scholarly journals COVID-19’s Impact on Substance Use and Well-Being of Younger Adult Cannabis Users in California: A Mixed Methods Inquiry

2021 ◽  
pp. 002204262110526
Author(s):  
Ekaterina V. Fedorova ◽  
Carolyn F. Wong ◽  
Bridgid M. Conn ◽  
Janna Ataiants ◽  
Ellen Iverson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adaptive Coping ◽  
Quantitative Sample ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Staying At Home

Few qualitative studies have examined the impact of COVID-19 on cannabis and alcohol use, and overall well-being among cannabis users. Cannabis users (aged 26-32) were surveyed quantitatively (n=158) and interviewed qualitatively (n=29) in April 2020–May 2021 in Los Angeles. 63.3% of the quantitative sample reported increasing use of either cannabis (29.1%) or alcohol (15.2%) or both (19.0%) following the COVID-19 outbreak. Qualitative data revealed that increases in cannabis and alcohol use were largely attributed to changes in employment and staying at home resulting in fewer impediments and boredom. Themes of loneliness and utilization of various coping strategies were more pronounced among those who increased cannabis and/or alcohol use. For some, increases in cannabis/alcohol use were temporary until participants adjusted to “a new normal” or embraced more adaptive coping strategies. Results suggest monitoring cannabis/alcohol use trends and identifying coping strategies to reduce the pandemic’s impact on substance use and mental health.

scholarly journals Substance use in Portuguese and Spanish Adolescents: Highlights from Differences, Similarities and Moderating Effects

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1024-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Margarida Gaspar Matos ◽  
Carmen Moreno ◽  
Francisco Rivera ◽  
Joan M. Batista-Foguet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Satisfaction ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Many behaviors with lasting health impact are initiated in adolescence. Substance use is one such behavior. To analyse the factors involved in adolescent substance use among Portuguese and Spanish boys and girls, an explanatory model was developed using structural equations modelling. The model proposes that the impact of social contexts (family, friends, classmates and teachers) on substance use (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs) is mediated by perceptions of well-being (psychological symptoms, well-being and school satisfaction). Data on 1589 Portuguese (mean age = 13.27, SD =. 59) and 4191 Spanish adolescents (mean age= 13.21; SD =.47) who took part in the HBSC/WHO survey were analysed. The model fits the data of each country (CFI >.90; RMSEA < .03) and the majority of the relationships proposed in the model have been as expected for both samples. The relations with a major effect, for both countries, were: the negative effect of family on psychological symptoms and the positive effect of family on subjective well-being; the negative effect of classmates on psychological symptoms; the positive effect of teachers on school satisfaction; the effect of psychological symptoms (negative) and school satisfaction (positive) on well-being; the negative effect of school satisfaction on tobacco and alcohol use; and the positive effect of tobacco on alcohol use, and alcohol use on cannabis. For each of the dependent factors studied (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs), the levels of explained variance varied between 9% (for tobacco use) and 46% (for alcohol use). Some non-invariant paths were obtained in country comparisons, controlling for gender. In multivariate analyses the paths from tobacco use to cannabis and from alcohol to cannabis were significant, but much stronger for Spanish girls than Portuguese girls.

scholarly journals Older Adult Substance Use, Support, Health, and Well-Being: Understanding a Complex Picture

