Acculturation and Tobacco/Illicit Drug Use in Hispanic Youth

Author(s):  
Alan Meca ◽  
Lauren G. Reinke ◽  
Lawrence M. Scheier

This chapter explores the incipient role of acculturation in cigarette smoking, tobacco use, and use of illicit drugs in Hispanic youth in the United States. It first examines the conceptual foundations of acculturation, including early unidimensional models and later bidimensional and multicomponent perspectives of acculturation. It then reviews empirical studies linking acculturation with cigarette/tobacco and, separately, illicit drug use among Hispanic youth. The cumulative body of evidence is reviewed in terms of methodological strengths and weaknesses and how they sharpen our focus on acculturation in development. The chapter also examines three key developmental mechanisms that may account for the underlying relations between acculturation and drug use: (1) cultural stress, (2) family functioning, and (3) change in cognitive functioning related to drug use. The chapter closes with several recommendations that may help clarify the developmental linkages between acculturation and Hispanic youth drug use and should be addressed by future research.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen F Eaton ◽  
Andrew O Westfall ◽  
Brandi McClesky ◽  
Cayce S Paddock ◽  
Peter S Lane ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hospitalized persons who inject drugs are at a greater risk of adverse hospital outcomes including discharge against medical advice, inpatient illicit drug use, overdose, and death. However, there are limited data on the frequency and outcomes of these events in the United States. Methods This retrospective analysis included patients with injection-related infections receiving a protocol for injection drug use (IDU) at University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital from 2016 to 2017. In-hospital IDU was suspected or reported drug usage plus confirmatory drug screen, and documented discharges “against medical advice” were deemed patient-directed discharges (PDD). We analyzed the frequency of and associations between in-hospital IDU, PDD, 30-day readmission, and deaths (between 2016 and 2019) using McNemar’s tests. Logistic regression models evaluated the association between PDD, in-hospital IDU, readmission, and death. Results Overall, 83 patients met inclusion criteria: 28 (34%) with in-hospital IDU, 12 (14%) PDD, 9 (11%) died, and 12 (14%) 30-day readmission. In-hospital IDU was significantly associated with PDD (P = .003), 30-day readmission (P = .005), and death (P = .0003). Patient-directed discharges and 30-day readmission were not significantly associated with death nor with each other. Conclusions In a cohort of patients receiving inpatient care for injection-related infections, illicit drug use, PDD, 30-day readmissions, and death were common. Furthermore, patients who use illicit drugs while hospitalized are significantly more likely to leave early, be readmitted, and/or die. We must design models of care that prevent adverse outcomes, including drug use and PDD, to reduce barriers to evidence-based treatment of infections.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 160-174
Author(s):  
Philip N. Murphy ◽  
Lisa D. Riley ◽  
Abbie R. Kempson ◽  
Michelle Wareing ◽  
Lindsay C. Jones

It has been argued that the apparent alienation of young Britons from involvement in conventional politics, as seen by their low turn out in the 2001 general election, may be partly due to the mismatch between their experience of, and attitudes towards, illicit drugs, and the traditional policies of the mainstream parties which have favoured their continued prohibition (e.g. Lilley, 2001). In the absence of direct evidence for such a relationship, other evidence from both the illicit drug use and political literatures respectively was examined from the viewpoint of the psychological mediation of behaviour in both areas. It was concluded that illicit drug use might not be regarded as normal behaviour by young people to the extent argued by some researchers, and that given the range of personal social meanings which users have been found to attach to this behaviour, great caution was needed when inferring social and political attitudes in this population. Important future research could include an examination of locus of control and self-efficacy beliefs, especially with those involved in active campaigning on drug related issues. Until such research is conducted, the hypothesised relationship between illicit drug use and political behaviour remains a matter of conjecture.


2021 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2021-002906
Author(s):  
Phoebe Ulrick ◽  
Stacey Panozzo ◽  
David Marco ◽  
Anna Collins ◽  
Jennifer Philip

BackgroundWhile clinical wisdom has long provided suggested guidance around caring for people who use illicit drugs (referred to as PWUD) at the end of life, there is striking paucity of empirical evidence underpinning these practices. Understanding medications and doses required to manage symptoms at the end of life is essential to provide effective end-of-life care for these patients. This study aimed to examine the type and dose of medications prescribed to hospitalised patients who use illicit drugs at the end of life, compared with patients without previous or current illicit drug use.MethodA retrospective medical record review was conducted on consecutive patient deaths between 2012 and 2017 at a metropolitan hospital. PWUD were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codes for illicit drug use. Daily dosage of opioids, benzodiazepines and antipsychotics was documented for the last 3 days of life and compared with a matched comparator group.ResultsPWUD patients (n=55) received higher doses of opioids, midazolam and antipsychotics than comparator patients (n=55) for each day, significant for opioids in the last 24 hours (p=0.01). PWUD patients received a significantly higher total opioid dose (median=480.0 mg vs 255.0 mg) and midazolam (median=15.0 mg vs 5.0 mg) (both p<0.05). Rates of dose escalation did not differ.ConclusionsResults suggest that PWUD require greater doses of symptom-controlling medications, particularly opioids and midazolam, at the end of life but that rates of dose escalation do not differ greatly. This study provides a foundation for future research to inform clinical guidelines for this cohort of palliative care patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (13) ◽  
pp. 1238-1246
Author(s):  
Mohammad Rifat Haider ◽  
Caroline Kingori ◽  
Monique J Brown ◽  
Michele Battle-Fisher ◽  
Ilana Azulay Chertok

