Addiction & Health
Volume:16 Issue: 4, Autumn 2024

The risk of periodontal disease is considered to be high among tobacco users compared to those not consuming tobacco in any form. A rise in salivary enzyme levels reflects the destruction of healthy tissues, making it a potential clinical biomarker. Thus, the aim was to assess periodontal health and examine salivary enzyme levels and their correlation with tobacco use. Unstimulated saliva was collected using a standard protocol from 128 individuals who visited the outpatient department (OPD) of a dental hospital, divided into four groups. Clinical assessment was done using the gingival index (1963) (GI) and the community periodontal index (1982) (CPI). There was a strong correlation between tobacco use and salivary enzyme levels. Tobacco chewers had the most elevated salivary enzyme levels, followed by smokers and passive smokers. Significant periodontal deterioration presenting as an increase in probing depth and clinical loss of attachment (LOA) was seen among the chewers (3.22 ± 0.87 and 2.16 ± 1.27, respectively) and smokers (3.16 ± 0.80 and 1.63 ± 1.38, respectively), which was more than passive smokers (2.75 ± 0.80 and 0.84 ± 0.30, respectively) and was considered significant between all the groups (P = 0.001). Tobacco use in either form affects the severity of periodontal diseases and the levels of salivary enzymes. Thus, salivary enzymes are regarded as reliable biochemical indicators of periodontal tissue damage and can be used as motivators to quit tobacco usage. Additionally, passive smoking was found to have a negative impact on periodontal health and can be considered a risk factor.

Tobacco use is highly prevalent in Afghanistan, posing a significant challenge among young people, including university students. This study aims to investigate tobacco product usage patterns and associated factors among male students at Herat University, Afghanistan, addressing the critical need for understanding and addressing this public health issue. In this cross-sectional study conducted between April and May 2021, 640 male university students were surveyed using interview-based stratified random sampling to assess cigarette, smokeless tobacco (ST), hookah, and e-cigarette use alongside sociodemographic factors. Logistic regression identified significant predictors. The prevalence was 35.3% for cigarette smoking, 15% for ST use, 14.1% for e-cigarette vaping, and 35.5% for hookah smoking. In the cigarette model, predictors included age (OR = 1.20), mother’s education (secondary/high school OR = 2.19; university OR = 2.68), friends’ use (OR = 9.54), and employment status (OR = 2.52). The hookah model highlighted friends’ use (OR = 31.05), marital status (OR = 2.10), employment status (OR = 1.76), and mother’s education (secondary/high school OR = 2.18; university OR = 3.57) as predictors. In the ST model, predictors were friends’ use (OR = 20.12), employment status (OR = 3.37), and mother’s education (secondary/high school OR = 2.91). Lastly, the e-cigarette model revealed the predictors of friends’ use (OR = 7.91) and employment status (OR = 1.87). Tobacco use among Afghan male university students is significantly influenced by peer behavior, employment status, and parental education. Interventions should target accessibility and sociocultural attitudes and include educational programs and policy measures to reduce tobacco consumption in the university setting.

Addiction is one of the most common psychiatric disorders and is closely related to depression and anxiety disorders. The presence of these disorders makes the process of addiction treatment difficult. Binaural beats are the representation and perception of a stimulus that does not exist in the outside world but is the brain’s mental perception error of a virtual third sound, that is, the slight frequency difference between the two sounds. The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of brain synchronization using binaural beats in the theta band on depression and anxiety in opioid-dependent patients in Tabriz city. The method of conducting quasi-experimental research with two test and control groups is pretest-posttest. The statistical population was all opioid-dependent people referring to outpatient clinics in Tabriz city. The research sample included 30 opioid-dependent people who completed the informed consent form and Beck’s depression and anxiety questionnaire. The subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups and received eight sessions of 7.5 Hz binaural beats, 20 minutes each, by headphones. The questionnaires above were administered again after the completion of the treatment sessions. This study analyzed the obtained data by ANCOVA using SPSS20 software. The reasult showed binaural beat in Tetha band (7.5 Hz) have a significant effect on depression and anxiety (P = 0.000). According to the results, the binaural beats in the theta band reduce anxiety and depression in opioid-dependent patients.

