasingly common. However, there has been a lack of research examining people who inject amphetamine as the primary drug of use, limiting the potential to ensure services address the unique needs of this group. The current study used latent class analysis to identify classes of polydrug use among people who report injecting amphetamine during the past 12months. It also examined differences between classes and drug use patterns, injecting practices, quality of life and psychological distress. METHODS: Participants who were attending non-government specialist alcohol and other drug treatment across New South Wales, Australia and had identified amphetamine as their principle drug of concern and reported injecting amphetamine in the previous 12months were included in the current study (N=827). Latent class analysis was performed to identify polydrug profiles of participants. RESULTS: The large majority of people in the current study (85%) demonstrated low probability of heroin or other opiate use. Three distinct classes of polydrug use were identified: (1) Low-polydrug (n=491), (2) Opiates-polydrug (n=123), and (3) Alcohol-polydrug (n=213). There was a trend for the Low-polydrug class to demonstrate better functioning and safer injecting practices than the Opiates-polydrug and Alcohol-polydrug classes. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the majority of people accessing treatment who inject amphetamine as their primary drug of choice have a low probability of heroin or other opiate use. It is important that future research consider whether traditional harm minimisation strategies are appropriate for people who primarily inject amphetamine.