Introduction: Tobacco smoking, alcohol, and drug intake are essential health and sociological problems in many countries. Despite many campaigns, the percentage of people using these stimulants does not diminish. Aim: Evaluation of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by the students of Polish high schools. Materials and methods: The research was conducted on 3108 pupils of the first and last classes of 19 high schools in the Mazovian province. A specially prepared questionnaire was used. Class, a place of residence, origin, parents’ education, tobacco, alcohol, and psychoactive drugs were analysed. Results: From 3108(100%) respondents, 71.4% never smoked cigarettes, 17.1% smoked less, and 11.5% more than 1 packet daily. 10.4% smoked cigarettes longer than 1 year, boys more often and for longer. At 57.5% at least one parent smoked cigarettes. Place of residence, kind of school, class, and parents’ education did not affect the frequency of smoking. Of 3108 pupils, 33,7% did not drink alcohol, 30.5% less often than once in the quarter, 29.4% several times monthly, 6.4% several times weekly. Boys drank more often than girls. Class, the origin, and place of residence did not affect the frequency of alcohol consumption. Children of parents with a university education drank more often. 333(10.7%) used psychoactive drugs, 327(10.5%) marijuana, and 6(0,2%) amphetamine. Conclusion: Despite indicators lower than in other countries of smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, and holding drugs in Poland, these phenomena are a crucial health and population factor. Preventive and educational actions among pupils, as well as in their home environment, are necessary.
Aims: To determine the threshold concentration of Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) in hair for diagnosing chronic alcohol use in women. Methods: The study involved 15 alcohol-dependent women undergoing inpatient treatment for chronic alcohol use at the Grodno regional clinical center “Psychiatry-Narcology” (Belarus). The control group consisted of 15 moderately drinking representatives of the general population. The EtG level was assessed in the proximal 3-cm segment of scalp hair as per SoHT guidelines for alcohol marker detection. EtG concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Results: At a threshold concentration of 38 pg/mg, the sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) of the result were 93%, 92%, 98%, 90%, respectively. Conclusion: EtG is a reliable biochemical marker of chronic alcohol use in women. The relatively small sample size is a limitation and should be considered when interpreting the findings.
The present study investigates the escalating dependency on smartphones, with tendencies toward severe addiction, thereby causing detrimental effects on both psychological and physiological well-being. The group addicted to mobile phones exhibits behavioral and neurophysiological differences compared to the non-addicted group. Non-invasive neural modulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation and aerobic exercises such as HPCOSMOS exergaming (Treadmill-based, combining action control and motion perception in a Switch game) may represent cost-effective, adaptable, and promising therapeutic approaches. That will contribute to establishing a theoretical foundation for the rehabilitation and treatment of individuals afflicted with smartphone addiction.
Introduction: Dentists play a key role in assisting patients in quitting smoking. Dentists’ competence in smoking cessation as part of regular patient treatment is studied in this research. Methodology: Two hundred twenty-six patients were selected from the Institute of Dental Sciences Bareilly’s smoke cessation center to complete in-person cross-sectional research about previous dental visits Patients’ smoking patterns, as well as their smoking cessation experience from their dentists, and willingness for dentists to apply smoking cessation recommendations were all covered in the survey. Results: Overall, 38 percent of the subjects were current smokers, 8% were former smokers, and 68% had tried to stop smoking before. Former/non-smokers had significantly greater plaque index, gingival index, and probing depth levels than smokers (p0.05). The dentists’ approach to cessation conversations, on the other hand, was limited to a list of the negative consequences. Only 32% of patients were told about the negative impacts of tobacco, and only a third were encouraged to quit. Conclusions: Smoking causes dental health issues. Dentists in Bareilly City may inquire about their patients’ smoking habits, but they are less likely to provide actual assistance in quitting.
Introduction: Aging is a natural process but at the same time, the aging population has substantially increased. Socially this stage is considered the total of one lived experience. Materials and methods: The sample size has been 200 which is 100 in each group. Individuals beyond 60 years of age and who will be able to cooperate with the study were included in the study. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to record depression among the same subject. The data were entered into an excel sheet and transferred to SPSS V. 21. for statistical analysis and Chi-square and ANOVA tests were done. Results: The prevalence of depression in elderly individuals living in family settings was 22% mild, 14% moderate, and 10% severe, whereas, in old age homes, the prevalence was 36% mild, 26% moderate, and 8% severe. On comparison of depression according to marital status among the elderly within the family set up and old age home reported a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We found from this study that the overall prevalence of depression was higher in elderly people residing in old age homes. It is more common in older women than in men.
