To examine trends in methamphetamine-related mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2021 and the extent to which these deaths co-involved heroin or fentanyl.
We obtained final and provisional ...data from the CDC WONDER (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research) multiple causes of death database for deaths that involved methamphetamine and deaths that involved both methamphetamine and heroin or fentanyl mong US residents aged 15 to 74 years. We plotted the age-adjusted methamphetamine-related mortality rate by year and quantified the proportion of deaths with heroin or fentanyl co-involvement. Finally, we used joinpoint regression to quantify trends in the methamphetamine mortality rate and proportion of deaths with heroin or fentanyl co-involvement.
From 1999 to 2021, there was a 50-fold increase in the methamphetamine mortality rate, which was accompanied by an increasing proportion of deaths that co-involved heroin or fentanyl, peaking at 61.2% in 2021.
Unprecedented increases in methamphetamine-related mortality have occurred during the last decade, and an increasing proportion of these deaths co-involved heroin or fentanyl.
Stark increases in methamphetamine-related mortality and heroin or fentanyl co-involvement warrant robust harm reduction efforts, especially for people who engage in polysubstance use. (
. 2023;113(4):416-419. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307212).
Anxiety is a common mental health issue among adolescents. Family is one influence on adolescent anxiety that warrants attention. We investigated the relationship between adolescent anxiety, ...demographic, and familial and parental factors using data from the 2017 National Child Health Survey. We found an estimated one adolescent in seven reported anxiety, and nearly one in five reported anxiety related to witnessing family violence. Our study’s findings may aid in the creation of family level programs aimed at preventing and reducing anxiety among adolescents.
Distracted driving, the act of focusing on something else while operating a vehicle, is a significant health problem among adolescents. Although some studies have reported on prevalence among ...adolescents in the United States, limited studies have examined differences by sexual identity status. The purpose of the present study was to examine past 30-day distracted driving by sexual identity status among a large, national sample of adolescents ages 14 to 18 years. A secondary analysis was conducted on the 2019 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System (YRBSS) data, and associations between distracted driving and demographics (e.g., biological sex, age, race/ethnicity) were assessed with weighted logistic regression analyses. A total of 13,590 adolescents ages 14 to 18 years were part of the final analytic sample. Twenty-three percent of adolescents reported distracted driving in the past 30 days. Compared with heterosexual adolescents, gay/lesbian (14.3%), bisexual (18.1%), and questioning (12.9%) adolescents reported lower distracted driving in the past 30 days. Findings through a health equity approach may inform harm reduction efforts and behavioral interventions.
•Sex modified the relationship between sexual minority status and marijuana use.•Among girls, sexual minorities had 1.33 greater odds of past 30-day marijuana use.•Among boys, sexual minorities had ...0.70 lower odds of past 30-day marijuana use.
Sexual minority status (SMS) is a known risk factor for marijuana use among youth in the United States (US). Limited research has examined the differing relationship between SMS and marijuana use across males and females. This study examined the modifying effect of sex on the relationship between sexual minority status (SMS) and past 30-day marijuana use among youth.
Data were pooled from the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey. Participants were 9th through 12th grade students in the US (n = 37,870). An interaction model (SMS*sex) and models stratified by sex tested effect modification. Covariates included race/ethnicity, grade, tobacco use, illicit drug use, and survey year.
The association between SMS and past 30-day marijuana use differed statistically by sex assigned at birth. Among females, SMS was associated with 1.33 greater odds of past 30-day marijuana use. Conversely, among males, SMS was associated with 0.70 lower odds of past 30-day marijuana. Interaction model was statistically significant.
SMS is associated with greater odds of being a past 30-day marijuana user among females but lower odds among males. Prevention and education programs aimed at youth should consider these factors during development and implementation. Longitudinal research is needed to further examine the nuances of the relationship observed in this analysis.
Purpose
To use the loneliness model in examining the influence of loneliness on the number cigarettes smoked per day and the different intensity levels of physical activity among community-dwelling ...older Americans in the United States.
Design, setting, sample
This study analyzed a nationally representative sample of older adults aged 65+ in two waves (2010 and 2012) of data from the Health and Retirement Study. Response rates for the two waves were 81% and 89.1%. The sample size for smoking model was 199, and for physical activity models was 3018.
