Category: From Newswise – Substance Abuse

Physical health has its yardsticks. Mental health is still searching for the right ruler

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Physical health has its yardsticks. Mental health is still searching for the right ruler

Newswise — While doctors can track cancer progression at the cellular level or use a blood test to obtain precise blood cholesterol levels, talk therapy’s impact on mental health is still largely reliant on gut feelings more than hard data. 

A national initiative led by the National Institute of Mental Health is now underway to find figurative “rulers” that can accurately measure and compare the quality of the various mental health treatments available. To lead off this effort, UCLA Health researchers were awarded a four-year, $2.1 million federal grant to study and test whether such a quality measure can be created and applied across all social groups in the United States. 

“We have so many problems with mental health in this country that are only getting worse,” said Dr. Alexander Young, professor at UCLA Health’s Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. “We really need to be able to provide access to high quality care for all the diverse populations that we serve.” 

Demand for mental health care in America has soared in recent years, with a majority of psychologists reporting having waiting lists for new patients, according to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association. Meanwhile, more treatment options are available including numerous evidence-based psychotherapies, neuromodulation including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, new medications and telehealth services among others.  

While some larger health care providers have made efforts to address the issue, the effectiveness and quality of these treatments have generally not been accurately monitored at a national level, resulting in a scarcity of clinical data on patient outcomes, Young said.  

As a result, governmental organizations, provider organizations, insurance companies, patients and families have little information to gauge the quality of the mental health services they are supporting or receiving, Young said. 

As part of a national initiative, UCLA researchers will aim to create accurate quality measurement based on routine, regular patient reports of their symptoms. To develop and test this, Young and his colleagues will utilize a unique database of more than 5 million symptom assessments from 500,000 patients collected during mental health treatment. The data are being analyzed in conjunction with the ACORN Collaboration, an international consortium that includes mental health and substance abuse treatment centers.  

One important aspect of the project will work to ensure that the quality measure supports improvement in socioeconomic disparities in both the access to and quality of mental health treatment. 

“We need to come up with a measurement that’s consistent across social groups and accurate given the diversity of people and situations in the United States,” Young said. 

Other collaborators in the study from UCLA include Li Cai, Nick Jackson, April Thames and Lucinda Leung. 

Three Concepts Key to Recovery from Substance Use Disorders Identified Via Reviewing 30+ Years of Scientific Findings

Newswise — Certain concepts have a demonstrated basis for aiding recovery from dangerous alcohol or substance use, according to an analysis of scientific literature since 1990. Self-efficacy (a belief in one’s ability to achieve a goal), social support, and managing cravings are among the treatment elements best supported by evidence. Effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) depends on understanding how human behaviors change and incorporating that knowledge into clinical practice. An ongoing research effort continues to investigate varying treatment approaches and how they relate to recovery outcomes, but those findings have not been well synthesized into a useful format. For the new review published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research, researchers from around the USA reviewed published studies, identified the treatment elements best supported by data, and evaluated their potential as key factors in behavior change. The researchers drew on existing study design criteria for validating conclusions about treatment elements.

The researchers explored reviews of studies published between 2008 and 2023 involving AUD and SUD treatments and the effects on substance use and related outcomes in adults. Three constructs involved in treatment were the most well-supported by data from 11 studies: self-efficacy, social support, and craving (coping skills, also well-supported, did not suit the current review process). They then reviewed 48 studies published between 1990 and 2023 that focused on one or more of these three concepts in adults’ recovery, and that met rigorous methodology standards. The 48 studies used varied research designs, participant samples, and contexts.

The analyzed studies provided support for self-efficacy, social support, and craving as factors that likely influence people’s behaviors in treatment or recovery. The researchers called for these three constructs to be incorporated into AUD and SUD treatment and clinical training. Such an approach could improve recovery interventions, inform new treatments and clinical training, help clinicians align patients with approaches likely to work for them, and hone community-based recovery programs.

The researchers called for additional research on how these three concepts drive behavior change and for mining existing science to identify other evidence-based approaches. They recommended several directions for future research. These included expanding the examined outcomes to other manifestations of mental and physical health and experimenting with key elements of treatment to generate direct evidence of associations between those constructs and outcomes. Investigating the roles of context (such as policies, incentives, social norms, and settings) and combinations of influences could improve outcomes across varied real-world situations. Specifying how behavioral change occurs—such as the relevant neurological and biological pathways—is a critical gap that needs to be addressed.

From alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment mediator to mechanism to implementation: A systematic review and the cases of self-efficacy, social support, and craving. S. Maisto, D. Moskal, M. Firkey, B. Bergman, B. Borsari, K. Hallgren, J. Houck, M. Villarosa-Hurlocker, B. Kiluk, A. Kuerbis, A. Reid, M. Magill.

ACER-24-6054.R1

Nationally Recognized Behavioral Scientist Dr. Kelly Dunn Named Director of the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Newswise — University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, one of the nation’s leading researchers on opioid use disorder, as the inaugural Director of the School’s Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine. She will also serve as a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry with a secondary appointment in the Department of Neurobiology at UMSOM.

Dr. Dunn is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with a joint appointment in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.

Dr. Dunn has been the Principal Investigator on projects totaling more than $21 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. She has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in the area of substance use and opioid use disorder. 

The Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine, launched in 2023 with a major gift from the Kahlert Foundation, is uniquely positioned to bring together leading addiction experts from across basic science and clinical care to transform the prevention, treatment, education, and research of addiction.

“With addiction, substance use disorder, and overdose deaths reaching epidemic proportions here in Maryland and in the U.S., we are extremely pleased to attract a top academician and leader in this field to move the Institute forward with a long-term impact,” said Dean Gladwin.

Growing up in rural Central New York in the late 1990’s, Dr. Dunn watched several close friends become dependent on opioids, after first being exposed through prescription medications, and eventually go on to develop opioid use disorder (OUD). “This prompted my life-long passion for understanding motivations for opioid use, identifying methods to prevent the onset of OUD, and helping to improve treatments for OUD,” said Dr. Dunn. “I’m honored and thrilled to take the helm of the Kahlert Institute and to work together with all of the stellar faculty who are world-class leaders in addiction research to advance the science of addiction medicine.”

Since 2012, Dr. Dunn has been a faculty member in the Johns Hopkins University Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU) located within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her current work focuses on the conduct of Phase II/III randomized controlled assessments of medications, mainly those targeted for opioid use disorder.

She has also managed trials focused on treatments for cigarette smoking and alcohol use disorder and has conducted several basic science human laboratory examinations of drug effects, which is complemented by a body of work focused on epidemiological and machine-learning analyses of publicly available datasets.

She has held multiple leadership roles in the substance use field, including serving as President for the American Psychological Association’s Society for Psychopharmacology and Substance Use and the College on the Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) as well as Co-Editor of the Journal of Addiction Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology.

“Dr. Dunn’s current work in the field is impressive,” said Greg Kahlert, President of The Kahlert Foundation. “I am confident with her experience, passion and collaborative spirit, she will help find treatments and cures for those suffering from addiction. I could not be more excited that she is the first director of the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine.” 

Dr. Dunn is currently the principal investigator on a multisite examination of a treatment for co-morbid pain in people with opioid use disorder. She is also an investigator on a Phase II trial examining the use of the drug suvorexant to treat sleep disorders, withdrawal, and craving in people initiating treatment with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.

Other studies include a combination laboratory/clinical trial examining phenotypes of opioid withdrawal and a pilot trial examination of suvorexant for cocaine use in people being treated for OUD. Dr. Dunn recently completed a series of human laboratory trials examining genetic contributions to opioid sensitivity and opioid-cannabinoid interactions for pain treatment in healthy and clinical populations.

In addition to her numerous peer-reviewed original and review publications, Dr. Dunn edited the Oxford Handbook on Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder. She received her PhD Degree from the University of Vermont in 2009 and earned an MBA Degree from Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business in 2019.

National Academy of Medicine Selects FAU for Substance Use, Opioid Crises Collaborative

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse National Academy of Medicine Selects FAU for Substance Use, Opioid Crises Collaborative

Newswise — As of 2024, approximately 2.7 million Americans aged 12 and older were estimated to have misused prescription opioids in the past year. Moreover, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamines, among other substances, reflect a complex landscape that requires ongoing efforts aimed at prevention, treatment and policy changes to address the various issues associated with each substance.

Florida Atlantic University was recently selected to participate in the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Combatting Substance Use Opioid Crises Core Competency Implementation Pilot Project. To improve coordination and accelerate the pace of change, NAM partnered with more than 80 organizations to form the collaborative. This initiative brings together key stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors to collaboratively address critical issues posed by addiction.

Armiel Suriaga, Ph.D., an assistant professor in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, will serve as the project lead. FAU joins other implementation sites across the United States in working toward advancing substance use care, workforce competency, and interprofessional education and practice by implementing the Action Collaborative’s 3Cs Framework for Pain and Unhealthy Substance Use, released in 2022.

