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Ball J, Nehme Z, Stub D. At an intersection of public health crises: Drugs, a pandemic, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2024; 195:110127. [PMID: 38295897 DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2024.110127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- J Ball
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Alfred Baker Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Z Nehme
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paramedicine, Monash University, Moorooduc Highway, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - D Stub
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Monash Alfred Baker Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Rathnayake K, Agius PA, Ward B, Hickman M, Maher L, Stoové M, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Wilkinson A, Quinn B, Crawford S, Sutton K, Dietze P. The impacts of COVID-19 measures on drug markets and drug use among a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Victoria, Australia. Addiction 2023; 118:1557-1568. [PMID: 36918365 PMCID: PMC10953406 DOI: 10.1111/add.16189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Few studies of the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health measures on drug markets and drug use patterns have used longitudinal data. We aimed to examine whether COVID-19 measures were associated with increases in methamphetamine price, decreases in methamphetamine use frequency and subsequent changes in secondary outcomes of other drug use frequency in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. DESIGN Longitudinal analysis framework was used from a longitudinal cohort of people who use methamphetamine. SETTING Victoria state, Australia. PARTICIPANTS One hundred eighty-five VMAX study participants who reported a methamphetamine purchase after the onset of the pandemic were used for the price paid analysis. Methamphetamine or other drug use frequency analysis was performed using 277 participants who used methamphetamine during the pandemic or in the year before the pandemic. MEASUREMENTS Price paid per gram of methamphetamine derived from the most recent purchase price and most recent purchase quantity. Frequency of methamphetamine and other drug use measured as the average number of days per week used in the last month. FINDINGS Compared with pre-COVID-19 period, methamphetamine prices increased by AUD351.63 (P value <0.001) and by AUD456.51 (P value <0.001) in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively, during the period in which the most intense public health measures were implemented in Victoria. Although prices decreased after harder restrictions were lifted (by AUD232.84, P value <0.001 and AUD263.68, P value <0.001, in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively), they remained higher than pre-COVID-19 levels. A complementary 76% decrease was observed in relation to methamphetamine use frequency in regional Victoria (P value = 0.006) that was not offset by any changes in the frequency of use of other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco or other illicit drugs. CONCLUSION COVID-19 public health measures in Victoria state, Australia, appear to have been associated with major price changes in the methamphetamine market and decreased frequency of use of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul A. Agius
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Faculty of HealthDeakin UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Bernadette Ward
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Lisa Maher
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Kirby InstituteUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Doherty InstituteUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Anna Wilkinson
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brendan Quinn
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Family StudiesMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Keith Sutton
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
- National Drug Research Institute Melbourne OfficeCurtin UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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Coomber K, Miller PG, Killian JJ, Ogeil RP, Beard N, Lubman DI, Baldwin R, Smith K, Scott D. Description of Trends over the Week in Alcohol-Related Ambulance Attendance Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20085583. [PMID: 37107865 PMCID: PMC10138978 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol harms are often determined using a proxy measure based on temporal patterns during the week when harms are most likely to occur. This study utilised coded Australian ambulance data from the Victorian arm of the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS) to investigate temporal patterns across the week for alcohol-related ambulance attendances in 2019. These patterns were examined by season, regionality, gender, and age group. We found clear temporal peaks: from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Saturday 3:59 a.m. for both alcohol-involved and alcohol-intoxication-related attendance, from Saturday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:59 a.m. for alcohol-involved attendances, and from Saturday 5:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:49 a.m. for alcohol-intoxication-related attendances. However, these temporal trends varied across age groups. Additionally, hours during Thursday and Sunday evenings also demonstrated peaks in attendances. There were no substantive differences between genders. Younger age groups (18-24 and 25-29 years) had a peak of alcohol-related attendances from 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, whereas the peak in attendances for 50-59 and 60+ years was from 5:00 p.m. to 2:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. These findings further the understanding of the impacts of alcohol during different times throughout the week, which can guide targeted policy responses regarding alcohol use and health service capacity planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Coomber
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-3-5227-8249
| | - Peter G. Miller
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Jessica J. Killian
- Turning Point, Eastern Health, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Rowan P. Ogeil
- Turning Point, Eastern Health, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Naomi Beard
- Turning Point, Eastern Health, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Dan I. Lubman
- Turning Point, Eastern Health, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Ryan Baldwin
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Karen Smith
- Centre for Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Blackburn North, VIC 3130, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Debbie Scott
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC 3199, Australia
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Validation of the Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT) questionnaire for adults. J Affect Disord 2023; 326:249-261. [PMID: 36586617 PMCID: PMC9794522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Collaborative Outcome study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT; www.coh-fit.com) is an anonymous and global online survey measuring health and functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to test concurrently the validity of COH-FIT items and the internal validity of the co-primary outcome, a composite psychopathology "P-score". METHODS The COH-FIT survey has been translated into 30 languages (two blind forward-translations, consensus, one independent English back-translation, final harmonization). To measure mental health, 1-4 items ("COH-FIT items") were extracted from validated questionnaires (e.g. Patient Health Questionnaire 9). COH-FIT items measured anxiety, depressive, post-traumatic, obsessive-compulsive, bipolar and psychotic symptoms, as well as stress, sleep and concentration. COH-FIT Items which correlated r ≥ 0.5 with validated companion questionnaires, were initially retained. A P-score factor structure was then identified from these items using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) on data split into training and validation sets. Consistency of results across languages, gender and age was assessed. RESULTS From >150,000 adult responses by May 6th, 2022, a subset of 22,456 completed both COH-FIT items and validated questionnaires. Concurrent validity was consistently demonstrated across different languages for COH-FIT items. CFA confirmed EFA results of five first-order factors (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic, psychotic, psychophysiologic symptoms) and revealed a single second-order factor P-score, with high internal reliability (ω = 0.95). Factor structure was consistent across age and sex. CONCLUSIONS COH-FIT is a valid instrument to globally measure mental health during infection times. The P-score is a valid measure of multidimensional mental health.
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