Electronic screening and brief intervention for risky drinking in Swedish university students — A randomized controlled trial

The limited number of electronic screening and brief intervention (e-SBI) projects taking place in young adult student populations has left knowledge gaps about the specific methods needed to motivate reduced drinking. 

The aim of the present study was to compare differences in alcohol consumption over time after a series of e-SBIs was conducted with two groups of young adult students who were considered risky drinkers. 

The intervention group (IG) (n = 80) received extensive normative feedback; the control group (CG) (n = 78) received very brief feedback consisting of only three statements.

An e-SBI project was conducted in naturalistic settings among young adult students at a Swedish university. This study used a randomized controlled trial design, with respondents having an equal chance of being assigned to either the IG or the CG. The study assessed changes comparing the IG with the CG on four alcohol-related measurements: proportion with risky alcohol consumption, average weekly alcohol consumption, frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Follow-up was performed at 3 and 6 months after baseline.

The study documented a significant decrease in the average weekly consumption for the IG over time but not for the CG, although the differences between the groups were non-significant. The study also found that there were significant decreases in HED over time within both groups; the differences were about equal in both groups at the 6-month follow-up. The proportion of risky drinkers decreased by about a third in both the CG and IG at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

As the differences between the groups at 6 months for all alcohol-related outcome variables were not significant, the shorter, generic brief intervention appears to be as effective as the longer one including normative feedback. However, further studies in similar naturalistic settings are warranted with delayed assessment groups as controls in order to increase our understanding of reactivity assessment in email-based interventions among students.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   agneta.g.andersson@lio.se    

Days to treatment and early retention among patients in treatment for alcohol and drug disorders

Drug and alcohol treatment programs often have long delays between assessment and treatment admission. The study examined the impact of days to treatment admission on the probability of completing four sessions of care within an addiction treatment program implementing improvements in their admission process.

Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to test the effect of wait time on retention in care.

Findings demonstrate a strong decrement in the probability of completing four sessions of treatment with increasing time between the clinical assessment and first treatment session.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:  hoffmaki@ohsu.edu   

The role of assisted self-help in services for alcohol-related disorders

Potentially harmful substance use is common, but many affected people do not receive treatment.

Brief face-to-face treatments show impact, as do strategies to assist self-help remotely, by using bibliotherapies, computers or mobile phones. 

Remotely delivered treatments offer more sustained and multifaceted support than brief interventions, and they show a substantial cost advantage as users increase in number. They may also build skills, confidence and treatment fidelity in providers who use them in sessions. 

Engagement and retention remain challenges, but electronic treatments show promise in engaging younger populations. 

Recruitment may be assisted by integration with community campaigns or brief opportunistic interventions. However, routine use of assisted self-help by standard services faces significant challenges. 

Strategies to optimize adoption are discussed.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:  david.kavanagh@qut.edu.au   

Counselor attitudes toward the use of naltrexone in substance abuse treatment: A multi-level modeling approach

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) continue to be one of the most pervasive and costly of the substance use disorders (SUDs). Despite evidence of clinical effectiveness, adoption of medications for the treatment of AUDs is suboptimal. 

Low rates of AUD medication adoption have been explained by characteristics of both treatment organizations and individual counselor's attitudes and behaviors. However, few studies have simultaneously examined the impact of organizational-level and counselor-level characteristics on counselor perceptions of EBPs. 

To address this gap in the literature, we use data from a national sample of 1178 counselors employed in 209 privately funded treatment organizations to examine the effects of organizational and individual counselor characteristics on counselor attitudes toward tablet and injectable naltrexone. 

Results of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) show that organizational characteristics (use of tablet/injectable naltrexone in the program, 12-step orientation) were associated with counselor perceptions of naltrexone. 

Net of organizational characteristics, several counselor level characteristics were associated with attitudes toward tablet and injectable naltrexone including gender, tenure in the field, recovery status, percentage of AUD patients, and receipt of medication-specific training. 