Opioids can lead to mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. Valproic acid (VPA) has neuroprotective effects that can prevent neural degeneration. This study aims to examine the impact of VPA on learning, social interaction, and depression in mice dependent on morphine.

Subjects were divided into four groups and received injections of saline, VPA, morphine, or a combination of VPA and morphine for eight days. Behavioral tests were conducted on day 8, and then administration of VPA and morphine was stopped, leading to spontaneous withdrawal syndrome. Behavioral tests were repeated on day 11, and histological analysis was performed on the hippocampus.

The preference index (PI%) decreased in the novel object recognition test in the VPA and morphine sulfate (MOR) groups compared to the control (CTL) group in the chronic phase. The concomitant administration of VPA and morphine caused an increase in social interaction criteria in both the chronic and withdrawal phases. The decrease in immobility time in the VPA and MOR + VPA groups compared to the CTL group in the withdrawal phase was not statistically significant in the tail suspension test (TST). In Nissl staining, the combination of MOR + VPA led to a significant decrease in the DC/All cell ratio compared to the individual MOR and VPA groups (P < 0.05).

VPA may improve social relationships and depression indices during morphine withdrawal. VPA may potentially mitigate the cellular changes in the CA1 of the hippocampus induced by morphine.

The prevalence of substance abuse (SA) among youth has increased in recent years. However, limited data exist about SA among medical sciences students. Therefore, this study assessed SA prevalence and contributing factors among medical sciences students. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. Participants were 238 medical sciences students randomly selected from Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. The data collection instrument was the SA prevalence assessment questionnaire developed by the Mental Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Iran. Data were analyzed using the SPSS (v. 22.0) software. The most commonly abused substances were waterpipe tobacco (31.9%), cigarettes (20.2%), and alcoholic beverages (10.5%). Most participants with a history of SA had started SA before entering university. The prevalence rates of waterpipe tobacco smoking, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption were 9.2%, 8.8%, and 4.2% in the past month and 16.4%, 18.1%, and 7.6% in the past year, respectively. The prevalence of SA among dormitory students and students with lower grade point averages was significantly higher than among non-dormitory students and students with higher grade point averages. The onset age of SA was mainly before eighteen years, so strategies are needed to reduce SA in secondary schools. Moreover, strategies are needed to prevent and reduce SA at universities, particularly among dormitory students and students with lower grade point averages. University authorities should use effective educational and counseling programs to prevent student SA.

Congress 60 is an NGO that offers services to drug abusers, but its underlying theory has not been explored inprevious studies. The purpose of this study is to examine the changes in the physical dimensions of the people treated in Congress60.

Grounded theory methodology was used to arrive at the underlying theory of Congress 60. The data were collected from2021 to 2023 through interviews with 21 individuals, participant observation, and a review of available texts from Congress 60.Data were analyzed in MAXQDA 2020 following the constant comparison method recommended by Corbin and Strauss in 2014.

The core concept included “Addiction-related transformations in body structures”. Addiction-related transformations inbody structures include addictive body structures (addiction and chronic substitution, and nervous system and external substances)and healthy body structure (opium tincture medicine, opium tincture dosage measurement, and taper-up-off of opium tincture inover time or Dezhakam Step Time).

The theory of “Addiction-related transformations in body structures” derived from this study explains the processof entering and leaving addiction from the perspective of Congress 60. A person using drugs enters Congress 60 with addictedbody structures. In Congress 60, using the right dose of opium tincture medicine and the Dezhakam Step Time (DST) method, theperson’s body structures return to normal. The findings of this study offer a novel perspective on addiction, suggesting potentialavenues for further research through the exploration of various hypotheses.

