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Biomedical subjects

S F Greenfield

Publications and source records attributed to S F Greenfield.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Patterns and predictors of treatment seeking after onset of a substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND: We studied survey respondents aged 18 through 54 years to determine consistent predictors of treatment seeking after onset of a DSM-III-R substance use disorder. METHODS: Survey populations included a regional sample in Ontario (n = 6261), a national sample in the United States (n = 5388), and local samples in Fresno, Calif (n = 2874) and Mexico City, Mexico (n = 1734). The analysis examined the effects of demographics, symptoms, and types of substances on treatment seeking. RESULTS: Between 50% (Ontario) and 85% (Fresno) of people with substance use disorders seek treatment but the time lag between onset and treatment seeking averages a decade or more. Consistent predictors of treatment seeking include: (1) late onset of disorder (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-5.6 for late [> or =30 years] vs early [1-15 years] age at first symptom of disorder); (2) recency of cohort (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.3-5.0 for most recent [aged 15-24 years at interview] vs earliest [aged > or =45 years] cohorts); (3) 4 specific dependence symptoms (using larger amounts than intended, unsuccessful attempts to cut down use, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms), with ORs ranging between 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3-2.0) and 2.7 (95% CI, 2.1-3.6) for people with vs without these symptoms; and (4) use vs nonuse of cocaine (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.6-2.7) and heroin (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-6.0). CONCLUSIONS: Although most people with substance use disorders eventually seek treatment, treatment seeking often occurs a decade or more after the onset of symptoms of disorder. While treatment seeking has increased in recent years, it is not clear whether this is because of increased access, increased demand, increased societal pressures, or other factors.

Adolescent↗

Utilization of psychosocial treatments by patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and substance dependence.

We investigated psychosocial treatment interventions, mood symptoms, and substance use among 24 patients with bipolar disorder and substance dependence. Patients were assessed for 6 months following hospital discharge. Psychotherapy and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) attendance decreased over time. Moreover, the focus of patients' psychotherapy changed over time, with decreasing emphasis on the patients' specific disorders. Mood symptoms and substance use did not change significantly over time, although there was a trend toward more frequent drug use over time. These findings point to infrequent utilization over time of psychosocial treatments focusing specifically on bipolar and substance use disorder.

Adult↗

The use of collateral reports for patients with bipolar and substance use disorders.

This study investigated the value of collateral informant reports of substance use for patients with current bipolar disorder and substance dependence. We collected collateral informant reports on 132 occasions for 32 patients and found a high level of agreement between collateral reports and self-report/urine screen data (75.0%). In only 3 instances did collateral informants report substance use for patients who denied use and had negative urine screens. Frequency of contact between informants and patients was associated significantly with the level of agreement. These findings suggest that obtaining collateral informant data when studying this population may be of limited value.

Adult↗

Treatment for depression following the 1996 National Depression Screening Day.

OBJECTIVE: Characteristics of the subsequent treatment received by people who screened positive for depression in the 1996 National Depression Screening Day were investigated. METHOD: A follow-up telephone survey was completed by 1,502 randomly selected participants from 2,800 sites. RESULTS: Of 927 people for whom additional evaluation was recommended, 602 (64.9%) obtained evaluations and 503 (83.6%) received treatment. Of these 503, 260 (51.7%) received psychotherapy and medication, 130 (25.8%) received medication only, and 93 (18.5%) received psychotherapy only. Compared with people without health or mental health insurance, individuals with health insurance (66.7% versus 57.5%) and mental health insurance (74.6% versus 55.3%) were more likely to comply with the recommendation to obtain follow-up evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: One-half of the people treated for depression received a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Lack of insurance was associated with not following the recommendation to obtain further evaluation and treatment.