These findings reveal that counselor receptiveness toward naltrexone is shaped in part by the organizational context in which counselors are embedded.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:  aabraham@uga.edu   

Using medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders: Evidence of barriers and facilitators of implementation

The use of medications to treat substance use disorders (SUDs) has emerged as a potentially central part of the treatment armamentarium. 

In this paper we present data from several recent US national surveys showing that despite the clinical promise of these medications, there has been limited adoption of pharmacotherapies in the treatment of SUDs. 

The data reveal variable patterns of use of disulfiram, buprenorphine, tablet naltrexone, acamprosate and injectable naltrexone. After examining the environmental and institutional context for the adoption of pharmacotherapies, the specific organizational facilitators and barriers of medication adoption are considered. 

The paper concludes with a discussion of the minimal clinical and administrative guidance available to enhance adoption, the lack of client and consumer knowledge of medications that puts a brake on their adoption and availability, and the difficulties that must be surmounted in bringing new medications to market.


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Request Reprint E-Mail:   aabraham@uga.edu 

Guidelines for allocating outpatient alcohol abusers to levels of care: Predictive validity

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive validity of guidelines for allocating outpatients with an alcohol-use disorder to different levels of care in routine alcohol outpatient treatment facilities. 

It was hypothesized that patients matched to the recommended level of care would have (a) better outcomes than patients treated at a less intensive level of care, and (b) outcomes equivalent to patients treated at a more intensive level of care.

Patients at two Dutch substance-abuse treatment centers who completed intake and were allocated at either a brief or standard outpatient treatment (n = 471) were followed prospectively to determine differential outcomes for those who were and were not treated at the recommended level of car. The former patients were allocated according to an algorithm based on their treatment history, addiction severity, psychiatric impairment and social stability at baseline. 52.9% of the original sample was successfully contacted for follow-up 11 months after intake.

Outcome was measured in terms of self-reported alcohol use 30 days prior to follow up and changes in number of excessive and nonexcessive drinking days between intake and follow up.

Only 21% of the patients were matched to the level of care according to the guidelines. 

Patients allocated to the recommended level of care did not have better outcomes than those treated at a less intensive level of care, but they had outcomes comparable to patients treated at a more intensive level of care. 

The a priori allocation guidelines were followed for only a minority of the patients, and using them did not improve treatment outcome. 

Further work is needed to improve the content of the treatment allocation guidelines.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:  m.j.merkx@amc.uva.nl   

“This would be better drunk”: Alcohol expectancies become more positive while drinking in the college social environment

The current study examined whether drinking and/or presence in the college social environment led to augmented positive alcohol expectancies among college students (N = 225).

Participants were approached during popular drinking nights as they exited events at which alcohol was consumed or in front of their residence as they returned home. 


Participants completed a brief questionnaire that included an assessment of demographics, breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), and positive expectancies. Within 48 hours of baseline assessment, participants received via email a follow-up survey that re-assessed positive expectancies while sober. 

Positive sexual expectancies were more strongly endorsed while drinking in the college social environment for both males and females, while males also reported heightened liquid courage expectancies. 

In addition, positive expectancies were more strongly endorsed at higher doses of alcohol for males but not females. 

These findings suggest that interventions which seek to prevent alcohol abuse by targeting alcohol expectancies may wish to challenge positive expectancies in naturalistic college social settings.


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Request Reprint  E-Mail:   jlabrie@lmu.edu    

Drink size calculator

Do you know how many “standard drinks” are in a:

• 21-ounce ballpark souvenir cup of light beer?
• 40-ounce can of malt liquor?
• “half-pint” of 80-proof spirits?
• 25-ounce bottle of wine?

