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Solomon D, Grierson J, Godier-McBard L, Guirguis A. Experience and views of healthcare professionals towards people who use new psychoactive substances: Evidence from statutory, non-statutory, and private mental health and addiction healthcare services. Hum Psychopharmacol 2023; 38:e2883. [PMID: 37843432 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It is unclear how healthcare professionals (HCPs) experience and view the challenges of working with people who use New Psychoactive Substances (PWUNPS), in different healthcare services (HCS). The aim of the study was to explore HCPs' experiences of working with individuals who use NPS across statutory, non-statutory, and private mental health and addiction HCSs. METHODS HCPs completed in-depth semi-structured interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim with a mean duration of 30 min 55 s. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. RESULTS A purposive sample of 14 HCPs (6 men, 8 women) with a mean age of 42.5 years were interviewed in 2019. Organisational issues, including funding, impacted the treatment for PWUNPS and HCPs perceived a lack of support dependent on their qualifications. They reported a lack of assessment, policy, harm reduction, and awareness of NPS-related symptoms including mental health problems and stigma faced by PWUNPS. CONCLUSION HCPs need better training, education, and assessment processes to manage acute NPS intoxications and address the stigma associated with PWUNPS. There is a need for policy-making opportunities across different HCSs to ensure better healthcare outcomes for PWUNPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Solomon
- School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Education, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
| | - Jeffrey Grierson
- Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine, and Social Care School, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lauren Godier-McBard
- Centre for Military Women's Research (CMWR), Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK
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Mijatović Jovin V, Skoko N, Tomas A, Živanović D, Sazdanić D, Gvozdenović N, Vejnović AM. New Psychoactive Substances: Awareness and Attitudes of Future Health Care Professionals in Serbia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14877. [PMID: 36429596 PMCID: PMC9691219 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study was conducted in order to evaluate prospective health care professionals' (HCPs) awareness and attitudes regarding new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in the context of their future role in the prevention and treatment of NPS overdose and addiction. Correlates of NPS perception and use were also examined. This cross-sectional survey was performed on 490 students of the Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia, during 2017. NPS awareness was better in pharmacy students (IRR: 1.926, CI: 1.173-3.163, p = 0.010) than in medicine students-pharmacy students recognized 92.6% more NPS names than their peers studying medicine. Female students knew 36.5% less NPS names than their male colleagues (IRR: 0.635, CI: 0.399-1.013, p = 0.049). Number of NPS names students knew was rising by 15.9% with each age group-the higher the age, the larger the number of NPSs they were aware of (IRR: 1.159, CI: 1.025-1.310, p = 0.018). Students who had used marijuana knew 52.6% more NPS names than those who had never had experience with cannabis (IRR: 1.526, CI: 0.953-2.445, p = 0.049). Although a high number of future HCPs claimed to know what NPSs are, numerous misconceptions were noticed. Further educational efforts are necessary to improve their awareness and attitudes regarding NPSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vesna Mijatović Jovin
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nina Skoko
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ana Tomas
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dejan Živanović
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Vocational Studies for the Education of Preschool Teachers and Sports Trainers, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
- Department of Psychology, College of Social Work, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Darija Sazdanić
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nemanja Gvozdenović
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Clinical for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ana-Marija Vejnović
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
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Smith JL, McCutcheon D, Weber C, Soderstrom J, Burcham J, Fatovich DM. ‘Trial by fire’: An online survey exploring confidence of junior doctors in managing toxicology presentations to the emergency department. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:1554-1564. [DOI: 10.1111/dar.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Smith
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- East Metropolitan Health Service Department of Health Perth Australia
| | - David McCutcheon
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Perth Australia
- Emergency Medicine The University of Western Australia Perth Australia
- Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation Royal Perth Hospital Perth Australia
| | - Courtney Weber
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- East Metropolitan Health Service Department of Health Perth Australia
| | - Jessamine Soderstrom
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Perth Australia
- Emergency Medicine The University of Western Australia Perth Australia
| | - Jonathon Burcham
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- East Metropolitan Health Service Department of Health Perth Australia
- Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Perth Australia
| | - Daniel M. Fatovich
- Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Perth Australia
- East Metropolitan Health Service Department of Health Perth Australia
- Emergency Department Royal Perth Hospital Perth Australia
- Emergency Medicine The University of Western Australia Perth Australia
