Prevalence of alcohol, illicit drugs and psychoactive medicines in killed drivers in four European countries
Sara‐Ann LegrandHallvard GjerdeCristina IsalbertiTrudy Van der LindenPirjo LillsundeMário DiasSusanne GustafssonG. CederAlain Verstraete
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Abstract:
Our objective was to determine the presence of psychoactive substances in blood of drivers killed in road crashes in four European countries. Data from 1118 drivers of car and vans, killed between 2006 and 2009, were collected in Finland, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. The prevalence of any psychoactive substance ranged between 31 and 48%. Alcohol (≥ 0.1 g/L) was the most common finding, 87% had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥ .5 g/L. Benzodiazepines (1.8–13.3%) and amphetamines (0–7.4%) were the most prevalent psychoactive medicines and illicit drugs, respectively. Alcohol–drug and drug–drug combinations were rather prevalent. Differences in alcohol/drug findings seemed to reflect differences in use in the countries. More research should be done to develop preventive strategies to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related traffic accidents targeting at-risk groups, such as drivers with very high BACs and novice drivers.Keywords:
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Objective: There is an increased trend in the use of psychoactive substances among youths in Northern Nigeria. Youths use substances to enhance performances. Studies have shown associations between drug use and psychiatric morbidity. This study examined the use of psychoactive substances among undergraduates. It also assessed the presence of psychiatric morbidity among the users and nonusers of psychoactive drugs.
Method: The study was a cross-sectional study using WHO Student Drug Use Survey Questionnaire and GHQ-12 for 983 undergraduates of a northern Nigeria university.
Results: The prevalence rate of psychoactive substance use was 36.5%. Tobacco, stimulants and alcohol were commonly used drugs. Parental separation and fathers' use of drugs were factors associated with the use of psychoactive substances. Psychiatric morbidity among substance users and non-users were 31.0% and 11.8%
Conclusion: The study found high rate for the use of psychoactive substances among the students with correspondingly high rate of psychiatric morbidity among the users of psychoactive substances.
Keywords: Psychoactive substance; Psychiatric morbidity; undergraduate students.
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Quality of life is related to one of the basic human desires, which is to live well and feel good. The scope of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of psychoactive substance users. Eleven (11) databases were searched for information sources published between 2018 and 2021 that are prospectively linked to quality of life and psychoactive substance users, using longitudinal data and predictive models. The searches yielded 102 sources, out of which seven (7) sources were retained after a thorough review of titles and abstracts for their conceptual and methodological relevance to the full-text review. Overall, this review illustrates the evidence exploring the direct effect of psychoactive substance users on quality of life and identifies seven (7) studies whose outcomes were the same effect of psychoactive substance use and quality of life, of which six studies found a significant relationship between quality of life and psychoactive substance use. One study suggested that there is worse quality of life among psychoactive substance users with low scores in SF-36 (Item Short-Form Health Survey) and poor health status considered. Remarkable evidence was available; hence, evidence is sufficient to draw the conclusion that there is no good quality of life for psychoactive substance users. In conclusion, factors that were found to be associated with use of psychoactive substances among the users were parents not living together and fathers' use of psychoactive substances, educational status, occupation, environmental factor, physical factor, psychological factor, emotional factor and socio economic status. Current research provides a true understanding of the relationship between quality of life and psychoactive substance users but a research study is needed to provide treatment and rehabilitation management of such diagnosed psychoactive substance users.
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Psychoactive substance use is frequently encountered in hospitals' emergency departments (EDs). It accounts for major health-care problems frequently leading to accident and ED admissions, yet it is frequently unidentified. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among patients presenting in the Accident and EDs and to compare the case detection rate of psychoactive substance use between self-report questionnaire and biochemical markers (e.g., urine toxicology).To achieve this, 200 consenting participants attending the accident and emergency unit of a tertiary hospital were consecutively enlisted into the study within 2 weeks. They were screened for psychoactive substance use with the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the urine drug test (UDT).The lifetime prevalence of psychoactive substance use was 45.5%, while the past 3 months (recent use) prevalence was 27.0%. The pattern of psychoactive substance use revealed that alcohol was the predominant psychoactive substance use with a lifetime prevalence of 13.0% and recent use of 12.0%. The UDT significantly detected more patients who used psychoactive substance compared to self-report (P < 0.001).The prevalence of drug use recorded among attendees of the accident and emergency unit was high in this study. The UDT significantly detected more patients who used psychoactive substances compared to self-report (P < 0.001). Several patients with major health problems as a result of psychoactive substance use were identified with the aid of these screening tools.
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Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate the influence of tightened regulations on new psychoactive substances in patients with disorders related to these drugs in Japan. Methods We used a biennial nationwide survey on drug‐related psychiatric disorders to examine why individuals who had previously used new psychoactive substances as their primary drug (the drug that had the greatest impact on their psychiatric symptoms) had switched to other drugs, how they had used drugs in the last 12 months and what type of drugs they were now using. We compared the clinical features of these individuals with patients who mainly used new psychoactive substances and had used these drugs at least once in the last 12 months. Results A total of 2262 people were included, and 399 had used new psychoactive substances. Of those, 71 people had switched to another drug as primary drug, mostly stimulant drugs (35.2%), hypnotics and anxiolytics (15.5%), and cannabis (14.1%) and used these drugs during the previous 12 months. The majority, 53.3%, had switched “because new psychoactive substances were no longer available.” In total, 25 people mainly used new psychoactive substances. The group that had changed drugs had more experience of using methamphetamine and were more likely to have abused other drugs before using new psychoactive substances. They had often switched to illegal or prescription drugs after regulations had been tightened. Conclusion The number of patients abusing new psychoactive substances decreased after drug regulations were tightened, but new psychoactive substances‐related problems still exist. It is therefore not enough to tighten regulations. Drug dependence treatment and recovery support are also needed.
