Teen Drug Help
Australian Children as Young as 10 Are Receiving Substance Abuse Treatment
A new study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that a number of pre-teen children have sought treatment for substance abuse problems, including abuse of amphetamines, marijuana, alcohol and heroin.
The Institute of Health reports that the number of Australians getting help from treatment providers is on the rise. Last year, treatment sessions increased from 7,000 to 154,0000. The Institute also reports that alcohol is, by far, the most common substance abuse problem.
Amber Jefferson, from the Institute, recounted drug use data, including: "Alcohol comprising 44 per cent of episodes in 2007/08, compares to 38 per cent back in 2002/03 ... and alcohol treatment is followed by treatment for cannabis at 22 percent, amphetamines 11 percent and heroin at 11 percent."
(Source: www.abc.net.au)
Labels: alcohol, heroin, marijuana, teen substance abuse, treatment
Boston Researchers Find that Medical Training on Addiction Is Lacking
Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found that medical training lacks sufficient education on addiction, which is resulting in suboptimal medical care for individuals with addictive behaviors. The researchers found that a CRIT (Chief Resident Immersion Training program) in addiction is an effective way to disseminate needed information to medical staff. The chief resident takes information from this program and teaches it to residents through a "train-the-trainer" model.
Lead author of the study, Daniel P. Alford, MD, MPH, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and director of Chief Resident Immersion Training in the Addiction Medicine Section of General Internal Medicine at BMC, commented: "Training chief residents who have a primary responsibility for educating medical trainees, appears to be one important pragmatic strategy to address the compelling need for better physician training in the identification and management of patients with addiction. ... This program effectively transferred evidence-based addiction knowledge and practice to 64 chief residents in generalist disciplines and more importantly, enhanced the addiction curriculum in 47 residency programs." (Sources: sciencedaily.com)
Labels: addiction, diagnosis, treatment
Betty Ford - First Lady and Founder of Famous Addiction Rehabilitation Center
April 8, 2009 marks the 91st birthday of former first lady Betty Ford. With the founding of the Betty Ford Center in 1982, Betty Ford made a groundbreaking contribution to the treatment of addiction for women. Betty had many roles in her lifetime: model, dancer, first lady, feminist, and cancer survivor. But it was her experience battling and surviving her own addictions that led to her most memorable venture.
In April 1978, the year that her husband lost the presidential election to democratic candidate Jimmy Carter, Betty began losing her battle against substance addiction. Her family staged an intervention, and she was admitted to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Long Beach, California, for chemical dependency. During her treatment at the hospital, she first saw the need for a detoxification and treatment center that would offer services for each gender separately. In 1982, Betty joined with her friend Ambassador Leonard Firestone to co-found the nonprofit center. (Source: www.findingdulcinea.com)
Labels: addiction, rehab, treatment
Teens Lack Addiction Treatment Options
According to a new report from the University of Kentucky, 90 percent of the 1.4 million adolescents struggling with substance abuse do not get treatment, partly because not enough treatment programs are devoted to teens. The report was compiled by Hannah Knudsen, an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Behavioral Science and a researcher in the university’s Center on Drug and Alcohol Research.
The report contained a random sampling of 154 programs. Knudsen looked at nine domains of quality. Overall, the cohort of programs received an average score. Addiction treatment services for teens in the Lexington, Kentucky area appear especially lacking. Of the 38 programs in the area, only six offer services for teens.
Knudsen commented, "One barrier has to do with the limited amount of funding that exists for substance abuse treatment. ... In addition, treating adolescents means that treatment programs need to find counselors with experience and training that helps them to work well with teenagers; that can also be a challenge."
(Source: kykernel.com)
Labels: addiction treatment, teen drug abuse, treatment
Afghani Doctors Visit the U.S. to Learn About Addiction Treatment
A delegation of doctors from Afghanistan is visiting Maryland this week to learn more about treating addiction. Addiction is a huge problem for the country, where almost 90 percent of the world's opium is produced. One devastating issue is that many poor mothers sedate their children with opium because it makes them appear happy and quiet. It is also a cheap and easy way for them to keep their children quiet and under control while they work. The delegation will spend a week observing group therapy sessions and how drug treatment programs in the United States are designed and delivered. (Source: www.news8.net)
Labels: addiction, treatment
