Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Young People and Alcohol Guidance

The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has launched a consultation on alcohol guidance, advice and information for parents, children, young people. We would welcome the views of children, young people, parents, carers and those organisations and professionals working with young people in health, children’s services and education settings.

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National Survey of Substance AbuseTreatment Services (N-SSATS): 2007
Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities

This report presents results from the 2007 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), an annual census of facilities providing substance abuse treatment. Conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), N-SSATS is designed to collect data on the location, characteristics, and use of alcoholism and drug abuse treatment facilities and services throughout the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions.




Read Full Report (PDF)

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Regional WHO consultation meetings on a global alcohol strategy are starting late February
2009-01-28

Dates are now set for the regional consultation meetings between WHO and the Member States. They are part of the process towards a Global Strategy to reduce Harmful Use of Alcohol. The first meeting will take place in Bangkok in the end of February.

See dates here...





Conference on the prevention of alcohol-related harm in East Africa
2009-01-28

Arusha, Tanzania: East African conference with a strong appeal for evidence-based alcohol policies in the region.


Read more...





Professor Thomas Babor: Effective and Evidence-base Interventions to reduce Alcohol-related Harm
2009-01-26

A video presentation of the WHO sponsored study “Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity” by Professor Thomas Babor can be studied here.

Read more...




Substance use in conflict and disaster situations
2009-01-26

The UN High Commissioner on Refugees and the World Health Organization have produced a field guide for how to address alcohol and drug problems in populations affected by disaster or conflict.

Read more...


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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Alcohol-use disorders
The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 26 January 2009


Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse or harmful use cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Alcohol-use disorders are associated with depressive episodes, severe anxiety, insomnia, suicide, and abuse of other drugs. Continued heavy alcohol use also shortens the onset of heart disease, stroke, cancers, and liver cirrhosis, by affecting the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune systems.
Heavy drinking can also cause mild anterograde amnesias, temporary cognitive deficits, sleep problems, and peripheral neuropathy; cause gastrointestinal problems; decrease bone density and production of blood cells; and cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol-use disorders complicate assessment and treatment of other medical and psychiatric problems.
Standard criteria for alcohol dependence—the more severe disorder—can be used to reliably identify people for whom drinking causes major physiological consequences and persistent impairment of quality of life and ability to function. Clinicians should routinely screen for alcohol disorders, using clinical interviews, questionnaires, blood tests, or a combination of these methods.
Causes include environmental factors and specific genes that affect the risk of alcohol-use disorders, including genes for enzymes that metabolise alcohol, such as alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase; those associated with disinhibition; and those that confer a low sensitivity to alcohol.
Treatment can include motivational interviewing to help people to evaluate their situations, brief interventions to facilitate more healthy behaviours, detoxification to address withdrawal symptoms, cognitive-behavioural therapies to avoid relapses, and judicious use of drugs to diminish cravings or discourage relapses.
Request Reprint E-Mail: mschuckit@ucsd.edu
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