Characterization of the genetic relationship between the domains of sleep and circadian-related behaviors with substance use phenotypes

AbstractSleep problems and substance use frequently cooccur. While substance use can often manifest as specific sleep deficits, genetic pleiotropy could also explain part of the relationship between sleep and substance use. Here we assess the genetic overlap between substance use behaviors and both sleep and circadian-related activity measures by deriving genetic clusters between these domains and testing processes of causality vs. horizontal pleiotropy using the largest publicly available genome-wide summary statistics of substance use behaviors (N= 79,729 - 632,802) and sleep/activity phenotypes/endophenotypes to date (N=85,502 - 449,734). We found 31 genetic correlations between substance use and sleep/activity measures after Bonferroni correction. Two specific genetic clusters explained our patterns of overlap. Genes associated with tobacco use severity (age of first regular tobacco use and smoking cessation) share overlap with elements of sleep health (sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and chronotype). Substance consumption (drinks per day and cigarettes per day) and problematic substance use behaviors (cannabis use disorder, opioid use disorder, and problematic alcohol use) clustered strongly with problematic measures of sleep (insomnia, self-reported short sleep duration, increased number of sleep episodes, increased sleep duration variability, diurnal inactivity) as well as measures of circadian-related activity (L5, M10, and sleep midpoint). Latent causal variable analyses determined that horizontal pleiotropy (rather than causality) underlies a majority of the associations between substance use and sleep/circadian related measures, except one plausible genetically causal relationship for opioid use disorder on self-reported long sleep duration. Results indeed show significant genetic overlap between substance use and sleep/circadian-related activity measures.

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Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116163 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6163

Author(s):

Rosemarie Martin ◽

Augustine W. Kang ◽

Audrey A. DeBritz ◽

Mary R. Walton ◽

Ariel Hoadley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Telephone Counseling ◽

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Appropriate Technology ◽

Counseling Services ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Qualitative Evidence ◽

Positive Experiences ◽

Anxiety Depression

Using quantitative and qualitative evidence, this study triangulates counselors’ perspectives on the use of telemedicine in the context of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment. A concurrent mixed-methods design examined counselors’ experiences with telephone counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic. N = 42 counselors who provided OUD counseling services completed a close-ended, quantitative survey examining their experiences in addressing clients’ anxiety, depression, anger, substance use, therapeutic relationship, and substance use recovery using telephone counseling. The survey also assessed comfort, convenience, and satisfaction with telephone counseling. Counselors also completed open-ended responses examining satisfaction, convenience, relationship with patients, substance use, and general feedback with telephone counseling. The synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence indicated that a majority of counselors had positive experiences with using telephone counseling to provide services to clients undergoing OUD treatment. Convenience, greater access to clients, and flexibility were among the reasons cited for their positive experience. However, counselors also expressed that the telephone counseling was impersonal, and that some clients may have difficulties accessing appropriate technology for telehealth adoption. Findings suggest that further research with counselors is needed to identify the key elements of an effective integration of telephone counseling with traditional in-person treatment approaches in the post-pandemic era.

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