Addressing Opioid Epidemic Through Interprofessional Education and Communication Is Key No abstract available

A Retrospective Descriptive Study of Nurses With Substance Use Disorders in Texas There are approximately 3.1 million nurses in the Unites States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016), and approximately 8% of them experience substance use disorders (Kunyk, 2015). Nurses with impaired practice are referred to peer assistance programs as they seek rehabilitation. As of 2016, 348 nurses in Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses were actively participating in the program for substance-abuse-related offenses. Over the last 6 years (2010–2016), 1,553 nurses were referred to Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses specifically for substance-abuse-related problems. These represent 2% of the population of nurses in Texas. The average age of participants was 40.1 years. Women represented 75% of participants, and 76% were registered nurses. About 41% successfully completed the program without relapsing, and 32% reported at least one relapse. Varieties of drugs were abused including prescription drugs and illegal drugs. Opioids were the most frequently abused class of drugs, followed by alcohol and stimulants. Most nurses obtained their drugs by diverting from patients. Contrary to what is in the literature, nurses working in long-term care, medical–surgical units, and home health care had the highest prevalence of impaired practice. Psychiatric comorbidity was not significantly associated with relapse, but self-report status was significantly associated with gender, age category, license type, relapse, and drug of choice. There was a significant inverse relationship between time it takes to enroll and number of abstinent days. Men were also more likely to be employed while in the program.

Social Support Among Women Undergoing Methadone Maintenance Treatment in Iran: Erratum No abstract available

Association of Postpartum Smoking Relapse With Breastfeeding and Body Mass Index Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between smoking relapse and breastfeeding and body mass index in the postpartum period. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2016 and November 2017 in the polyclinic for children’s health and common illnesses at a university hospital in eastern Turkey. One hundred eleven women who met the inclusion criteria constituted the sample of the study. The data were evaluated using the analyses of percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, independent-samples t test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. Results: In the study, the week of pregnancy period when the women quit smoking was 8.19 ± 5.17, and the week of postpartum smoking relapse was 8.47 ± 11.76. Furthermore, 72.1% of the women stated that they wanted to quit smoking permanently. The study determined that the status of wanting to quit smoking permanently, the status of smoking while breastfeeding, and gained weight during the last gestation are important predictors of postpartum smoking relapse. Originality and Value: Knowledge on the characteristics of the women who started smoking again in the postpartum period is important for helping women who have quitted smoking in pregnancy but who are prone to relapse as a risk group by health care personnel.

Exploring the Trajectory and Prevention of Alcohol Use Among Young People From the Perspective of Professional Youth Workers Excessive alcohol use is a significant health issue. Underage drinking is one expression of excessive alcohol use. Researchers have identified a trajectory of alcohol involvement. Gaps exist in understanding the influences that delay and promote the trajectory of alcohol use among young people. The purpose of this study was to explore the contexts and influences that limited and contributed to the trajectory of alcohol use among young people. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Eight youth workers from a city in Northern England participated in individual audio-recorded semistructured interviews. Transcriptions were coded. Data were analyzed within, and across, codes to identify themes. The theme “Alcohol is an Expected Part of Life” characterized a hypothetical trajectory of alcohol involvement. “Fostering Community in Youth Centers” characterized how participants’ perceptions informed their work. The results increase understanding of how contexts may influence initiation, promotion, and prevention of alcohol use among young people.

Perceptions of Persons Who Inject Drugs About Nursing Care They Have Received The experience and meaning attributed to care by nurses and received by nine persons who inject drugs during a healthcare encounter in the acute care medical setting was examined. A descriptive case study approach using an interpersonal nursing model served as the theoretic framework. Four overarching themes were discovered: marginalization, defensiveness, repeated victimization, and understanding addiction. Findings suggest that role support, application of an interpersonal nursing theory, and implementations of addiction-trained healthcare teams were missing from the hospital experience of persons who inject drugs. However, when the nurse connected with the patient who injects drugs on an interpersonal level, positive outcomes followed.

Types of Polydrug Use Among Spanish Students in Health Sciences Polydrug use among university students may be a predictor for established patterns of multiple substance use and potentially entail long-term health problems. This study examined the types of polydrug use among Spanish students in health sciences. Undergraduate students (n = 968), aged 18–38 years (M = 21.09 years, SD = 4.10), completed the survey. A percentage of 44.3% of the participants were classified as polydrug users. Type A users (alcohol and cigarettes) made up 17.8% of the participants surveyed, whereas 20.1% were Type B (cannabis with cigarettes and/or alcohol), and a further 5.7% were Type C (cannabis with cigarettes and/or alcohol, plus at least another kind of illegal drug). Type A was the most common type among women, whereas Type C was the most common among men. Type B use was higher among women 18–19 years old than among women 25–29 years old, whereas there were no female Type C users younger than 20 years old. Weekend consumption was higher, than weekday consumption, across all polydrug user types and substances. These results suggest that the prevalence of polydrug use among Spanish students in health sciences was similar to students in other disciplines, with Type B as the most prevalent among healthcare and nonhealthcare students. Taking into account the differences based on gender, age, and time of consumption, a specific approach to the different typologies of polydrug users might be a vital step in the successful development of preventive interventions tailored to the changing reality of psychoactive substance use.

Relationship Between Lifestyle and Family Functioning Among Family Members of Amphetamine Abusers in Southeast Iran Introduction: Drug abuse is a social event and one of the worse health problems in the current age. Nowadays, the inclination of young people has changed from traditional drugs to more sophisticated and industrial drugs such as ecstasy, glass, and crack. Increasing drug abuse can be sought in families’ lifestyles as an effective factor on individuals’ health. The disturbance in family functioning can be associated with an individual’s antisocial behaviors like addiction. Therefore, the current study is aimed at determining the relationship between lifestyle and family functioning of family members of patients with amphetamine abuse who referred to drug rehabilitation clinics in Southeast Iran. Method: This is a correlational descriptive study conducted on 196 family members of patients with amphetamine abuse who referred to drug rehabilitation clinics in Southeast Iran. Data were collected through the use of demographic, family functioning, and lifestyle questionnaires. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 19 using independent t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficient test. Results: The total mean score of lifestyle was observed to be 105.77 ± 24.39. Among the dimensions of lifestyle, the highest mean score was associated with health responsibility (26.28 ± 7.43), whereas the lowest mean score was associated with exercise (12.7 ± 5.1). In addition, the results showed that the total mean score of family functioning was 129.25 ± 20.97. Among the dimensions of family functioning, the highest mean score was associated with general functioning (26.07 ± 4.92), whereas the lowest mean score was associated with affective responsiveness (13.16 ± 2.88). There was a positive and significant relationship between lifestyle and family functioning, such that the increase in the mean score of lifestyle increased the score of family functioning (r = .34, p = .001). Conclusion: Because lifestyle is associated with family functioning of patients with amphetamine abuse, basic measures can be taken in families to prevent addiction by increasing information to families, which enhances their lifestyle and functioning.

Pharmacology Update: Probuphine: The Long-Acting Buprenorphine Implant No abstract available

Marijuana and Medicinal Marijuana: A Global Perspective No abstract available