Measures
Outcomes included number of cigarettes smoked per day and physical activity at three intensity levels: light, moderate, and vigorous. Independent variable was the UCLA loneliness scale.
Analysis
A lagged dependent approach for modeling longitudinal data was adopted. Models controlled for outcomes at the first timepoint (Wave 1), health/physical functioning, and demographic variables.
Results
Loneliness was associated with an increased number of cigarettes smoked per day (β = 2.93, P < .05) and decreased engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activity for older adults (β = .12, P < .05; β = .12, P <. 05), after controlling for these behaviors at baseline and other covariates.
Conclusion
The findings call for smoking reduction and physical activity enhancement interventions targeting older adults who have high levels of loneliness. Efforts to enhance social support will be crucial to eradicating the harmful health impact of loneliness. Critical limitations include self-reported measures and unobserved confounders.
Veterans can present at nongovernment (Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs) mental health agencies with complex symptom constellations that frequently include posttraumatic stress ...disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety. To date, no veteran study has validated these measures on a treatment-seeking sample of veterans outside the DoD and VA.
We used a treatment-seeking sample of veterans ( N = 493) to validate measures that assess these constructs (PTSD Checklist 5, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7).
The seven-factor posttraumatic stress disorder hybrid configuration was the best fit. The best fitting model of the depression measure was a two-factor structure, cognitive-affective, and somatic depression. The measure of generalized anxiety was a unidimensional model.
Follow-up studies should validate these measures on nontreatment-seeking discharged veterans.
We interpret these findings within the veteran scholarship and explore clinical implications for providers.
First responders (FRs) commonly present for treatment with complex symptom constellations that frequently include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety. To date, no FR ...study has validated these measures on a treatment-seeking sample.
Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to validate measures that assess these constructs (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) on a treatment-seeking sample of FRs ( N = 390).
The seven-factor posttraumatic stress disorder hybrid configuration was the best fit. The best fitting factor model of the depression measure was a two-factor structure, cognitive-affective and somatic depression. Lastly, generalized anxiety was a unidimensional construct.
Follow-up studies should validate these measures on each FR subtype.
We position these findings within the FR literature, review clinical implications for providers, and offer recommendations for future research.
To identify the predictors of suicide for firefighters (FFs), emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and law enforcement officers (LEOs).
We used baseline data from FFs/EMTs (n = 69) and LEOs (n = 81) ...to investigate the unique predictors for both first-responder subtypes. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis on validated assessments of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Measures of attachment, resilience, PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, trauma history, and substance use were the independent variables in two backward stepwise regressions predicting suicide.
Substance use and somatic depression were significant predictors for LEOs, whereas affective depression, anhedonia, externalizing behaviors, trauma history, and generalized anxiety were significant predictors for FFs/EMTs.
These data are cross-sectional and should be modeled longitudinally over the course of treatment.
Separate constructs influence suicide for LEOs and FFs/EMTs.
•The present study investigated differences in drugged driving among US older adults.•Sexual minority older adults were more likely to engage in drugged driving.•Findings may inform harm reduction ...efforts.
Older lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults are often neglected in healthcare settings, despite increases in risk behaviors and substance use. The present study assessed drugged driving among older adults in the United States and investigated differences by sexual orientation.
The 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data were analyzed among 43,238 adults aged 50 years or older. Associations between drugged driving and demographic information were examined using weighted logistic regression models.
An estimated 4.82% (n = 2,120) of older adults drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year, 1.33% (n = 619) drove under the influence of marijuana in the past year, and 1.48% (n = 683) drove under the influence of illicit drugs in the past year. Compared to heterosexual counterparts, individuals who identified as a sexual minority were at increased risk for driving under the influence, with individuals who identified as bisexual nearly 4 times more likely to drive under the influence of marijuana (95% CI = 2.39, 6.51) and 4.5 times more likely to drive under the influence of illicit drugs (95% CI = 2.84, 7.08) within the past year.
Older LGB adults are at increased risk for drugged driving. Harm reduction efforts and behavioral interventions are currently warranted for healthcare improvement.