The 3Cs Framework aims to set a standard for the minimum level of competence in pain management and substance use care expected from all health professionals to address professional practice gaps while strengthening the delivery of coordinated, interprofessional, high-quality and person-centered care.

The NAM Action Collaborative has selected 16 pilot sites from across the nation to participate in the Implementation Pilot Project. FAU was selected as one of the implementation pilot sites. The project focuses on implementing the selected 3 Cs framework, such as core knowledge domains with competencies of foundational and applied knowledge on pain and unhealthy substance use, such as  opioids, with nursing students and medical students, in collaboration with the FAU Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice (IPE&P) within the Office of the Provost.  

“Being selected to address substance use by the National Academy of Medicine is more than just an honor, it’s a pivotal chance to drive transformative change,” said Patricia Liehr, Ph.D., interim dean, FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. “The Action Collaborative is committed to proactively advancing structural solutions through comprehensive, multi-sector strategies aimed at reducing substance misuse and enhancing outcomes for those impacted by addiction. This crisis cannot be solved by any single entity alone – no organization, government agency, or sector has all the answers. It is through our collective effort that we can tackle this complex public health issue and forge a healthier, safer future for individuals, families and communities.”

The NAM Action Collaborative’s Implementation Pilot Project seeks to gain insights into the varied applications of the 3Cs Framework and the respective implementation processes. The learnings from this project will offer insight into the feasibility and utility of implementing the 3Cs Framework to improve health professional competency across the learning continuum and a diversity of interprofessional education and practice settings.

Through participation in the implementation pilot, FAU will help inform and shape the future of health professions education policy and practice. As part of the implementation pilot, the project team will engage in a dynamic learning community where they will share insights and best practices while fostering relationships and connections with other sites and Action Collaborative members. The team also will travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in a final knowledge sharing convening that will bring together representatives from the pilot sites and leaders across health professions education and training, health care delivery and policy.

Other members of the FAU project team include Ophelia Empleo-Frazier, GNP-BC, CDP, Yale School of Nursing; Ruth M. Tappen, Ed.D., Christine E. Lynn Eminent Scholar and Professor, FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing; Terry Eggenberger, Ph.D., a professor and executive director of the FAU IPE&P; George R. Luck, M.D., interim associate program director, hospice and palliative medicine and associate professor of anesthesia, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine, Reynel Lavandera, Ph.D., associate professor and associate director of IPE&P for nursing, and Aloha Balza Montes, assistant IPE&P director, and FAU Ph.D. candidate.

“Addressing substance use in the context of pain and health care requires a unified effort because no single perspective can encompass the complexity of these issues,” said Suriaga. “Collaboration among researchers, clinicians, students and others will enable us to develop comprehensive solutions that address both the physiological and psychological dimensions of substance use, ultimately leading to more effective and compassionate care for our patients.”

– FAU –

About the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is nationally and internationally known for its excellence and philosophy of caring science. In 2024, the College was ranked No. 4 for the Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s concentration nationwide by U.S. News and World Report, No. 17 for “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Administration and Financial Leadership Programs” and No. 32 for the “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs.” In 2023, FAU graduates on the Boca Raton campus earned an 81% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and a 100% AGNP Certification Pass Rate. The baccalaureate, master’s and DNP programs at Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The College is the only one in the U.S. to have all degree programs endorsed by the American Holistic Nursing Credentialing Corporation.

 

About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

Fentanyl May Increase or Decrease Oxygen Levels Depending on Dosage

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Fentanyl May Increase or Decrease Oxygen Levels Depending on Dosage

Newswise — Article title: Oxygen fluctuations in the brain and periphery induced by intravenous fentanyl: effects of dose and drug experience

Authors: Shinbe Choi, Michael R. Noya, Eugene A. Kiyatkin

From the authors: “We report that fentanyl’s effects are highly dose-dependent, drawing attention to the importance of better characterization to adequately respond in emergent cases of illicit fentanyl misuse.”

This study is highlighted as one of August’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.

Your Best Friend From High School? Here’s Why Their Genes Mattered

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Your Best Friend From High School? Here's Why Their Genes Mattered

BYLINE: Greg Bruno

Newswise — Mom always said, “Choose your friends wisely.” Now a study led by a Rutgers Health professor shows she was onto something: Their traits can rub off on you – especially ones that are in their genes.

The genetic makeup of adolescent peers may have long-term consequences for individual risk of drug and alcohol use disorders, depression and anxiety, the groundbreaking study has found.