Adolescent↗

The relationship of self-efficacy expectancies to relapse among alcohol dependent men and women: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the relationship of self-efficacy expectancies measured during inpatient alcohol treatment and time to first drink and time to relapse following hospitalization. We also examined whether the relationship of in-hospital self-efficacy and posttreatment drinking outcome differed by gender. METHOD: We measured self-efficacy expectancies using the Situational Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ) in 100 subjects (59 men) during inpatient treatment for alcohol dependence. We followed subjects monthly for 1 year and examined the relationship of their in-hospital SCQ scores to posttreatment drinking behavior, as measured by time to first drink, time to relapse and percent abstinent days. RESULTS: Self-efficacy during hospitalization was related to relapse during the 12 months following hospitalization. Survival analysis demonstrated that in-hospital SCQ scores greater than 45 were predictive of better drinking outcomes. The median number of days to relapse after treatment were 30 and 135, respectively, in those with in-hospital SCQ scores less than or equal to 45 compared with those with SCQ scores greater than 45. There were no gender differences in self-efficacy measured during hospitalization, nor were there gender differences in the relationship of self-efficacy to time to relapse. However, men with SCQ scores less than or equal to 45 had fewer abstinent days during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Among both men and women being treated for alcohol dependence, a cut-off score of 45 on the SCQ may be especially important in helping clinicians assess patients who are at high risk for more rapid return to drinking after hospitalization.

Adult↗

Group therapy for patients with bipolar disorder and substance dependence: results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The authors' goal was to pilot test a newly developed manual-based group psychotherapy, called Integrated Group Therapy (IGT), for patients with bipolar disorder and substance dependence. METHOD: In this open trial, patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder and substance dependence (N = 45) were recruited in sequential blocks to receive either group therapy (N = 21) or 6 monthly assessments, but no experimental treatment (N = 24). RESULTS: When compared with patients who did not receive group therapy, patients who received IGT had significantly better outcomes on the Addiction Severity Index drug composite score (p < .03), percentage of months abstinent (p < .01), and likelihood of achieving 2 (p < .002) or 3 (p < .004) consecutive abstinent months. CONCLUSION: IGT is a promising treatment for patients with bipolar disorder and substance dependence, who have traditionally had poor outcomes. It is unclear, however, how much of the improvement among the group therapy patients is attributable to the specific content of the treatment. A study comparing this treatment with another active psychotherapy treatment is warranted.

Adult↗

A relapse prevention group for patients with bipolar and substance use disorders.

Although bipolar disorder is the Axis I disorder associated with the highest risk of having a coexisting substance use disorder, no specific treatment approaches for this dually diagnosed patient population have thus far been developed. This paper describes a 20-session relapse prevention group therapy that the authors have developed for the treatment of patients with coexisting bipolar disorder and substance use disorder. The treatment uses an integrated approach by discussing topics that are relevant to both disorders and by highlighting common aspects of recovery from and relapse to each disorder.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The effect of depression on return to drinking: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of depression on return to drinking among individuals with alcohol dependence is controversial. From February 1, 1993, to April 15, 1996, we consecutively recruited 40 women and 61 men hospitalized for alcohol dependence and followed them up monthly for 1 year to assess the effect of depression on drinking outcomes. METHODS: We conducted structured interviews during hospitalization and monthly following discharge for 1 year to determine whether depression at treatment entry affected the likelihood of return to drinking and whether this effect differed between sexes. Using survival analysis, we examined the effect of depressive symptoms and a diagnosis of current major depression at treatment entry on times to first drink and relapse during follow-up. RESULTS: A diagnosis of current major depression at the time of hospitalization was associated with shorter times to first drink (hazard ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-3.21; P=.003) and relapse (hazard ratio, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.32-3.39; P=.002). There was no significant difference between women and men in this effect. Depressive symptoms as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory did not predict time to first drink or relapse in women or men. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of current major depression at entry into inpatient treatment for alcohol dependence predicted shorter times to first drink and relapse in women and men. Our results differ from earlier reports that men and women differ in the effect of depression on return to drinking.

Adult↗

Validity of substance use self-reports in dually diagnosed outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of self-reports of substance use among outpatients dually diagnosed with substance use disorder and either bipolar disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder. METHOD: Self-reports of substance use were compared with supervised urine samples collected on the same day for 55 subjects. RESULTS: Self-reports were highly valid. Only 4.7% of cases involved subjects not reporting substance use detected by urine screens. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reports of substance use may be highly valid in nonpsychotic, dually diagnosed outpatients under certain conditions, i.e., when patients are in treatment, when urine samples are collected with patients' prior knowledge, when patients are well-known to staff, and when honest self-reporting is encouraged.

