Clinical aspects and care production in a Brazilian psychosocial care center of alcohol and other drugs (CAPS AD)

Health outcomes associated with crack-cocaine use: Systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Crack-cocaine use is prevalent largely in socio-economically marginalized populations in the Americas. Its use has been associated with diverse health outcomes, yet no recent or systematic reviews of these exist.

METHODS

A systematic review of health outcomes associated with crack-cocaine use was performed, using MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and LILACS up to October 2016. Search terms included crack-cocaine and health outcome-related keywords, targeting peer-reviewed studies on quantified health outcomes associated with crack-cocaine use. Random effects meta-analyses produced pooled odds ratios. Levels of evidence for major results were assessed using the GRADE approach. A review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42016035486).

RESULTS

Of 4700 articles returned, 302 met eligibility criteria, reporting on health outcomes for 14 of 22 ICD-10 chapters. Conclusive evidence and meta-analyses showed positive associations between crack-cocaine use and blood/sexually transmitted diseases (HIV and hepatitis C virus, others); moderate evidence and meta-analyses supported associations with neonatal health, and violence. There were mixed associations for mental and other health outcomes, yet insufficient evidence to perform meta-analyses for many categories (e.g., mortality). Most underlying research was of limited or poor quality, with crack-cocaine commonly assessed as a secondary covariate.

CONCLUSIONS

Crack-cocaine use was associated with a range of health outcomes, although it was unclear if there was direct causal impact, interactions between risk factors, or external drivers of both crack-cocaine use and outcomes. Rigorous epidemiological studies are needed to systematically assess health outcomes of crack-cocaine use and underlying pathways, also to inform evidence-based interventions.

Retention predictors of a smoking treatment provided by a public psychosocial unit in Brazil

Psychosocial units in Brazil (CAPS) provide access to mental health and addiction patients, who are not routinely treated for nicotine dependence. The present study analysed predictors of retention of a 6-week treatment provided by a CAPS unit to 367 smokers with a high rate of psychiatric disorders and addictions for the period 2007-2010. Several baseline variables were collected. Retention was defined as the presence of the individual in all four medical consultations and six group sessions. Multivariate discrete time Cox survival regression models were used to test for the outcome of interest. Timetables were used to explore in which moment of the treatment each predictor was important. Time to smoking the first cigarette (TTFC) 5 min or later after waking and nicotine patch use (nicotine replacement therapy, NRT) were associated with retention. The present study supports the importance of the variables TTFC and NRT when used in treatment retention for a sample with a high rate of psychiatric and alcohol disorders. NRT seems to be very important in the beginning of the treatment, probably because of withdrawal symptoms. Individuals currently undergoing psychiatric treatment and with alcohol problems had good retention rates comparable to the other individuals.