“Peers’ genetic predispositions for psychiatric and substance use disorders are associated with an individual’s own risk of developing the same disorders in young adulthood,” said Jessica E. Salvatore, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. “What our data exemplifies is the long reach of social genetic effects,” Salvatore said.

Socio-genomics – the influence of one person’s genotype on the observable traits of another – is an emerging field of genomics. Research suggests that peers’ genetic makeup may influence health outcomes of their friends. To test this, Salvatore and colleagues used Swedish national data to assess peer social genetic effects for several psychiatric disorders.

With an anonymized database of more than 1.5 million individuals born in Sweden between 1980 and 1998 to Swedish-born parents, the first step was to map individuals by location and by school during their teenage years. The researchers then used medical, pharmacy and legal registries documenting substance use and mental health disorders for the same individuals in adulthood.

Models were run to assess whether peers’ genetic predispositions predicted target individuals’ likelihood of experiencing substance abuse, major depression, and anxiety disorder in adulthood. Peers’ genetic predispositions were indexed with family genetic risk scores – personalized measures of genetic risk based on family history – for the same conditions.

Even when controlling for factors such as the target individuals’ own genetic predispositions and family socioeconomic factors, the researchers found a clear association between peers’ genetic predispositions and target individuals’ likelihood of developing a substance use or psychiatric disorder. The effects were stronger among school-based peers than geographically defined peers.

Within school groups, the strongest effects were among upper secondary school classmates, particularly those in the same vocational or college-preparatory track between ages 16 and 19. Social genetic effects for school-based peers were greater for drug and alcohol use disorders than major depression and anxiety disorder.

Salvatore said more research is needed to understand why these connections exist.

“The most obvious explanation for why peers’ genetic predispositions might be associated with our own well-being is the idea our peers’ genetic predispositions influence their phenotype, or the likelihood that peers are also affected by the disorder,” she said. “But in our analysis, we found that peers’ genetic predispositions were associated with target individuals’ likelihood of disorder even after we statistically controlled for whether peers were affected or unaffected.”

What is clear, Salvatore said, is what the findings mean for interventions.

“If we want to think about how to best address these socially costly disorders, we need to think more about network based and social interventions,” she said. “It’s not enough to think about individual risk.”

This research also underscores the importance of disrupting processes and risks that extend for at least a decade after attendance in school, Salvatore added. “Peer genetic influences have a very long reach,” she said.

Coauthors include Henrik Ohlsson, Jan Sundquist and Kristina Sundquist, from Lund University in Sweden; and Kenneth S. Kendler from the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Opioid Crisis Escalates in Appalachia: Rural Areas Hit Hardest, Study Finds

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Opioid Crisis Escalates in Appalachia: Rural Areas Hit Hardest, Study Finds

Newswise — A recent study reveals a troubling surge in opioid-related deaths across the Appalachian region, with rural areas suffering the highest rates. From 2018 to 2021, opioid-related fatalities steadily climbed in urban, suburban, and rural counties, underscoring an urgent call for targeted interventions and healthcare reforms to combat the epidemic’s devastating impact on these communities.

The study titled “Differences in Opioid-Related Deaths in the Appalachian Region in 2018-2021 by State and Rural-Urban County Classification” examines opioid-related death rates across different county classifications (urban, suburban, rural) within the Appalachian region from 2018 to 2021. The study was organized and funded by the Rothman Opioid Foundation. The study focuses on understanding how these death rates vary by geographic and demographic factors. Opioid-related deaths, on average and by population, have risen steadily in the Appalachian region from 2018 to 2021 across all geographic areas (urban/metropolitan, suburban, rural). Rural counties consistently showed the highest opioid-related deaths per population compared to urban/metropolitan and suburban areas.

“The results emphasize the need for targeted community and health system interventions to address the disproportionately high rate of opioid prescribing and deaths in the Appalachian region,” says Dr. Asif Iliyas, co-author of the study. He is President of The Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education (Rothman Opioid Foundation) in Philadelphia, a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, and an Associate Dean of Clinical Research at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania.

Santiago Rengifo, Alice Wu, and Patrick Ioffreda are co-authors of the study. The complete study can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10349683/.

About the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education.

The Rothman Orthopaedic Foundation, for short, is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to raising awareness of the ongoing opioid crisis, educating physicians and patients on safe opioid prescribing and use – respectively, and advising policymakers on sound opioid and pain management policy. Most importantly, the Rothman Opioid Foundation performs and supports the highest quality research on opioids and alternative pain modalities to yield findings that can better inform patients, physicians, and the greater healthcare community in the most evidenced-based pain management strategies while working to mitigate opioid abuse and addiction.