Chances are, your cup or beverage label won't tell you the answer—but this calculator will. See this drop-down menu for common container sizes and alcohol content for different beverages.   > > > >  Read More

What Is Not on The Bottle? Future of alcohol labels discussed in the European Parliament

Pick up just about any food or beverage product on store shelves and you’ll find on the package information about calories, ingredients etc. Unless that is, the product is alcohol. Alcohol is one of the leading risk factors for death and ill health in the EU, especially among young people. It increases the risk of developing several types of cancer including those of the liver, digestive tract as well as breast cancer, it is responsible for 25% of deaths among young men aged 15-29, causes depression etc. 

Shouldn’t consumers be informed about the potential health effects of its consumption? Why we do not know how many calories a glass of wine has? 

Today politicians, public health experts and alcohol industry met at the European Parliament to discuss labelling of alcoholic beverages, what would be effective and why it should be done at the EU level. > > > >  Read More

Findings from the alcohol National Support Team

A legacy document has been produced by the alcohol National Support Team (NST) detailing findings, analysis and case studies from across the country:

Supporting Partnerships to Reduce Alcohol Harm: Key Findings, Recommendations and Case Studies from the Alcohol Harm Reduction National Support Team

Ten Department of Health supported teams had been established to tackle complex public health issues using the best available evidence. The NSTs worked across the on areas such as tobacco control, childhood obesity and health inequalities. The teams carried out over 480 intensive ‘diagnostic’ visits in total to local areas, providing intelligence and support to achieve better public health outcomes.  > > > >  Read More

Brain volumetric measures in alcoholics: a comparison of two segmentation methods

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Measures of regional brain volumes, which can be derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images by dividing a brain into its constituent parts, can be used as structural indicators of many different neuroanatomical diseases and disorders, including alcoholism.

Reducing the time and cost required for brain segmentation would greatly facilitate both clinical and research endeavors. 

In the present study, we compared two segmentation methods to measure brain volumes in alcoholic and nonalcoholic control subjects: 1) an automated system (FreeSurfer) and 2) a semi-automated, supervised system (Cardviews, developed by the Center for Morphometric Analysis [CMA] at Massachusetts General Hospital), which requires extensive staff and oversight. 

The participants included 32 abstinent alcoholics (19 women) and 37 demographically matched, nonalcoholic controls (17 women). Brain scans were acquired in a 3 Tesla MRI scanner. 

The FreeSurfer and CMA methods showed good agreement for the lateral ventricles, cerebral white matter, caudate, and thalamus. 

In general, the larger the brain structure, the closer the agreement between the methods, except for the cerebral cortex, which showed large between-method differences. 

However, several other discrepancies existed between the FreeSurfer and CMA volume measures of alcoholics’ brains. The CMA volumes, but not FreeSurfer, demonstrated that the thalamus, caudate, and putamen were significantly smaller in male alcoholics as compared with male controls. 

Additionally, the hippocampus was significantly smaller in alcoholic women compared with women controls. 

In general, correlation between methods was lowest in male alcoholic subjects, who also showed the greatest abnormalities. 

These results suggest that although many brain structures can be segmented reliably by CMA and FreeSurfer, low correlations between methods in some regions may be due to morphological changes in the brains of alcoholics.

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Distinguishing between attention-deficit hyperactivity and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in children: clinical guidelines.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the physical and neurodevelopmental outcomes of fetal alcohol exposure. The behavioral phenotype of children with FASD includes difficulties with executive function, memory, planning, processing speed, and attention. 

Although attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed in up to 94% of individuals with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, the exact relationship between FASD and ADHD is unclear. 

There is some evidence that ADHD in FASD may be a specific clinical subtype and thus may require a different treatment approach. 

Although traditional behavioral observation scales may not distinguish between the two groups, there is evidence that children with FASD have a different profile on the four-factor model of attention than children with ADHD who do not have FASD. 

There is a paucity of good scientific evidence on effective interventions for individuals with ADHD and FASD. There is weak evidence that children with FASD and ADHD may have a better response to dexamphetamine than methylphenidate. 

