The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

ASHES 4(7) - Questioning Causality: Childhood Sexual Abuse and Smoking

Researchers have linked exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA), with or without post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, to higher prevalence rates of cigarette smoking compared to the general population (e.g., Al Mamun Alati, O'Callaghan, Hayatbakhsh, O'Callaghan, et al. 2007). This association suggests a causal link between CSA and subsequent risk for regular smoking. However, if CSA were truly a “cause” of smoking, then people who experienced more CSA incidents would be more likely to smoke than people who experienced fewer CSA incidents. This week’s ASHES examines data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents and young adults to determine whether young... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol 4(5) - How Many Cocktails? That depends on your Day Job.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an annual, state-based telephone survey run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BRFSS gathers information from a national population sample about the leading causes of death from health risk behaviors. This research informs preventative health practices. Jarman et al. (2007) used the 2004 and 2005 North Dakota BRFSS data to study the relationship between occupation and binge drinking. In this week’s BASIS, we report the findings from this study and discuss their potential public health benefits. North Dakota’s BRFSS Survey had a 62% response rate in 2004 and... Read more →

The WAGER 13(5) - After Gambling Treatment, Is It Possible To Know When to Say When?

A number of longitudinal studies have determined that, after treatment, a proportion of pathological gamblers are able to gamble in moderation without relapsing (e.g., Abbott, Williams, & Volberg, 2004; Hodgins, Currie, el-Guebaly, & Peden, 2004; Ladouceur, 2005). However, little is known about how posttreatment gambling behavior relates to the return of gambling-related problems. This week’s WAGER reviews a study of posttreatment gambling behavior. Petry and colleagues (2006) recruited individuals via local media advertising to participate in a study of gambling treatments (see Petry et al., 2006 for treatment results). Weinstock, Ledgerwood and Petry (2007) then conducted 12-month follow-up assessments with... Read more →

STASH Vol. 4 (5) – Syringe Exchange Programs: Injecting cities with a dose of prevention

The sharing of syringes for injection drug use (IDU) can lead to a variety of diseases: hepatitis B (HBV); hepatitis C (HCV); and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). One successful public health intervention to combat the repeated use of potentially contaminated syringes is a syringe exchange program (SEP) (e.g., Des Jarlais & Friedman, 1998). In countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, the federal government provides funding to help support SEPs (Des Jarlais et al., 2006). In the United States, because some politicians believe funding SEPs supports drug use (Christoffersen, 2007), the federal government currently prohibits federal funding for SEPs.... Read more →