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 288-288
Author(s):  
Bethany Bareham ◽  
Verena Cimarolli ◽  
Alexis Kuerbis
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), particularly hazardous alcohol use and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), are increasingly common in older populations. Both are associated with poor mental and physical wellbeing. Alcohol use can also contribute positively to older people’s social and emotional wellbeing, and may be used by older people in managing pain. Health concerns can make older people more aware of the impact of their lifestyle, including substance use, for their health. The relationship between substance use, health and wellbeing in old age is complex, raising questions for how older people with SUDs are best supported. We aim to give insight into this complexity, drawing on five recent studies. Our first presentation examines the impact of health concerns in old age on alcohol use. Our second presentation explores the complicated relationship between experiences of pain, and alcohol use with age. Our third presentation considers wellbeing in older people with OUD, and the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences, psychosocial, health and sociodemographic factors; and what this means for how wellbeing is promoted in this population. Our fourth presentation explores how those supporting people with dementia navigate alcohol use amongst older residents, in a care context where autonomy is prioritised, but health risk behaviours must be managed. Our final presentation considers alcohol use in ‘the new normal’; examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older people’s alcohol use, and motivations to engage in healthier/unhealthy use. We consider implications of these complex considerations around addressing substance use amongst older people for practice.

scholarly journals The impact of poly-traumatization on treatment outcomes in young people with substance use disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidsel Karsberg ◽  
Morten Hesse ◽  
Michael Mulbjerg Pedersen ◽  
Ruby Charak ◽  
Mads Uffe Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Treatment Entry ◽  
Trauma Types ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Drug Use Disorder

Abstract Background It is believed that clients with psychological trauma experiences have a poor prognosis with regard to treatment participation and outcomes for substance use disorders. However, knowledge on the effect of the number of trauma experiences is scarce. Methods Using data from drug use disorder (DUD) treatment in Denmark, we assessed the impact of having experienced multiple potentially traumatic experiences on DUD treatment efficacy. Baseline and follow-up data from 775 young participants (mean age = 20.2 years, standard deviation = 2.6) recruited at nine treatment centers were included in analyses. Results Analyses showed that participants who were exposed multiple trauma experiences also reported a significantly higher intake of cannabis at treatment entry, and a lower well-being score than participants who reported less types or no types of victimization experiences. During treatment, patients with multiple types of trauma experiences showed a slower rate of reduction of cannabis than patients with few or no trauma experiences. The number of trauma types was not associated with number of sessions attended or the development of well-being in treatment. Conclusion Overall, the results show that although traumatized youth in DUD treatment show up for treatment, helping them to reduce substance use during treatment is uniquely challenging. Trial registration ISRCTN88025085, date of registration: 29.08.2016, retrospectively registered.

Improving lives not just saying no to substances: Evaluating outcomes for a young people’s substance use team trained in the AMBIT approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 490-504
Author(s):  
Peter Fuggle ◽  
Laura Talbot ◽  
James Wheeler ◽  
Jessica Rees ◽  
Emily Ventre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Young People ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Integrative Therapy ◽  
The Impact

Adaptive Mentalization Based Integrative Therapy (AMBIT) is a systemic, mentalization based intervention designed for young people with multiple problems including mental health problems. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of this approach both on clinical and functional outcomes for young people seen by a specialist young people’s substance use service between 2015 and 2018. About 499 cases were seen by the service during this period. Substance use outcomes were obtained for 383 cases using the Treatment Outcome Profile (TOP). Cannabis and alcohol use were the key substance use problems for 81% and 63% respectively. Functional outcomes using the AMBIT Integrative Measure (AIM) were obtained for 100 cases covering domains of daily living, socio-economic context, peer relationships and mental health. At treatment end, cannabis use reduced significantly ( t = 10.78; df = 311; p = .00; Cohen’s d ES.61 as did alcohol use ( t = 6.938; df = 242; p = .000; ES 0.44). Functional improvements were shown in five out of seven domains with highly significant total functional improvements on key problems selected by the client ( t = 14.01; df = 99; p = .000; ES1.34). Measuring functional as well as clinical outcomes appears to reflect more accurately the overall benefit of the service to clients.

scholarly journals Women’s lives in times of Zika: mosquito-controlled lives?

