Crowley D, Cullen W, Lambert JS and Van Hout MC (2019) PLoS ONE, 14(9): e0222186.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31836/

This study aimed to explore Irish prisoners' experience of prison and community-based HCV [hepatitis C virus] care. We conducted one-to-one interviews with 25 male prisoners with chronic HCV infection. Data collection and analysis was informed by grounded theory.

The study generated a substantive theory of the need to increase the importance of HCV care among the routine competing priorities associated with the lives of PWID [people who inject drugs]. HCV infected prisoners often lead complex lives and understanding their journeys through the HCV continuum can inform the development of meaningful HCV care pathways. Many challenges exist to optimising HCV treatment uptake in this group and incarceration is an opportunity to successfully engage HCV infected prisoners who underutilise and are underserved by community-based medical services. Support and linkage to care on release is essential to optimising HCV management.

Pallari E, Soukup T, Kyriacou A and Lewison G (2020)
Evidence-Based Mental Health, 23(2): 67–76.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31815/

This study sought to (1) evaluate European research outputs on alcohol misuse and drug addiction in 2002–2018 in the Web of Science, (2) compare these with their burden of disease and (3) determine their impact in several ways.

The volume of research on illicit drug addiction is commensurate to the European burden, whereas alcohol misuse is far below what is needed to curb a significant source of harm.

The research asymmetries call for attention to the causes of the problem. Development of research-based solutions to a serious social harm is needed, including minimum pricing and collaborative work to harmonise efforts on disease management and treatment practices across European countries.

Balbo N, Carpella P and Toffolutti V (2020) Health Policy, 124(5): 568–574.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31775/

This study uses data on adolescents between 15 and 17 years old from 25 European countries to test, if and how, the substance-use pattern has changed during the Great Recession.

Social protection expenditure reduces the use of inhalants, whereas ecstasy consumption rises. The pattern for cocaine is unclear.

Devenney LE, Coyle KB and Verster JC (2019) Human Psychopharmacology, 34(4): e2701.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31736/

This study aims to investigate attention, memory functioning, and mood in a natural setting with real-life alcohol consumption levels.

Selective attention was significantly impaired during alcohol hangover. The differences between the hangover and control group did not reach significance for other forms of attention or memory.

Houghton F and McInerney D (2020) Irish Journal of Medical Science, Early online.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31703/

This examination focuses on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) coverage of the recent Rugby World Cup match between Ireland and New Zealand on Saturday, 19 October 2019.

Kavanagh A, Donnelly J, Dunne N, Maher T, Nichol M and Creedon J (2020) International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 29(4): 716–724.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31702/

This study is a retrospective review of clinical records to identify factors associated with requests for premature discharge. Considerations of clinicians making the decision to detain the person or to support them through the discharge against medical advice process were also elucidated. Data were collected from clinical records of service users who requested discharge and were subsequently discharged against medical advice or detained involuntarily.

Discharge against medical advice represented 3.5% of all discharges. The most frequent reasons for requests for discharge against medical advice were dissatisfaction with treatment, lack of engagement due to addiction, and leaving without notifying staff. Requests for discharge against medical advice frequently occurred out of hours, and nurses were the clinicians most likely to receive such requests.

Alam RM and Keating JJ (2020) Drug Testing and Analysis, 12(3): 297–315.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31691/

At present, little information is available regarding the chemical syntheses of the newly emerging classes of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs), from a clandestine perspective.

When compared with previous generations of indole- and indazole-type SCRAs, current research suggests that many of these heterocyclic SCRA analogs maintain high affinity and efficacy at both CB₁ and CB₂ (cannabinoid receptor type 1 and 2) but largely evade legislative control. This review highlights the importance of continued research in the field of SCRA chemistry and pharmacology, as recreational SCRA use remains a global public health issue and represents a serious control challenge for law enforcement agencies.

Columb D, Griffiths MD and O’Gara C (2020) Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Early online, pp. 1–9.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31665/

The aim of this study was to carry out the first ever study of gaming characteristics of individuals engaging in online gaming in Ireland and to ascertain whether features of gaming disorder are present in this population.

A small percentage of gamers in Ireland demonstrate disordered gaming characteristics and gaming disorder, consistent with data from other international studies. Epidemiological studies are required in Ireland to enhance our knowledge of this disorder.

Grant C, Bergin C, O’Connell S, Cotter J and Ní Cheallaigh C (2020) Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 7(2): ofaa037.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31664/

High-cost, high-need users are defined as patients who accumulate large numbers of emergency department visits and hospital admissions that might have been prevented by relatively inexpensive early interventions and primary care. This phenomenon has not been previously described in HIV-infected individuals.