Research Highlights Tiktok as Tool in Opioid Harm Reduction

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Research Highlights Tiktok as Tool in Opioid Harm Reduction

BYLINE: Deann Gayman

Newswise — Welcome to Pocket Science: a glimpse at recent research from Husker scientists and engineers. For those who want to quickly learn the “What,” “So what” and “Now what” of Husker research.

What?

With fatal opioid overdoses continuing to increase each year, the Federal Drug Administration in 2023 made Narcan — the brand name for naloxone in nasal spray form — available over the counter, but recent polling shows that most Americans still aren’t aware they can access it without a prescription.

Additionally, TikTok’s popularity as a tool for searching out and disseminating health information is growing. A 2022 study found that 20% of Americans now turn to TikTok before their doctors to answer health questions. Content creators with a goal of harm reduction have increasingly used the platform to educate users about naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose.

So what?

Led by Kelli Boling, assistant professor of advertising at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, a group of researchers from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and the Center for Rural Drug Addiction recently published a study examining the role of TikTok creators in promoting naloxone.

Utilizing the hashtags #narcansaveslives and #naloxonesaveslives to search TikTok, the researchers found more than 900 videos and randomly selected 100 videos to be analyzed. The timing of the videos was also important. The search was limited to a specific time period — June 5, 2020, to Oct. 4, 2022 — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when opioid deaths were increasing and Americans were spending more time online. The videos were coded for visuals, audio and transcribed voice text, as well as text included on the screen and in captions, and hashtags.

The most consistent theme of the videos was education, with four sub-themes: the prevalence of the opioid epidemic; how to access and use Narcan/naloxone; correcting misinformation; and discussion about the disease of substance use disorder and reality of recovery.

The researchers also noted that there was a strong “collective voice” among the harm reduction creators and that the collective voice and collective lived experiences shared “are also de-stigmatizing opioid harm reduction and sharing resources and information helpful to others.”

Now what?

The study demonstrated the important role TikTok can play in harm reduction education. Future research could examine how this content changes audience attitudes toward naloxone and whether it leads to more people carrying naloxone as a harm reduction tool.

Government of Canada Invests in National Coordination and Indigenous-Led Research on Effective Substance Use Interventions

BYLINE: Government of Canada invests in national coordination and Indigenous-led research on effective substance use interventions

Newswise — Research plays a crucial role in understanding the complexities of substance use, guiding effective interventions, and ultimately saving lives. That’s why we must leverage Canada’s exceptional research talent and expertise to ensure our substance use health interventions, services, and policies are effective, equitable, and evidence-informed.

Today, the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced an investment of $6 million through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS) to expand and increase the impact of the Canadian Research Initiative on Substance Matters (CRISM). This new funding includes $4 million to create a Network Coordinating Centre and $2 million to develop an Indigenous Engagement Platform that will work collaboratively across the research network.

Dr. David Hodgins at the University of Calgary will lead the CRISM Network Coordinating Centre. Dr. Hodgins and his team will establish four core platforms, including one to co-create knowledge mobilization products and activities with stakeholders and partners, and a training and capacity building platform that includes research placements and scholarships as well as mentorship opportunities for early career researchers and Indigenous scholars across all network nodes. The Network Coordinating Centre will also facilitate a trials and project support platform to facilitate clinical trials, research studies and data sharing, and a platform to create processes and tools for the production of guidelines and best practice documents.

Dr. Robert Henry at the University of Saskatchewan will lead the development of the CRISM Indigenous Engagement Platform. Using distinctions-based and community-led approaches, Dr. Henry and his team will strengthen and increase Indigenous involvement across CRISM’s regional nodes by advising the Network Coordinating Centre on Indigenous research priorities, improving Indigenous engagement at all levels, and supporting CRISM to improve Indigenous health and well-being through Indigenous-driven efforts. The platform will include five core pillars: knowledge translation and mobilization, training of Indigenous students, Indigenous research priorities designed with Indigenous community partners, improving Indigenous methodologies for CRISM, and development of an Indigenous evaluation framework.

Supported by the Network Coordinating Centre and Indigenous Engagement Platform, CRISM’s network of over a thousand service providers, researchers, policy makers, patients, and people who use substances will work together to develop impactful, evidence-informed approaches to prevent and treat substance-related harms.

