With the increased role of nurses in caring for patients with substance addiction, there was a clear need to develop the Addiction Nursing Competencies to guide and support the nursing workforce. A literature search revealed a lack of formal instruments to assess and guide nurses in caring for persons with substance use disorders. The Addiction Nursing Competencies were created using existing nursing education frameworks and addiction nurse care manager clinical guidelines.

In a recent article, Gunawan and colleagues explore how the Incentive Salience (IS) domain in the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment (ANA) framework relates to alcohol motivation and alcohol insensitivity. Their findings support previous research suggesting a connection between alcohol insensitivity and the motivation-driven response to alcohol-related cues. This review highlights the importance of understanding how individuals with low alcohol sensitivity (LS) experience stronger reactions to alcohol cues compared to those with high alcohol sensitivity (HS). It also emphasizes the need for...

Background
Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a single session, is a major public health issue. It leads to cognitive and motor impairments and is linked to numerous health problems. This study aims to analyze globally published peer-reviewed literature on binge drinking.

Methods
A thorough search was conducted in the Scopus database using keywords related to binge drinking. Specific criteria were applied to filter the results, resulting in 2,763 relevant research papers. VOSviewer software was used to analyze and visualize connections between these studies...

Few studies have looked into how cannabis use during pregnancy affects the development of disruptive behavioral disorders (DBDs) in children, often using small sample sizes and self-reported data. This study aimed to understand the link between maternal cannabis use disorder (CUD) during pregnancy and after childbirth, and the risk of DBDs in children. We used health data from New South Wales, Australia, for children born between 2003 and 2005. We compared children whose mothers had CUD to those whose mothers did not, and assessed the risk of DBDs in these children. Both CUD and DBDs were...

BACKGROUND:

Implementing quality measurement is still a challenge in the field of drug treatment and harm reduction. In this case study, we investigate which strategies can be used to enhance the implementation of a policy in which quality indicators are made public.

METHODS:

Building on an evidence-based methodology, this case study shows how an organisation in Flanders – the Flemish Institute for Quality of Care – develops quality indicators along with its strategies to implement the measurement of the indicators.

RESULTS:

The study shows three types of quality indicators in the field...

INTRODUCTION:

In the favourable political climate of the mid-2010s, the standards for Assessment & Selection of Prevention programmes Issued from the Review of EDPQS (ASPIRE) were developed to support project planning in drug prevention.

METHODS:

This case study is a narrative from the main coordinator responsible for drafting this quality assurance material.

RESULTS:

The framework that led to the creation of the ASPIRE standards is described. The production process is then explained and, thereby, the 12 ASPIRE standards resulting from it are presented. These quality standards and their...

BACKGROUND:

Coolmine’s implementation of quality standards involves a period of change management, strategic planning, and national policy development.

METHODS:

A narrative case study focusing on national policy and internal strategic planning.

CONCLUSIONS:

From 2000, Coolmine embarked on a change management journey that kept the organisation at the forefront of drug and alcohol treatment in Ireland and internationally while maintaining fidelity to the Therapeutic Community. The strategy for quality assurance is replicable across similar organisations.

INTRODUCTION:

The Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC) is the main coordinating body for all matters related to licit and illicit substances as well as pathological gambling in Cyprus and it is responsible, inter alia, for the licensing, evaluation, funding (where possible), coordination, and reinforcement of all programmes, actions, and activities related to substances and gambling. Licensing and funding are based on the fulfilment of certain criteria and a certain level of quality.

METHODS:

The process that led to the establishment of a quality standards system for licensing and...

BACKGROUND:

In the field of harm reduction (HR), an established quality assurance system with implemented quality standards is rather rare in practice. Together with limited evidence in this area, this leads to an imbalance in the basic segments of drug demand reduction and their lack of compatibility and alignment in terms of therapeutic continuity.

AIMS:

The paper presents case study analysis of the context and a description of the original quality management system in harm reduction at the national level.

METHODS:

The case study design is based on a narrative review from a search of...

INTRODUCTION:

Quality Standards (QS) are an important priority in European drug policy, although the extent of their application remains unclear. The FENIQS-EU project (Further ENhancing the Implementation of Quality Standards in drug demand reduction across Europe) was set up to foster the use of QS. The objective of this paper is to present the main findings of the first 18 months of this project.

METHODS:

A multi-method study design was used to assess the application of QS. It consisted of:

1) an online survey and brief interviews with key stakeholders in various areas of drug demand...

Background: Limited research has been conducted on lifetime trauma exposure among individuals undergoing medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). A multisite study provided an opportunity to investigate the prevalence of lifetime trauma and variations by gender, PTSD status, and chronic pain.

Methods: A cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data from participants (N = 303) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a mind–body intervention alongside MOUD. All participants were stabilized on MOUD. Measures included the Trauma Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), the Brief Pain...

INTRODUCTION: More than four decades of war and tragedy have destroyed most of the public infrastructure in Afghanistan. Currently, drug use is a major public health crisis in the country and drug treatment services have extremely limited coverage. This article is a review of substance use problem and treatment situation prior to the reinstatement of Taliban. The aim of this article is to provide evidence-based recommendations for policy makers to improve substance use treatment services and to integrate some components of this sector into primary health care and to ensure sustainability of...

Background: Over the past decade, drug-related overdoses have seen a significant rise both in North America and globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasised the urgent need for safer supply programs to replace unregulated substances, reducing toxicity and overdose risks. Service providers play a crucial role in delivering safer supply initiatives, yet there's limited empirical evidence from their perspective on what constitutes effective safer supply programs. This study delves into the initial implementation and impacts of a safer supply program, capturing insights from an...

Background: Physical health problems are common in people receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT). A study was conducted on these health issues in OAT patients in the Czech Republic and Norway from 2010 to 2019, with a focus on gender differences.

Methods: In this study, it was a population-based cohort study that linked multiple health records to investigate physical diseases (using ICD-10 codes) in patients receiving OAT in the Czech Republic (4,280 patients) and Norway (11,389 patients) from 2010 to 2019. A gender-stratified analysis was performed.

Results: The study found that both male...