scholarly journals Health Literacy, Self-Perceived Health, and Substance Use Behavior among Young People with Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4337
Author(s):  
Gabriela Rolova ◽  
Beata Gavurova ◽  
Benjamin Petruzelka
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Living Condition ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Limited Health Literacy

Licit and illicit substance use is one of the major public health issues with severe negative health consequences for individuals and society. Health literacy is essential for improving one’s health and navigation in the healthcare system. However, the evidence of health literacy in people with substance use disorders is limited. This study aims to examine health literacy and its socio-demographic, health-related, and substance use-related correlates in young people with alcohol (AUD) and substance use disorders (SUD). In this study, cross-sectional data of young people undergoing addiction treatment for AUD (N = 201, mean age 37.6) and SUD (N = 165, mean age 31.1) were used. Health literacy was assessed using the HLS-EU-Q47. Simple and multiple linear regression was performed to estimate the correlates of health literacy. In total, 37.8% of participants with AUD and 41.8% of SUD had limited health literacy. In participants with AUD, living condition factors, self-perceived health indicators, and frequency of alcohol use showed a significant effect on health literacy. In participants with SUD, financial factors, self-perceived health indicators, and injection sharing showed a significant effect. Increasing health literacy might contribute to improved health outcomes and decreased high-risk substance use-related behavior in people undergoing addiction treatment.

Health literacy and mental health of school principals. Results from a German cross-sectional survey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Dadaczynski ◽  
Claudia Kotarski ◽  
Katharina Rathmann ◽  
Orkan Okan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Characteristics ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

PurposeSchool principals are generally seen as key facilitators for the delivery and long-term implementation of activities on school health promotion, including health literacy. However, there is little evidence on the health literacy and health status of this occupational group. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the health literacy of school principals and its association with mental health indicators.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional online survey with German school principals and members of the management board (vice principals) was conducted (n = 680, 68.3% female). Demographic (gender, age) and work characteristics (type of school, professional role) as well as health literacy served as independent variables. Mental health as a dependent variable included well-being, emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Next to uni- and bivariate analysis, a series of binary logistic regression models was performed.FindingsOf the respondents, 29.2% showed a limited health literacy with significant differences to the disadvantage of male principals. With regard to mental health, respondents aged over 60 years and those from schools for children with special educational needs were less often affected by low well-being as well as frequent emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Taking into account demographic and work characteristics, regression models revealed significant associations between a low level of health literacy and poor mental health across all indicators.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional nature of this study does not allow to draw conclusions about the causal pathways between health literacy and mental health. Although the sample has been weighted, the results cannot be generalized to the whole population of school principals. There is a need for evidence-based interventions aiming at promoting health literacy and mental health tailored to the needs of school principals.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate health literacy and its association with health indicators among school principals.

Self-Perceptions and Benefit Finding Among Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders and Their Caregivers: A Qualitative Analysis Guided by Social Identity Theory of Cessation Maintenance

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-423
Author(s):  
Natalie M. Brousseau ◽  
Valerie A. Earnshaw ◽  
David Menino ◽  
Laura M. Bogart ◽  
Jennifer Carrano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Young People ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Benefit Finding ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Psychosocial Processes

Substance use disorders (SUDs) among young people have been linked with a range of adverse health consequences that can be successfully mitigated with early SUD treatment. According to the Social Identity Theory of Cessation Maintenance (SITCM), psychosocial processes including self-perceptions and benefit finding evolve with treatment, influencing recovery-based identities that can facilitate treatment success. However, this process has only been documented with adults; thus, the current study seeks to characterize these psychosocial processes among young people in SUD treatment and their caregivers. Nineteen young people receiving SUD treatment and 15 caregivers were interviewed about treatment experiences including negative self-perceptions, positive self-perceptions, and benefit finding. Results support the SITCM: Adolescents described escaping negative self-perceptions associated with the “substance use self” identity and strengthening a new “recovery self” identity characterized by positive self-perceptions and benefit finding. Caregivers described how extrinsic sources of support can help mitigate negative self-perceptions.

scholarly journals Vitamin D deficiency in young people with substance use disorders

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 601-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Bonomo ◽  
Danielle Panaccio ◽  
Pamela Anjara ◽  
Lucy Selleck ◽  
Heidi Arnel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Young People ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Substance Use Disorders

scholarly journals Implementation and Evaluation of a Text Message–Based Addiction Counseling Program (Text4Hope-Addiction Support): Protocol for a Questionnaire Study

10.2196/22047 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e22047
Author(s):  
Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong ◽  
Marianne Hrabok ◽  
Wesley Vuong ◽  
April Gusnowski ◽  
Reham Shalaby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Demographic Correlates

Background With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing counseling to people with drug or alcohol addiction while maintaining physical distance has been challenging. This protocol describes the use of text messaging (as used in the Text4Hope-Addiction Support program) as a convenient, evidence-based, cost-effective, and accessible population-level mental health intervention with high user satisfaction proven in prior research. Objective The project goal is to implement a program of daily supportive text messaging (Text4Hope-Addiction Support) to reduce drug or alcohol cravings as well as anxiety and depression, typically associated with alcohol and substance use disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms; demographic correlates of the same; and the outcomes of the Text4Hope-Addiction Support intervention in mitigating cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Methods Self-administered, anonymous, online questionnaires will be used to assess cravings for the primary substance of addiction (Brief Substance Craving Scale), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Data will be collected at baseline (onset of receiving text messages), program midpoint (6 weeks), and program end (12 weeks). Results As of October 2020, data collection is in progress; and it is expected to be completed by fall 2021. Data analysis will include parametric and nonparametric techniques, focusing on primary outcomes (ie, cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) and metrics of use, including the number of subscribers and user satisfaction. Conclusions This Text4Hope-Addiction Support project will provide key information regarding the prevalence rates of cravings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among persons with alcohol and substance use disorders; demographic correlates of cravings, anxiety, and depression; and outcome data related to this scalable population-level intervention. Information from this study will be valuable for addiction care practitioners; it will inform the policy and decision making regarding population-level addiction treatment and support during emergencies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/22047

scholarly journals Co -occurring Mental Disorders among In-patients in a Substance use Disorder Treatment Center in Plateau State, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-229
Author(s):  
D M Makput
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Functional Abnormality ◽  
Plateau State

Patients with psychoactive substance use disorders (SUD) often have co- occurring medical and mental disorders. This occurs as a result of a number of factors, for instance, drug abuse may facilitate the full expression of a latent psychiatric disorder; mental disorder may lead to SUD (drugs used for self- medication; or both SUD and mental disorders are caused by the same underlying brain deficit such as genetic vulnerability, neurotransmitter abnormality, structural or functional abnormality, and so on. After obtaining ethical clearance, the case notes of all patients who were admitted in the Centre for Addiction Treatment and Research, (CATR) Vom, Plateau state throughout the first quarter of year 2019 were traced. A systematic random sample of every third consecutive patient was selected beginning with the first patient admitted and relevant data were collected and analyzed. A total of fourty- eight (48) in-patients were analyzed. Ninety -four percent (94%) of the patients were males, the mean age of 23.6 + 5 years with 46% being below 25 years of age. Fourty-six percent (46%) had cannabis as their primary drug followed by alcohol (32%) and opioids (28%). Only 1 % had a history of injecting drug use. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of the SUD patients had co-occurring depression, nine percent (8%) had anxiety disorder, and five percent (4%) had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in addition to their substance use disorder. In line with sustainable development goals (SDG) goal 3.5 which seeks to “strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse including narcotics drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol”; identifying co-occurring mental disorders among patients with substance use disorders is one way of moving closer towards achieving this SDG.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document