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Smiles C, O’Donnell A, Jackson K. Needle exchange practitioners accounts of delivering harm reduction advice for chemsex: implications for policy and practice. DRUGS: EDUCATION, PREVENTION AND POLICY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2022.2027345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Smiles
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Amy O’Donnell
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Katherine Jackson
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Savulich G, Bowden-Jones O, Stephenson R, Brühl AB, Ersche KD, Robbins TW, Sahakian BJ. "Hot" and "Cold" Cognition in Users of Club Drugs/Novel Psychoactive Substances. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:660575. [PMID: 33841219 PMCID: PMC8024487 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.660575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are popular "club/party" drugs that first attracted attention in the UK in 2009 and remained legal until the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act criminalized their distribution. Unlike "traditional" illicit drugs, very little is known about the influence of their analogs on neuropsychological functioning. We characterized the cognitive and emotional profile of NPS/polydrug users using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and EMOTICOM test battery in adult male (aged 20-49 years) recreational users without psychiatric comorbidities (n = 27; "psychonauts"), service users attending a UK specialist "Club Drug" Clinic for problematic use (n = 20) and healthy control volunteers without significant drug-taking histories (n = 35). Tasks were selected to distinguish "hot" cognitive processes that are highly influenced by emotion from "cold" cognitive processes that are largely independent of emotional influence. Both user groups reported significantly higher sensation-seeking traits compared with non-users. Recreational NPS users demonstrated more risk-taking behavior compared with controls and treatment-seeking NPS users showed poorer learning, episodic memory and response inhibition compared with the other two groups. These effects persisted, when controlling for age, intelligence, alcohol and cannabis use severity, nicotine dependence, trait anxiety, depression, childhood adversity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. Overall, recreational NPS users showed elevated "hot" (emotion-laden) cognition in the absence of "cold" (non-emotional) cognitive deficits, whereas "cold" cognitive dysfunction was pronounced in individuals seeking treatment for problematic NPS use. High trait impulsivity and poor self-control may confer additional risk to NPS/polydrug use severity and separate those seeking treatment from those using NPS recreationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Savulich
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Owen Bowden-Jones
- Club Drug Clinic, Central and North West London National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.,University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Annette B Brühl
- University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Karen D Ersche
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara J Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Guirguis A, Gittins R, Schifano F. Piloting the UK's First Home-Office-Licensed Pharmacist-Led Drug Checking Service at a Community Substance Misuse Service. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E121. [PMID: 32722508 PMCID: PMC7465824 DOI: 10.3390/bs10080121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Introduction: Drug-related deaths in the UK are at concerning high levels. The unknown content and purity of illicit substances can cause unpredictable adverse effects and thus a public health risk with no sign of abating. On-site drug checking is a public health strategy that has previously been implemented, predominantly in festival settings, but without Home Office licensing. (2) Aims: The aim of this study was to pilot the UK's first pharmacist-led, Home Office-licensed community drug checking service. (3) Methods: A bespoke protocol incorporating legally, professionally and ethically binding documents was implemented. This free, confidential service ran between February and March 2019, was available to anyone over 18 who were purposefully recruited, gave informed consent and agreed to relinquish their drug sample. Samples were checked on-site within an established Substance Misuse Service (SMS) using a handheld Raman spectrometer to determine likely drug content and adulterants. In parallel, participants completed a questionnaire about their substance use and the drug sample(s) being tested. A pharmacist-led multidisciplinary approach was adopted to discuss the analytical findings. Informed by the results of the analysis and the questionnaire, people who used the service received tailored harm reduction advice. (4) Results and Discussion: The pilot operated for a total of four days over four weeks. Eleven people visited and relinquished a total of thirteen samples. Half of the participants had previously overdosed and were known to the SMS. Seventy per cent were male, all were White British individuals, 30% were employed and two people disclosed visiting from another nearby town. Samples included what was thought to be heroin, synthetic cannabinoids, stimulants, benzodiazepines and LSD and none required activation of the "alerts cascade" process. Most participants drank alcohol regularly and the concomitant use of traditional illicit drugs and prescribed medication (including opioids, anxiolytics and antidepressants) with sedating profiles was common. Given some of the ethical decisions and interpretation of the results, specialist pharmacist involvement was deemed essential. (5) Conclusions: This pilot demonstrated the proof-of-concept that a pharmacist-led Home Office-licensed drug checking service can be successfully implemented in community SMSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Guirguis
- Swansea University Medical School, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2-8PP, Wales, UK
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10-9AB, UK;
| | - Rosalind Gittins
- Humankind Charity, Inspiration House, Unit 22, Bowburn North Industrial Estate, Durham DH6 5PF, UK
| | - Fabrizio Schifano
- Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10-9AB, UK;
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