Adult↗

Medication compliance among patients with bipolar disorder and substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND: This study examined patterns of medication compliance and reasons for noncompliance among patients with bipolar disorder and substance use disorder. METHOD: Forty-four patients with current bipolar disorder and substance use disorder were administered a structured interview regarding lifetime compliance with prescribed psychotropic medications. RESULTS: Patients who were prescribed both lithium and valproate were significantly (p = .03) more likely to report full compliance with valproate than with lithium. Side effects were the most common reason for lithium noncompliance, but were not cited as a reason for valproate noncompliance. Also, a common pattern of noncompliance among patients prescribed benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, and tricyclic antidepressants was the use of more medication than prescribed. CONCLUSION: Valproate may have greater acceptability than lithium among patients with bipolar disorder and substance use disorder. Clinicians should also be aware that these patients may take higher doses of medication than prescribed.

Adult↗

Gender differences in cocaine dependent patients: a 6 month follow-up study.

This 6-month follow-up study compared 64 men and 37 women hospitalized for cocaine dependence. Drug histories, sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) scores were compared during hospitalization; cocaine use and ASI scores were compared at 6 months. During hospitalization, women had significantly more severe family and social problems; men had more antisocial personality disorder. At follow-up, significantly more women had remained abstinent: family/social problem severity no longer differed. This replicates previous research showing better treatment outcome for cocaine dependent women. This may be related to specific characteristics of women who enter mixed-gender cocaine treatment programs.

Adult↗

Effectiveness of community-based screening for depression.

OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of a voluntary depression screening program was assessed by determining 1) whether participants in the 1994 National Depression Screening Day went for recommended follow-up examinations and 2) the characteristics that differentiated those who did and did not return. METHOD: Randomly selected participants (N = 1,169) from 99 facilities completed a follow-up telephone survey. RESULTS: Of 805 people for whom follow-up was recommended, 56.5% (N = 455) went for an appointment. The severity of depressive symptoms in these subjects ranged from severe (33.4%, N = 152) and marked (41.3%, N = 188) to minimal (17.1%, N = 78) and normal (8.1%, N = 37). Subjects with marked or severe depression were more likely to respond to the screening recommendation than were those with minimal depressive symptoms. However, at each level of symptom severity, subjects who had received previous treatment were more likely to adhere to the screening recommendation than were those with no previous treatment. Of those who returned for a recommended follow-up, 72.1% were diagnosed with depression. Of those who did not return, 29.5% cited lack of insurance, under insurance, or inadequate finances, and 38.0% felt they could "handle" depression on their own. CONCLUSIONS: Voluntary screening for depression is an effective way to bring certain untreated depressed individuals to treatment. Inadequate insurance and the belief that individuals can manage depression on their own continue to be barriers to seeking treatment among some depressed individuals who attend a depression screening program.

Adolescent↗

Psychiatric profile and sociodemographic characteristics of adults who report physically abusing or neglecting children.

OBJECTIVE: In this study the authors measured the number of adults in three U.S. communities who reported abusing and neglecting children in their lifetime and assessed the relative impact of sociodemographic characteristics and lifetime diagnosis of mental disorders on both child abuse and child neglect. METHOD: A total of 9,841 respondents, identified through a household sampling procedure for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, were included in the analysis. Self-reported lifetime histories of abuse and neglect of children were measured in the antisocial personality module of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule. RESULTS: In the study sample, 147 adults (1.49%) stated that they had abused children, and 140 adults (1.42%) stated that they had neglected children. A total of 58.5% of those who reported abuse of children, and 69.3% of those who reported having neglected a child, had a lifetime diagnosis of a mental disorder. Increased odds of reports of both abuse and neglect were associated with having a greater number of children in the household. Low socioeconomic status was a risk factor for neglecting, but not abusing, children. In multivariate analyses, a lifetime history of alcohol disorder was associated with abuse and neglect, affective disorders with abuse, and anxiety disorders with neglecting children. CONCLUSIONS: In light of the associations between mental disorders and mistreatment of children, public health policies designed to prevent child abuse and neglect might be enhanced by an increased focus on interventions targeted at individuals with mental disorders.

