Background

Novel public health interventions are needed to address the toxic drug supply and meet the needs of people who use drugs amidst the overdose crisis. Safer supply – low-barrier distribution of pharmaceutical grade substances – has been implemented in some jurisdictions to provide safer alternatives to the unregulated drug supply, yet no studies to date have explored professional stakeholder perspectives on this approach.

Methods

Purposive sampling was used to recruit professional stakeholders (n = 17) from four locations in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, including...

Background

There is a higher prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) among justice-involved children (JIC). It is critical to ensure that JIC who report current use are referred for SUD assessment and potentially life-saving treatment services. Prior research suggests that certain minoritised groups may be less likely to have ever been referred for screening, and research on intersectionality suggests that these disparities may be exacerbated for racially minoritised females.

Methods

Multivariate logistic regression and interaction effects were employed to analyse longitudinal data from...

Background

COVID-19 dramatically limited the scale and scope of local health department (LHD) work, redirecting resources to the response. However, the need for essential public health services—including substance use prevention—was not reduced.

Methods

Six quantitative data sources were examined, collected between 2016 and 2021, to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LHD substance use-related services.

Results

Before the pandemic, the proportion of LHDs providing some level of substance use prevention services was increasing, and many were expanding their level of provision...

Το Καναδικό Κοινοτικό Δίκτυο Επιδημιολογίας για τη Χρήση Ναρκωτικών (CCENDU) είναι ένα πανκαναδικό δίκτυο κοινοτικών εταίρων που συντονίζεται από το Καναδικό Κέντρο για τη Χρήση Ουσιών και τον Εθισμό (CCSA). Το δίκτυο έχει τοποθεσίες στη Βρετανική Κολομβία, τη Μανιτόμπα, το Thunder Bay, το Τορόντο, το Κεμπέκ, τη Νέα Σκωτία και τη Νέα Γη και το Λαμπραντόρ.

Τον Απρίλιο του 2019, η CCENDU δημοσίευσε ένα δελτίο σχετικά με τις αλλαγές στη χρήση διεγερτικών και τις σχετικές βλάβες, το οποίο επικεντρώθηκε στη μεθαμφεταμίνη και την κοκαΐνη* με βάση τα δεδομένα που συλλέχθηκαν από τους ιστότοπους της...

Φόντο

Η κατάσταση έκτακτης ανάγκης COVID-19 έχει δοκιμάσει τις υποδομές δημόσιας υγείας, ιατρικής και δημόσιας ασφάλειας των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών (ΗΠΑ) με πρωτοφανείς τρόπους. Ως σημείο εστίασης για τη δημόσια υγεία στις κοινότητές τους, τα τοπικά τμήματα υγείας (LHDs) επηρεάστηκαν ιδιαίτερα από την έναρξη της πανδημίας. Η πανδημία περιόρισε την κλίμακα και το πεδίο εφαρμογής του έργου του τοπικού τμήματος υγείας (LHD), ανακατευθύνοντας πόρους στην ανταπόκριση. Ωστόσο, η ανάγκη για βασικές υπηρεσίες δημόσιας υγείας - συμπεριλαμβανομένης της πρόληψης της χρήσης ουσιών - δεν μειώθηκε.

Μεθόδους

BACKGROUND:

A close relationship between a parent and a child and parental acceptance can mediate the appropriate self-acceptance of an adolescent, which is an important variable related to personality and a pillar of emotional health. In the paper we present the conclusions of a research study about the quality of the attachment towards parents and self-acceptance of adolescents at Czech secondary schools.

AIMS:

The aim of the study was the exploration of the relation between the attachment style and self-acceptance.

SAMPLE:

The research sample consists of 3,239 adolescents aged 15–19 in...

BACKGROUND:

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) generate an aerosol by vaporising e-liquids that usually consist of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), and other ingredients (water, nicotine, and flavours). The chemical and physical properties of these components have a significant effect on aerosol formation and must be identified in order to improve product attractiveness and assess the degree of health risks.

AIM:

The aim of this article is to provide a description of the composition of the e-liquid base and its impact on the physical properties of the liquid used...

Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines were originally published by CCSA in November 2011 and were the result of the work of alcohol research experts in Canada. Since then, substantial new research on the association between alcohol use and physical, mental and social harms has been completed. Many countries have updated their guidance on drinking to reflect these advancements in what is known about the risks and benefits associated with alcohol consumption.

The report is composed of three documents: the Public Summary, the Technical Summary and the Technical Report. 

• The Public...

Background

Opioid overdose remains a public health crisis in diverse communities. Between 2019 and 2020, there was an almost 40% increase in drug fatalities primarily due to opioid analogues of both stimulants and opioids. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD; e.g., buprenorphine) are effective, evidence-based treatments that can be delivered in office-based primary care settings. We investigated disparities in the proportion of national prescribers who have obtained a waiver issued to prescribe MOUD by demographic characteristics.

Methods

Data for the secondary data analyses were...

Background

Substance use among youth (ages 12–24) is troublesome given the increasing risk of harms associated. Even more so, substance use services are largely under utilised among youth, most only accessing support when in crisis. Few studies have explored young people’s help-seeking behaviours to address substance use concerns. To address this gap, this study explored how youth perceive and experience substance use services in British Columbia (BC), Canada.

Methods

Participatory action research methods were used by partnering with BC youth (under the age of 30) from across the province...

Background

When used in combination with other therapies for drug use disorders, neurofeedback (NF) has been classified as "probably effective," according to recent research in the community of people with opioid use disorder. Despite these encouraging results, the severity of the opioid crisis, and the high risk of relapse even with the most effective medication-assisted maintenance therapy, NF remains a little-studied therapeutic option. The possibility of incorporating Alpha/Theta Neurofeedback into standard opioid addiction therapy in an outpatient urban treatment facility is examined in...