The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

STASH, Vol. 9(2) - Lag time: Barriers to treatment in a national sample of people with substance disorders

Introduction Wait time is one of the most commonly cited barriers to substance abuse treatment (Claus, 2002; Festinger, 1995). To date, no national study has collected data about factors that might influence wait time. This week we review a study that identified program and client characteristics associated with longer wait time for entry in a substance abuse treatment program (Andrews, 2013). Methods The researchers used data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (Gerstein, 1995), a national longitudinal study of outpatient substance abuse treatment programs serving underserved clients such as minorities, youth, and those in the criminal justice system. The... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 9(1) – Puff To Soothe Distress? Examining the relationship between smoking and PTSD symptom clusters

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex anxiety disorder that presents a wide variety of symptoms. Previous studies have found a positive relationship between PTSD and smoking (e. g. Feldner et al., 2007). This week’s ASHES reviews a study that delves deeper into that association, examining how specific PTSD symptom clusters relate to markers of smoking and nicotine dependence (Greenberg et al., 2012). Methods Researchers used data from Waves I and II of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a US-representative general household survey that assessed criteria for mental health disorders (Wave I n=43,093, Wave II... Read more →

Special Topics in Addiction and the Humanities: Music Therapy for Chemically Dependent Youth

Editor’s Note: The Division on Addiction has recently begun a partnership with the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations, a residential chemical dependency treatment center for adolescents located in Spokane, WA. The Healing Lodge provides innovative treatment to both Native and non-Native youth that incorporates Native American culture in the healing process. One of the Healing Lodge's most recent treatment innovations is Abstract Music, a program that encourages residents to express their thoughts and feelings through music. In 2011, that program won the "Innovative Program of Year” award from the Washington State Department of Behavioral Health and Recovery and an... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 9(1) - Attempted suicide and alcohol use disorder in the elderly

Many studies have investigated comorbidity between substance use disorders and other mental health issues. In particular, some researchers have studied possible associations between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and attempted and completed suicide in various populations (Conwell et al, 2000; Chiu et al., 2004). This week’s BASIS reviews a study that investigates this association in an elderly population in Western Sweden (Morin et al., 2012). Methods The researchers targeted people 70 years or older who were admitted to a medical emergency department after a suicide attempt. One hundred thirty-three were invited to participate, and 103 (77%; 47 men) agreed to participate.... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 18(1) - Disorder or distraction? Experiential Avoidance and problem gambling behaviors

Experiential avoidance (EA) refers to an individual’s attempt to avoid internal experiences related to an event, such as thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, by engaging in some other activity (Riley 2012). Researchers have suggested that people can engage in EA through a number of activities, including sex, drug use, exercise, and gambling (Riley 2012). EA might therefore be related to the development of gambling problems. This week’s WAGER reviews a study that explored the relationship between EA and problem gambling, as well as the relationships between these constructs and related constructs: thought suppression and mindfulness (Riley 2012). Methods A convenience... Read more →

Op-Ed/Editorials: Changes to the BASIS

We’d like to take this opportunity to announce some upcoming changes to the BASIS. Beginning during January 2013, the humanities review Addiction and the Humanities will move from the regular weekly rotation to a special commentary schedule. This will allow us to concentrate our weekly efforts on reviews of scientific journal articles via the remaining four sections: the Worldwide Addiction Gambling Education Report (WAGER), the Drinking Report for Addiction Medicine (DRAM), Addiction Smoking Health Education Service (ASHES), and Science Threads on Addiction, Substance Use, and Health (STASH). Division on Addiction faculty will continue to offer commentary on interesting connections between... Read more →

STASH, Vol. 9(1) - Not so different after all? Sex-specific patterns of psychiatric comorbidity among men and women with SUD

People who experience substance-use disorders (SUD) also tend to experience a range of comorbid psychiatric conditions (e.g., Kessler et al., 1997). Some evidence suggests that the profile of comorbid conditions differs for men and women with SUD (e.g., Kessler et al., 1997). However, past estimates of sex-specific comorbid associations have not been adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and the presence of other co-occurring psychiatric conditions. This week’s STASH reviews a study that examines sex-specific comorbid associations with SUD while controlling for these additional variables (Goldstein, Dawson, Chou, & Grant, 2012). Methods The researchers used data from Wave 2 of the National... Read more →