Adolescent↗

Substance abuse and the chronically mentally ill: a description of dual diagnosis treatment services in a psychiatric hospital.

Between 20% and 70% of psychiatric patients have a co-occurring substance use disorder and rates of substance abuse among patients with psychotic disorders are especially high. Patients with co-existing psychosis and substance use disorders typically have poorer outcomes than patients diagnosed with either disorder alone. Frequently, treatment services for such dually diagnosed patients are not integrated and organizational barriers may impede the appropriate detection, referral, and treatment of these patients. This article reviews the epidemiology and treatment outcome for patients dually diagnosed with chronic mental illness (usually psychotic disorders) and substance use disorders. The article then presents a description of a dual diagnosis referral and treatment service in a large private, non-profit psychiatric hospital.

Comorbidity↗

Childhood abuse in first-episode psychosis.

Of 38 adult patients admitted for first-episode psychosis, 20 reported childhood abuse, with equal prevalence in men and women. Patients with histories of childhood abuse had significantly more dissociative symptoms, but not more severe psychiatric symptoms. Childhood abuse was not related to rate of recovery and was only marginally related to longer stays in hospital. Although childhood abuse did not affect recovery during first-episode psychosis, it may contribute to a chronic course in some patients.

Adolescent↗

Long-term psychosocial effects of childhood exposure to parental problem drinking.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of childhood exposure to parental problem drinking remain unclear because of inconsistent findings and methodologic difficulties in previous studies. The authors used a large community sample to examine whether exposure to parental problem drinking in childhood was related to a greater number of psychiatric symptoms and impaired social and occupational functioning in adulthood. METHOD: The study used self-report data from the Piedmont Health Survey, a project of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area program, which were collected from a stratified random sample of 2,936 adults residing in a five-county catchment area in North Carolina. The National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule was used to measure the subjects' lifetime psychiatric symptoms. Social and occupational functioning were assessed with two scales measuring social support, a scale measuring occupational prestige, and an occupational problem index. Regression analyses were used to determine whether exposure to parental problem drinking in childhood was associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes in adulthood. RESULTS: Adults who had been exposed to parental problem drinking in childhood were more likely to manifest psychiatric symptoms and marital instability, but they showed no difference from the rest of the sample in occupational functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to parental problem drinking in childhood is positively associated with specific adverse effects in adulthood even after controlling for other confounding childhood risk factors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Patients who use drugs during inpatient substance abuse treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Drug use by patients during inpatient substance abuse treatment is frequently a cause of premature hospital discharge. The authors examined the histories of patients who used drugs while in inpatient substance abuse treatment, the methods used to detect drug use, and the temporal relationship of drug use episodes. METHOD: The authors reviewed the charts of patients admitted consecutively to an inpatient substance abuse treatment unit between 1981 and 1988. Of 729 patients, 42 were found to have used drugs while receiving inpatient treatment. The diagnoses and clinical histories of these 42 patients were compared with those of all other patients. Methods of detection and circumstances of drug use were recorded, and drug use episodes were plotted on a time line that was examined for temporal clustering. RESULTS: Significantly more of the patients who used drugs during inpatient substance abuse treatment had primarily used heroin or methadone before treatment. Random urine screens, self-report, and staff observation together detected approximately 85% of the patients who used drugs during treatment. Episodes of drug use did cluster in time, but within clusters the hospital stays of the patients who used drugs did not necessarily overlap. CONCLUSIONS: Temporal clustering of drug use episodes may occur because drug use by one patient heralds drug availability and stimulates craving in other inpatients. Clinicians should be aware that one episode of drug use may be followed by others. Multiple detection methods, including random comprehensive urine screens, should be used to test for drug use on inpatient units.

Adult↗