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Rosa Linde ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Siqueira
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
The Us ◽  
Women's Lives ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
The Impact

Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences to pregnancies has made governments, national and international agencies issue advices and recommendations to women. There is a clear need to investigate how the Zika outbreak affects the decisions that women take concerning their lives and the life of their families, as well as how women are psychologically and emotionally dealing with the outbreak. We conducted a qualitative study to address the impact of the Zika epidemic on the family life of women living in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the US, who were affected by it to shed light on the social repercussions of Zika. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. We describe the effects in mental health and the coping strategies that women use to deal with the Zika epidemic. Zika is taking a heavy toll on women’s emotional well-being. They are coping with feelings of fear, helplessness, and uncertainty by taking drastic precautions to avoid infection that affect all areas of their lives. Coping strategies pose obstacles in professional life, lead to social isolation, including from family and partner, and threaten the emotional and physical well-being of women. Our findings suggest that the impacts of the Zika epidemic on women may be universal and global. Zika infection is a silent and heavy burden on women’s shoulders.

scholarly journals Making Choices and Reducing Risk (MCARR): School Counseling Primary Prevention of Substance Use

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-369
Author(s):  
Louisa L. Foss-Kelly ◽  
Margaret M. Generali ◽  
Michael J. Crowley
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
School Community ◽  
Longitudinal Impact ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Making Choices ◽  
Drug And Alcohol Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

The consequences of adolescent drug and alcohol use may be serious and far-reaching, forecasting problematic use or addictive behaviors into adulthood. School counselors are particularly well suited to understand the needs of the school community and to seamlessly deliver sustainable substance use prevention. This pilot study with 46 ninth-grade students investigates the impact of the Making Choices and Reducing Risk (MCARR) program, a drug and alcohol use prevention program for the school setting. The MCARR curriculum addresses general knowledge of substances and their related risks, methods for evaluating risk, and skills for avoiding or coping with drug and alcohol use. Using a motivational interviewing framework, MCARR empowers students to choose freely how they wish to behave in relation to drugs and alcohol and to contribute to the health of others in the school community. The authors hypothesized that the implementation of the MCARR curriculum would influence student attitudes, knowledge, and use of substances. Results suggest that the MCARR had a beneficial impact on student attitudes and knowledge. Further, no appreciable increases in substance use during the program were observed. Initial results point to the promise of program feasibility and further research with larger samples including assessment of longitudinal impact.

scholarly journals Levels and Prevalence of Mental Health Functioning in Canadian University Student-Athletes

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista J. Van Slingerland ◽  
Natalie Durand-Bush ◽  
Scott Rathwell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Mental Health Functioning ◽  
Health Functioning ◽  
The Impact

We examined the level and prevalence of mental health functioning (MHF) in intercollegiate student-athletes from 30 Canadian universities, and the impact of time of year, gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport on MHF. An online survey completed in November 2015 (N = 388) and March 2016 (n = 110) revealed that overall, MHF levels were moderate to high, and more student-athletes were flourishing than languishing. MHF levels did not significantly differ across time based on gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport. Eighteen percent reported a previous mental illness diagnosis and yet maintained moderate MHF across time. These findings support Keyes’ (2002) dual-continua model, suggesting that the presence of mental illness does not automatically imply low levels of well-being and languishing. Nonetheless, those without a previous diagnosis were 3.18 times more likely to be flourishing at Time 1 (November 2015).  

