drug abuse
Medical History of Mental Disorders Lacking in Doctor’s Office
Anytime a patient visits the doctor’s office, a medical history is taken or updated. This history includes things like whether or not there is heart disease or cancer in the family, the number of surgeries a patient has had, and if he or she is allergic to any type of medication.
When it comes to mental disorders however, nothing is asked and therefore, generally nothing is said. Science Daily recently published a piece that examined the research findings at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP). In this study, researchers found that 30 minutes or less of question-and-answer about the family history or depression, anxiety or substance abuse is enough to predict a patient’s approximate risk for developing such a disorder.
Learn more about Medical History of Mental Disorders Lacking in Doctor’s Office
Drug Patterns Uncovered through Wastewater
A team of researchers has mapped patterns of illicit drug use across the state of Oregon by sampling municipal wastewater before it is treated. According to a Science Daily article, their findings provide a one-day snapshot of drug excretion that can be used to better understand patterns of drug use in multiple municipalities over time.
Drunk Driving Down; Drugged Driving Up
A government survey found that the number of drunk-driving cases has fallen sharply over the last 30 years due to tougher laws and a shift in societal views on alcohol. However, a separate survey showed that for the first time, 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs—mainly marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Smoking Declines While Drug and Alcohol Use Remain Steady
A new report on substance abuse and mental health shows that while more people are quitting smoking (or not starting in the first place), alcohol and illicit drug use still remain steady. The study also shows that drug use varies widely across the country; for example, the rate of illicit drug use among people ages 12 and older in Rhode Island is more than half (12.5 percent) of what it is in Iowa (5.2 percent).
Learn more about Smoking Declines While Drug and Alcohol Use Remain Steady
Connect with an Elements Recovery Adviser
newsletter