Buprenorphine therapy has emerged as a primary therapy method for both opioid addiction and chronic pain; however, the «one size fits all» approach to buprenorphine administration is no longer tenable. This review analyzes the pharmacology of both dosing approaches and their clinical outcomes, safety profiles, and societal implications, providing valuable insights for healthcare professionals.

Multiple databases were used in conjunction with a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria to source articles to assess the consensus of best methods for treating opioid use disorder (OUD). This comprehensive review discusses two distinct dosing strategies, microdosing and macrodosing, through a detailed literature search to assess the differences and similarities of each strategy.

Microdosing entails administering minimal buprenorphine doses, with promise in pain alleviation and addiction management while mitigating the risks of dependence and side effects typically associated with traditional opioids. In contrast, macrodosing employs higher buprenorphine doses, which is well-established for OUD and chronic pain management but raises concerns concerning misuse and overdose.

Tailoring buprenorphine therapy to patients’ individual needs is essential in the face of contemporary healthcare challenges related to pain management and opioid addiction.

Sexuality remains a subject of ongoing debate, with significant implications for self-perception and self-esteem, and addiction is a factor that can adversely affect it. Sexual dysfunction heavily burdens people with substance use disorders, as it can cause severe issues such as erectile dysfunction, loss of libido, dyspareunia, and delayed ejaculation. These issues can be caused by hormonal imbalances, loss of vaginal lubrication, lowered blood flow to the penile tissue, and problems with other organs, such as the liver. There could be some therapies to resolve such issues at least partially, for example, medication (oral and injectable), low-intensity focused shockwave therapy, vacuum constriction device, promoting exercise, and testosterone replacement therapy. Utilizing such methods could be helpful, but we could not be sure of their effectiveness. The current review aims to give a brief overview of sexual function, substance use disorders, and their impact on sexuality.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) pose substantial challenges to society, creating widespread negative effects. Given their frequent and direct contact with patients, nurses hold a vital position in managing and addressing these disorders. This systematic review aimed to examine nurses’ understanding of substance use and their perceptions of individuals affected by these conditions.

This systematic review involved a comprehensive search of online databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, utilizing relevant keywords up to July 9, 2021. Only studies published in English and aligned with the review’s objectives were considered. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the AXIS tool.

A total of 3273 nurses participated across 12 studies. The results indicated that nurses’ knowledge about substance use was moderate, and their attitudes toward substance users were generally positive. Knowledge-related factors included variables such as age, gender, and work experience. Similarly, age, gender, ethnicity, education level, job position, work experience, participation in workshops on substance use, interest in patient care, hours spent on substance use courses during education, and continuing education hours related to substance use were identified as potential factors influencing attitudes.

Therefore, holding workshops and improving guidelines for patient care with SUDs can enhance nurses’ knowledge and attitudes and, ultimately, the quality of nursing care.

Dear Editor,Self-harm (non‐suicidal self‐injury) is a major global health issue,1 especially among adolescents2 and psychiatric patients.3 The association of self-harm and the risk of suicide is extensively documented.1 Interest in self‐harm by both clinicians and researchers is now well-established4. This growing interest has been accompanied by the development of several psychometric instruments to examine the prevalence, frequency, and psychological functions of self-harm.5,6 One such scale is the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory (OSI-3.1).6,7 The OSI 3.1 is a 26‐item self‐report questionnaire aimed at measuring the occurrence, frequency (eight items), types (eighteen items), and functions (seven items) of self‐harm.Recent research has examined the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the OSI-3.1)8 among a sample of 310 hospitalised patients who had been referred to Nekoei-Hedayati Hospital, Qom City, Iran, with non-suicidal self-injury. The results showed that the Persian version of the OSI 3.1 had satisfactory reliability (Cronbach’s alpha 0.71) and validity (Content Validity Index [CVI] 0.75; Content Validity Ratio [CVR] 0.79) in this sample. Moreover, it was also found that 52% of the sample reported at least one addictive characteristic. These findings are of importance to a better understanding of research and practice of self-harm in at least three potentially significant ways.