A small number of HIV-infected individuals account for a high volume of acute unscheduled care. Intensive engagement in outpatient care may prevent some of this usage and ensuing costs.

Comiskey C, James P and Smyth B (2020) Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 33(2): 61–66.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31639/

The experiences of crime and policing from the perspective of adolescent cannabis users before treatment entry are not often understood by practitioners.

Findings of this study highlight the commonality of fear and the seriousness of personal and familial violent harms. The need for targeted developmental preventions in vulnerable settings is proposed. Parents and professionals need to have an awareness of money in the home and the role of intergenerational substance use.

Durand L, O’Driscoll D, Boland F, Keenan E, Ryan B, Barry J, et al. (2020) Addiction, Early online.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31615/

This study aimed to examine the risk of mortality associated with interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), including transfers between services, in
opioid-dependent individuals attending specialist addiction services.

Interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment by treatment provider do not appear to be periods of risk for drug related poisoning or all-cause mortality deaths. Risk of drug related poisoning and all-cause mortality deaths appears to be greatest during the first four weeks of treatment initiation/re-initiation and after treatment cessation.

McMahon EM, Corcoran P, Keeley H, et al. (2020) Psychological Medicine, Early online, pp. 1–9.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31608/

The aims of this study were to examine associations between psychotic experiences (PEs) and a range of factors including psychopathology, adversity and lifestyle, and to investigate mediating effects of coping style and parental support on associations between adversity and PEs in a general population adolescent sample.

We have identified potential risk factors for PEs from multiple domains including adversity, mental health and lifestyle factors. The mediating effect of parental support on associations between adversity and PEs suggests that poor family relationships may account for some of this mechanism. These findings can inform the development of interventions for adolescents at risk.

Farsalinos KE and Barbouni A (2020) Tobacco Control, Early online.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31605/

This study aimed to examine the association between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and smoking cessation in the European Union (EU) in 2017 according to e-cigarette use frequency and smoking cessation duration.

Current daily e-cigarette use in the EU in 2017 was rare among former smokers of >10 years and was positively associated with recent (≤5 years) smoking cessation. Former daily e-cigarette use was also positively associated with recent (≤2 years) smoking cessation.

Weston J and Berridge V (2020) Social History of Medicine, 33(1): 247–267.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31606/

This article compares the policy decisions made by the prison services of the Republic of Ireland and England & Wales in response to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, bringing together the histories of penal policy and HIV/AIDS for the first time. It develops our understanding of contemporary policy history, and demonstrates the value of a comparative approach to both penal and health histories. Policy-making was shaped by both national and more localised traditions and trends, from attitudes to criminal justice and responses to HIV/AIDS at the national level, to the histories, structures, and staffing of prison services themselves.

Mlinarić M, Hoffmann L, Lindfors P and Richter M (2020) Social Science & Medicine, 247: 112805.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31599/

The aim of this qualitative comparative study is to identify and classify the smoke-free (SF) policy implementation processes and types undertaken at the local level in seven European cities according to the views of local bureaucrats and sub-national stakeholders.

This study found four SF implementation types two mechanisms of progressive expansion and defensive closure. Development and enhancement of smoking bans requires a suitable national policy environment and indirect national-level support of self-governed local initiatives. Future SF policies can be enhanced by laws pertaining to places frequented by minors.

Cleary B, Loane M, Addor M-C, et al. (2020) Archives of Disease in Childhood (Fetal and Neonatal edn), 105(2): 151–157.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31690/

Methadone is a vital treatment for women with opioid use disorder in pregnancy. Previous reports suggested an association between methadone exposure and Pierre Robin sequence (PRS), a rare craniofacial anomaly. We assessed the association between gestational methadone exposure and PRS.

The findings suggest that gestational methadone exposure is associated with PRS. The association may be explained by unmeasured confounding factors. The small increased risk of PRS in itself does not alter the risk-benefit balance for gestational methadone use. The association with cleft palate, a more common CA [congenital anomalies], should be assessed with independent data.

McDonnell BP, Dicker P and Regan CL (2020) BJOG, 127(6): 750–756.
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31784/

This study aimed to compare the obstetric outcomes and socio-demographic factors in electronic cigarette (EC) users with cigarette smokers and non-smokers in pregnancy.

The birthweight of infants born to EC users is similar to that of non-smokers, and significantly greater than cigarette smokers. Dual users of both cigarettes and EC have a birthweight similar to that of smokers.

Drugnet Ireland is the quarterly newsletter of Ireland’s focal
point for the EMCDDA and is produced in collaboration with the HRB National Drugs Library. Drugnet Ireland is published by
the Health Research Board.

Managing editor:    Brian Galvin
Copy-editing:          O’Hanlon Media

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