scholarly journals Companion Animal Type and Level of Engagement Matter: A Mixed-Methods Study Examining Links between Companion Animal Guardianship, Loneliness and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2349
Author(s):  
Heather Clements ◽  
Stephanie Valentin ◽  
Nicholas Jenkins ◽  
Jean Rankin ◽  
Nancy R. Gee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Companion Animal ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, countries worldwide placed limitations on social interaction, which is anticipated to have severe psychological consequences. Although findings are inconsistent, prior research has suggested that companion animals may positively influence human well-being and reduce loneliness. In the context of COVID-19, this has important implications, as companion animal guardians may be less negatively affected by the pandemic. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the influence of companion animals on mental well-being and loneliness during the pandemic, with specific interest in the role of ornamental fishes. A mixed-methods study was conducted, using an international sample. Quantitative data were collected via an online survey (n = 1199) and analysed using robust hierarchical multiple regression analyses; the influence of level of engagement with companion animals was examined for dogs, cats and ornamental fishes. There was no evidence that companion animal guardianship was associated with loneliness and mental well-being during the pandemic but spending more time engaging physically or socially with dogs (and to a lesser extent cats) was generally associated with poorer outcomes. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended survey responses (n = 757) and semi-structured interviews (n = 25) and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two themes were developed—one related to companion animals as providers of social and emotional support, and the other to companion animals as providers of purpose and perspective. Concerns regarding the impact of the pandemic on animal welfare were also identified. Compared to other animal types, more participants expressed indifference regarding the impact of their fishes on their well-being during the pandemic, possibly because fishes cannot provide comfort via physical touch. The findings of this study reflect the wider field of human–animal interaction; although qualitative data suggest guardians believe their companion animals are a positive influence in their lives, there is little convincing quantitative data to support these beliefs. This highlights the need to refine theories regarding which aspects of companion animal guardianship may influence human well-being; the findings from this research may be useful in the refinement of such theories.

Working in a prison: Challenges, rewards, and the impact on mental health and well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Dennard ◽  
Derek K. Tracy ◽  
Aaron Beeney ◽  
Laura Craster ◽  
Fiona Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Staff Support ◽  
Prison Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Driven Approach ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Prisons are uniquely challenging working environments. Staff are often exposed to direct and indirect trauma, impacting negatively on their mental well-being. Due to the limited research into prison staff experience, this paper aims to explore what staff find most challenging, how they cope, what support they would like and rewarding aspects of their work. Design/methodology/approach This service development project was facilitated through a staff well-being event. A qualitative approach was used and 74 staff members provided anonymised responses. An inductive and data-driven approach was used to analyse the data, and the trustworthiness of the analysis was considered using criteria established by Lincoln and Guba (1985). Findings Thematic analysis identified six themes, namely, the challenging nature of the work, interactions with prisoners, staff interactions, inadequate resources, staff support and development and coping strategies. Key findings include managing distress, self-harm and violence and limited resources presenting challenges. Role variety and opportunities to support prisoners were reported as positive. A variety of coping strategies were identified. Wider availability of supervision and reflective practice was suggested by staff. Practical implications Recommendations for increased staff support are made. Suggestions for future research investigating methods to increase rewarding aspects of work within prisons are given. Originality/value This analysis adds to the limited body of qualitative research investigating prison staff experiences; in particular, aspects of the work that they find rewarding such as the role variety and opportunities to make positive changes to prisoners’ lives. Novel coping strategies were identified, including cognitive reframing and behavioural strategies for managing stress, which could be encouraged to increase resilience.

Music-based emotion regulation and healthy and unhealthy music use predict coping strategies in adults with substance use disorder: A cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
pp. 030573561985452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Adaptive Coping ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Coping

While many people use music for emotion regulation, there is a dearth of empirical inquiry investigating if music-based self-regulatory factors correlate with and predict coping in adults with substance use disorder (SUD). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore music-based emotion regulation, healthy and unhealthy music use, and coping strategies in adults with SUD on a detoxification unit via correlational and multiple regression analyses. Participants ( N = 194) completed the Brief Music in Mood Regulation Scale, the Healthy-Unhealthy Music Scale, and the Brief COPE. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine which music-based emotion regulation factors were related to and predicted coping. There were a plethora of significant relationships between music-based factors and coping. Regression results indicated that solace predicted acceptance and entertainment predicted venting. Healthy music use predicted active coping and humor, while unhealthy music use predicted venting, denial, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame. Generally, unhealthy music use predicted maladaptive coping while healthy music use predicted adaptive coping. As music use is common for people with SUD, it seems that music-based emotion regulation training may have the possibility to augment adaptive coping skills with the ultimate goal of increasing the likelihood of recovery.

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