Young people aged 15–24 years account for half of all new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. The aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations of factors linked to STIs among US young adults (18–25 years). This study used the 2015–2018 pooled National Survey on Drug Use and Health data on 55,690 young adults. Almost 3.4% of the respondents reported having an STI in the past year. Among the participants, 38.4% used illicit drugs and 3.7% reported a history of delinquency in the past year. In the survey-weighted logistic regression model, odds for contracting STIs in the preceding year was higher among adults aged 22–25 versus 18–21 years (OR:1.26, 95%CI:1.12–1.42); male versus female (OR:2.44, 95%CI:2.11–2.82); non-Hispanic African American versus non-Hispanic White (OR:1.77, 95%CI:1.55–2.02); widowed/separated/divorced (OR:1.93, 95%CI:1.36–2.75) and never married (OR:1.29, 95%CI:1.07–1.55) versus married; full-time/part-time employed (aOR:1.17, 95% CI:1.04–1.31) compared to unemployed/other; history of delinquency (OR:2.31, 95%CI:1.89–2.83); and use of illicit drugs in the last year (OR:3.10, 95%CI:2.77–3.47). High incidence of illicit drug use by the young adults and its strong association with STI incidence in recent years warrant special attention. Tailored preventive measures should be focused on key predictors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (10) ◽  
pp. 1422-1454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia E. Nuño ◽  
Veronica M. Herrera ◽  
David E. Choate ◽  
Meagan Koontz

Although rates of illicit drug use in the United States have remained stable within the last decade, the age-of-onset for drug use is decreasing for certain substances, and the United States still accounts for the highest rates of overall drug use. In a recent national sample, an estimated 19.8 million users ages 12 years and older were identified. Preventative efforts that target adolescents often neglect to consider differences among racial/ethnic groups. Applying the Social Development Model (SDM), the current study examines the likelihood of drug use among Hispanic youth. Self-reported data ( n = 37,445) from a statewide, school-based sample collected in 2008 are used. Results suggest that the SDM is a promising framework for assessing Hispanic youths’ likelihood of engaging in illicit drug use.


Author(s):  
Louisa Degenhardt ◽  
Wayne Hall ◽  
Chiara Bucello

Although illicit drug use has been documented across the world, the quality of these estimates is best in the developed countries of Europe, North America, and Australasia. Regular use, “problem drug use,” and drug dependence are less frequently measured but are important to quantify in order to identify disease burden. This paper reviews European, North American, and Australasian estimates of illicit drug use, problem drug use, and drug dependence and presents risk factors of illicit drug use. These risk factors include health risks related to cannabis and mortality associated with problem drug use and injecting drug use. Drug-related morbidity is reviewed, including nonfatal overdose, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis B and C. Future research needs to focus on obtaining better estimates of mortality and morbidity to better understand the harms associated with illicit drug dependence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Sogo Angel Olofinbiyi ◽  
Thembelihle Mtambo

South African societies have been characterized by the prolific incidence of illicit drug use in recent times.  The paper attempts to examine the legislations implemented on the use of illicit drugs in South Africa. The study adopts a review of the literature to identify and describe the most common illicit drugs used around South Africa communities, placing emphasis on the policies developed by the South African government in combating these situations. The research follows a critical   discussion on the issues associated with drug use, its causes, as well as its effects on humans and the environment. The study recommends relevant initiatives to combat all intricacies associated with drug use within the country. This approach will be appropriate in facilitating a clear-cut   understanding of the possible remedies to quench the burning flame of illicit drug use across a broad range of South African communities.


Perfusion ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026765912110281
Author(s):  
Chrissa Sioka ◽  
Georgios Georgiou ◽  
Christos Katsouras ◽  
Konstantinos Pappas ◽  
Dimitris-Nikiforos Kiortsis ◽  
...  

Patients with illicit drug use may have deleterious acute and chronic cardiac effects. We present a case of a 42-year-old man, former alcohol and various illicit drugs user, who was admitted to the psychiatric unit for management of psychosis. Because of his previous drug and alcohol history, a cardiological evaluation was performed which revealed silent severe myocardial ischemia detected by myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The myocardial ischemia was attributed to coronary microvascular dysfunction, occurring several years after quitting the illicit drugs. This study highlights the potential myocardial ischemia that may occur in patients with previous alcohol and illicit drug use, and the role of MPI, a non-invasive test that can provide important information regarding the myocardial status of such patients, even without obvious cardiac symptoms or findings.


2018 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 71-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Vaughn ◽  
Christopher P. Salas-Wright ◽  
David Cordova ◽  
Erik J. Nelson ◽  
Lisa Jaegers

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