There is a strong need for larger, high quality studies to examine the relationship between ADHD and FASD and identify effective treatments because management of inattention and hyperactivity may improve learning and ameliorate the common secondary disabilities associated with FASD.



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mGluR7 Genetics and Alcohol: Intersection Yields Clues for Addiction

Development of addiction to alcohol or other substances can be attributed in part to exposure-dependent modifications at synaptic efficacy leading to an organism which functions at an altered homeostatic setpoint. 

 

Genetic factors may also influence setpoints and the stability of the homeostatic system of an organism. Quantitative genetic analysis of voluntary alcohol drinking, and mapping of the involved genes in the quasi-congenic Recombinant QTL Introgression strain system, identified Eac2 as a Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) on mouse chromosome 6 which explained 18% of the variance with an effect size of 2.09 g/kg/day alcohol consumption, and Grm7 as a quantitative trait gene underlying Eac2 [Vadasz et al. in Neurochem Res 32:1099–1112, 100, Genomics 90:690–702, 102]. 

 

In earlier studies, the product of Grm7 mGluR7, a G protein-coupled receptor, has been implicated in stress systems [Mitsukawa et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102:18712–18717, 63], anxiety-like behaviors [Cryan et al. in Eur J Neurosci 17:2409–2417, 14], memory [Holscher et al. in Learn Mem 12:450–455, 26], and psychiatric disorders (e.g., [Mick et al. in Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 147B:1412–1418, 61; Ohtsuki et al. in Schizophr Res 101:9–16, 72; Pergadia et al. in Paper presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the Behavior Genetics Association, Louisville, Kentucky, USA, 76]. 

 

Here, in experiments with mice, we show that (1) Grm7 knockout mice express increased alcohol consumption, (2) sub-congenic, and congenic mice carrying a Grm7 variant characterized by higher Grm7 mRNA drink less alcohol, and show a tendency for higher circadian dark phase motor activity in a wheel running paradigm, respectively, and (3) there are significant genetic differences in Grm7 mRNA abundance in the mouse brain between congenic and background mice identifying brain areas whose function is implicated in addiction related processes. 

 

We hypothesize that metabotropic glutamate receptors may function as regulators of homeostasis, and Grm7 (mGluR7) is involved in multiple processes (including stress, circadian activity, reward control, memory, etc.) which interact with substance use and the development of addiction. 

 

In conclusion, we suggest that mGluR7 is a significant new therapeutic target in addiction and related neurobehavioral disorders. 

 

 

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Request Reprint E-Mail:   BGyetvai@NKI.RFMH.ORG 

The alcohol use disorders identification test: reliability study of the Japanese version

Alcohol abuse is recognized as a major health issue, and early detection of alcohol abuse is very important. The alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) has been widely used as a specific tool for its detection. 

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Japanese male workers to validate the Japanese version of this test. The Japanese version of AUDIT also contains 10 questions. A score greater than or equal to 11 was considered as indicative of serious alcohol abuse or dependence. 

A total of 168 subjects took part in the survey, and 145 of these subjects sent in their responses to the questionnaire. Among these 145 subjects, there were 136 men. The average age of these male subjects was 38.2 years (±9.9). Among the 136 male subjects, 113 returned completely filled-in questionnaires. 

There were no significant differences in the mean values of the AUDIT score, short version of AUDIT (AUDIT-C) score, or age between the subjects who did or did not indicate their names in the questionnaire. The internal reliability (Cronbach alpha) of AUDIT was 0.67 for the total subject population and 0.45 for the subjects who indicated their names in the questionnaire (n=69). Cronbach’s alpha of AUDIT-C was 0.51 for the total subject population and 0.43 for the subjects who indicated their names in the questionnaire. The Spearman’s rho between AUDIT and AUDIT-C was 0.92 (P<.01), and the percentage of subjects with an AUDIT score greater than or equal to 11 was 8.0% (9/113). 