Quotes

“Substance use is complex and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to preventing or reducing harms. We need to leverage research and data across the country to improve our understanding of substance use issues and shape evidence-based policies that offer real solutions and support those in need.”

The Honourable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

“CRISM is a prime example of what’s possible when researchers are empowered to self-organize and improve policy and practice from the bottom up. These platforms will amplify the already impactful work of CRISM, ensuring the network’s continued success addressing critical substance use issues impacting individuals, families and communities across Canada.”

Dr. Samuel Weiss
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction

“The sum is greater than the whole of its parts! The unique strength of CRISM is that the perspectives of researchers, policy makers, frontline service providers, our Indigenous partners, and people with lived and living experience come together to help develop solid evidence-based solutions to the challenges of addiction. This additional funding will support our five geographic nodes in working together in generating and sharing new information.”

Dr. David Hodgins
Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary

“Addressing the disproportionate experiences to substance use of Indigenous Peoples requires a concerted effort that provides opportunities for Indigenous Peoples, communities, researchers, knowledge keepers, youth, and those with living/lived experience to come together to inform broader research initiatives, programs, and knowledge mobilization outcomes. The CRISM Indigenous Engagement Platform (IEP) will provide opportunities for continued efforts to address the past, while looking to the future, while respecting Indigenous ways of knowing.”

Dr. Robert Henry
Assistant Professor, Department of Indigenous Studies, University of Saskatchewan and Nominated Principal Investigator, Saskatchewan Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research

Quick facts

  • The Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Matters (CRISM) – formerly the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse – was established in 2015 by CIHR to build a national network in substance use research consisting of researchers, service providers, policy makers, and people with lived experience of substance use.

  • This cross-Canada research network is composed of five regional nodes located in British Columbia, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic region.

  • CRISM provides a flexible and expandable platform for accelerating the development of local and pan-Canadian research and knowledge mobilization on substance use, including on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment.

  • CIHR is providing $6 million in new funding to strengthen and expand CRISM’s activities across Canada with a new Network Coordinating Centre and Indigenous Engagement Platform.

Pennsylvania’s Opioid Prescriptions Plunge 38% After State Monitoring Program Implementation

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Pennsylvania's Opioid Prescriptions Plunge 38% After State Monitoring Program Implementation

Newswise — A recent study reveals a dramatic 38% drop in opioid prescriptions in Pennsylvania since the implementation of “Prescription Drug Monitoring Program” (PDMP). As the opioid crisis continues to grip the nation, Pennsylvania’s data highlights the significant impact of regulatory measures on curbing opioid abuse, offering a potential model for other states battling similar epidemics.

The study titled “Opioid Prescribing Patterns by Drug Type: The Pennsylvania Experience” examines the changes in opioid prescribing patterns in Pennsylvania from 2016 to 2020 following the implementation of the PDMP. The study was organized by the Rothman Opioid Foundation.

“In 2016, nearly 2 million opioid prescriptions were given to patients across the state. However, by the end of the study period in 2020, there was a 38 percent decrease in opioid prescriptions written,” says Dr. Asif Ilyas, senior author of the study.  He is President of the Rothman Opioid Foundation in Philadelphia, a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, and an Associate Dean of Clinical Research at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania. Ilyas states that at last during its initial roll out, the PDMP has had an effect in the absolute number of opioids prescribed by Pennsylvania’s prescribers.

This reduction was observed across various types of opioids, with the largest decreases in the prescriptions of hydrocodone and oxycodone in absolute numbers. Despite the overall reduction in prescriptions, the composition of the types of opioids prescribed remained relatively consistent over the study period. Ilyas notes that continued analysis of opioid prescribing across the state as well as improvements to the PDMP is needed to order to maximize the PDMP’s effect to curb prescribing utilization in Pennsylvania.

Co-authors of the study include Brock Bakewell, Chaim Miller, and Matthew Sherman.  The study appears in The Journal of Opioid Management, March-April 2023.  A copy of the study can be found at : https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/jom/article/view/3365

About the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education.

The Rothman Orthopaedic Foundation, for short, is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to raising awareness of the ongoing opioid crisis, educating physicians and patients on safe opioid prescribing and use – respectively, and advising policymakers on sound opioid and pain management policy. Most importantly, the Rothman Opioid Foundation performs and supports the highest quality research on opioids and alternative pain modalities to yield findings that can better inform patients, physicians, and the greater healthcare community in the most evidenced-based pain management strategies while working to mitigate opioid abuse and addiction.