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Objectives 1. To assess the knowledge and attitude regarding the use of psychoactive drugs 2. To know the awareness of the health consequences of psychoactive drugs and their short term & long term complications Material and Methods: A cross sectional observational study by presenting pretested semi structured questionnaire to medical undergraduate students at Raichur institute of medical sciences (RIMS) Raichur. Student opinions were summarized and analyzed in a Microsoft Excel worksheet, and the results were analyzed.Results: Majority of students (>60%) identified almost all psychoactive substances like codeine, ganja, morphine, heroine, tobacco, alcohol etc. 95% of the students felt that psychoactive substance use is unacceptable. 88.5% of the students felt that the use of psychoactive substances will slow down the progress activity at school. 67.14% of students agreed that there are no potential benefits associated with psychoactive substances use. 18.57% of students admitted to have a friend who is abusing the psychoactive substances. Alcohol (40%) & tobacco (31.43%) were the most common psychoactive substances abused by their friends. Majority of students were aware of short term and long term complications of psychoactive substance use. Two students volunteered that they were using psychoactive substance especially alcohol. Conclusion: Most students could identify the commonest psychoactive substances mainly alcohol, heroine, ganja, morphine and tobacco They are aware that there is possibility of drug addiction from continued use & the use of psychoactive substances can slow down progress activity at colleges. Few admitted that they have friends who is abusing the psychoactive substances especially alcohol & tobacco. Majority were aware about various short term, long term complications of addictive, stimulant abused drugs. We feel educating the students regarding the areas where they further lack adequate knowledge would be beneficial to them.
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Background: Psychoactive substances can alter consciousness, mood and behaviour of an individual user.Objectives: To determine the pattern of psychoactive substance use and its mental and behavioural effects on university students in Enugu, Nigeria.Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among 422 undergraduates of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. A simple random sampling technique was used in sample selection. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Analysis was done using Epi-info version 3.3.2 computer software.Results: Psychoactive substance indulged in by the students in decreasing order were alcohol 212(50.2%), coffee 200(47.4%), kolanut 128(30.3%), tobacco (smoke) 51 (12.1%) and marijuana 6(1.4%). When disaggregated by sex, the pattern of use of these substances between male and female students respectively was as follows: alcohol 196(92.5%) and 16(7.5%), coffee 122(61.0%) and 78(39.0%), kolanut 98(76.6%) and 30 (23.4%), tobacco (smoke) 49(96.1%) and two (1.0%) and marijuana 6(100.0%) and 0(0.0%). Most students, 194(46.0%) had used these substances for over five years from the time of the study. The observed difference in the use of psychoactive substance between male and female students was highly statistically significant (p
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Introductuon: Psychoactive substances affected on the central nervous system, causing changes in the functional activities of the central nervous system. If used a lot of times repeatedly, it will lead to dependence on that substance. Using continuously can cause psychotic, emotional and behavioral disorders. There are only studies of individual psychoactive substances.. Objectives: We conducted research on some features of mental disorders related to psychoactive substance use. Participants and Methods: The research was carried out on 196 patients diagnosed with substance use-related mental disorders according to diagnostic criteria ICD-10 (1992) inpatient treated at the Institute of Mental Health - Bach Mai Hospital from March 2019 to May 2019. Excluding patients in the following cases: Not agreeing to participate in the research, the pathology of brain damage, the research was carried out by the descriptive cross-sectional method of cluster cases analysis. Results: The percentage of patients with alcohol-related mental disorder accounted for the most with 59.7%; In multi-substance use disorder: the combination of 2 substances accounted for 56.5%; the combination of 3 substances, accounting for 43.5%. Patients using alcohol accounted for the majority of delusional hallucinations. In patients using ATS and multi drugs, most had depressive symptoms. Most patients had sleep and eating disorders. Conclusion: Larger and multicenter researches are needed to get an overview of psychoactive substances. Keywords: psychoactive substances, mental disorders
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The authors present some results of an ongoing research on the introduction of psychoactive drugs in Portugal during the 1950's. This study analyses medical papers published in the 1950s on the issue of psychoactive drugs in Portugal. Our research focused on some of the main medical journals and articles published by some of the most important Portuguese psychiatrists. Discussions on the validity of psychoactive drugs and the introduction of psychoactive drugs in therapy are analysed. We aim at contributing to the history of psychoactive drugs in therapy, as well as to the history of psychoactive drug reception in Portugal and its relation with the problem of deinstitutionalization. Qualitative documental analysis of medical papers published in Portuguese general medicine journals, such as A Medicina C-rânea, O Médico, Jornal do Médico, as well as in some specialized psychiatry journals. Systematization of confronting arguments. The introduction of psychoactive drugs in Portugal underwent several discussions on their validity, efficacy, safety and effects in the process of patient deinstitutionalization. In Portugal, the reception of psychoactive drugs proceeded quickly after its industrialization, and was accompanied by some theoretical discussions. In the beginning of the 1960s, the use of psychoactive drugs is clearer and discussions are less divergent.
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