Thus, the Japanese version of AUDIT showed satisfactory internal reliability. AUDIT is easy to use and is useful for the detection of alcohol-related problems in occupational workers.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:  kawada@nms.ac.jp 

Alcohol consumption, alcohol dehydrogenase 1C (ADH1C) genotype, and risk of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer

Within the Netherlands Cohort Study (1986), we examined associations between alcohol consumption, the alcohol dehydrogenase 1C (ADH1C) genotype, and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

After a follow-up period of 7.3 years, 594 CRC cases with information on genotype and baseline alcohol intake were available for analyses. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. 

In subjects who reported to have consumed equal amounts of total alcohol both 5 years before baseline and at baseline, drinkers of ≥30g of alcohol per day with the ADH1C*2/*2 genotype were associated—although not statistically significant—with an increased risk of CRC relative to abstainers with the ADH1C*1/*1 genotype (RR: 1.91, 95% CI: 0.68, 5.34). 

The risk estimate in this exposure group increased slightly when compared with light drinkers of ≥0.5–<5g/day with the ADH1C*1/*1 genotype (RR: 2.32, 95% CI: 0.80, 6.72). 

The interaction term however, was not statistically significant (P>.05). In subjects who reported to have consumed equal amounts of total alcohol both 5 years before baseline and at baseline, drinkers of ≥30g of alcohol per day were associated—although not statistically significant—with an increased risk of CRC relative to abstainers (RR: 1.38, 95% CI: 0.80, 2.38). 

This risk estimate for high-level drinkers became stronger when compared with light drinkers (RR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.99). 

As main effect of genotype, we observed that the ADH1C*2/*2 genotype was associated with a 42% increase in risk of CRC when compared with the ADH1C*1/*1 genotype. 

In conclusion, both genotype and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased risk of CRC. Owing to limited statistical power, we found no apparent evidence for the ADH1C genotype as effect modifier of the relationship between alcohol intake and CRC. Nevertheless, the interaction deserves further investigation in larger genetic epidemiologic studies.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:    Brenda.Bongaerts@epid.unimaas.nl

Prognosis of osteopenia in chronic alcoholics

Osteoporosis is frequent among alcoholics all by a direct effect of ethanol, malnutrition, and liver failure. Therefore, it may be related to survival. 

The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content, hormonal status, and to determine prognostic value of these parameters in a total of 124 alcoholics followed up for a median period of 57 months. 

Several bone homeostasis-related hormones were measured in patients and age- and sex-matched controls. Whole-body densitometry was performed by a Hologic QDR-2000 (Waltham, MA) densitometer; nutritional status and liver function were assessed. Sixty patients underwent a second evaluation 6 months later. 

Patients showed lower serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (median=58, interquartile range [IQR]=33–135 vs. 135ng/mL, IQR=116–243ng/mL, P<.001), vitamin D (25.5, IQR=18.3–36.8 vs. 79.9pg/mL, IQR=59.2–107.8pg/mL, P<.001), and osteocalcin (2.1, IQR=1.1–4.5 vs. 6.5ng/mL, IQR=4.7–8.7ng/mL, P<.001) than controls, and lower BMD values, and lower Z- and T-scores at right and left legs and arms, thoracic and lumbar spine, pelvis, and right and left ribs. 

By multiple regression analysis, BMD mainly depends on nutritional parameters and liver function. Kaplan–Meier curves show that subtotal BMD and BMD at both arms and pelvis were significantly related with survival. 

Patients who had lost total hip BMD after 6 months showed a shorter survival than those who had not, but using Cox’s regression, encephalopathy, ascites, and nutritional parameters displaced BMD as prognostic factor. 

Therefore, osteopenia ensues in chronic alcoholic patients. It mainly depends on poor nutrition and is related to survival, although surpassed in this sense by encephalopathy, ascites, and nutritional parameters.

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Request Reprint E-Mail:    egonrey@ull.es