In a recent publication, we discussed the benefits and cautions of using secondary data analyses in research on lifestyle and health behavior [1]. We provided some guidelines about the use of secondary data in terms of the contributions that can be made and at the same time considerations necessary in using data that are collected by someone else. The use of secondary data to explore social and health issues results in being able to provide information about important issues in a timely fashion. Secondary data can answer two types of questions: descriptive and analytical [2]. Hence, the information can be used to describe events or trends or it can be used to examine relationships among variables cross-sectionally or longitudinally.
COVID 19 has created a new world order. The absence of a specific therapy, uncertainty about the viral transmission of the disease and its mutation, lock down, social distancing have caused mental stress leading to anxiety and depression.
Background:The COVID-19 pandemic has brought different impacts on human life unfortunately, mental health has not received due attention. Methods:The Nuevos Rumbos Corporation (CNR) decided to create a self-assessment system that allows measuring the impact that confi nement has had in different areas of adjustment in life of Colombians.Findings: More than 2000 people have used the system, (74.2% women, 24.2% men and 1.6% qualify as "other"), about 62% of the respondents report negative emotional changes, 33% have felt more aggressive than usual, 12% reported an increase in alcohol consumption and of active smokers 32.5% increased their consumption.Interpretation: As a result of the limitations associated with the pandemic, there is evidence of a global imbalance in the mental health of the population that requires attention, since the problems will increase as the economic problems continue as well as the confi nement, associated with a second wave of the virus.Funding: We declare that we have no confl ict of interest in the preparation or publication of this paper, Nuevos Rumbos being completely autonomous in the application of the system as well as in the administration of its data.
COVID 19 has created a new world order.The absence of a specifi c therapy, uncertainty about the viral transmission of the disease and its mutation, lock down, social distancing have caused mental stress leading to anxiety and depression.The closure of educational institutions and online teaching have made students sedentary.The restricted movement to stay in the house and continuous sitting in front of the computers listening to online teachings have resulted in increased consumption of sugary drinks and fast food.Therefore, physical literacy and physical activity gained importance during the pandemic.
The endocannabinoid system is involved in various physiological pathways in the human body. A large number of endogenous cannabinoids have been acknowledged, and cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB-1) and cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB-2) have been categorized.
Background: According to the World Health Organization, about 76-85% of subjects in low- and middle-income countries suffer with a mental disorder. From them the most prevalent are anxiety and depression ones, with an increase in the number of cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Antidepressants are drugs used to treat depression, but they are also used to treat subjects addicted to drugs. The development of new technologies/drugs/compositions is important for promoting access not only to drugs, but better drugs. The present study aims: 1. To carry out a survey of drugs under active development used to depression and dependency treatment (at least); 2. To evaluate, through the patent landscape, the patent documents filed in the past 10 years related to this class of drugs (antidepressants) in the context of technological scenario and 3. To promote a discussion about drugs used as antidepressants and to dependency treatment (at least). Results: The search provided a scenario of a small number of drugs used for depression and drug dependency under active development, the highest development phases, the main mechanisms of action and the antidepressants used as antiaddictives. The patent landscape retrieved 2067 applied documents filed over the last 10 years, showing that China leads in the number of deposits of these drugs/compositions/methods to treat depression (with 1758 applications) made by Chinese Institutes and Universities, followed by the United States (291 applications) and Japan (193 applications). The patents’ search also allowed us to evaluate the documents which the claims addressed (at least) to the treatment of depression and as antiaddictive. Conclusion: The analysis of under active development drugs presented those used as antidepressants and to the treatment of substances dependency in different stages of development, including the drugs in clinical studies. Indeed, the applications’ analysis on antidepressants has generated information about the technologies involved, as well as allowing the evaluation of the applications that are also promising for the treatment of addiction and depression.
COVID 19 has created a new world order. The absence of a specific therapy, uncertainty about the viral transmission of the disease and its mutation, lock down, social distancing have caused mental stress leading to anxiety and depression.
Background: Concomitant prescription of anticholinergics with first generation antipsychotic medications is widely practiced in psychiatry to avert or abort extrapyramidal side effect resulting from the latter. Trihexyphenidyl (Benzhexol) is the most commonly prescribed and the most likely to be abused amidst the anticholinergics in Nigeria. Objectives: To explore the prevalence and the associated factors for Trihexyphenidyl abuse among psychiatric outpatients in Nigeria. Methodology: 64 stable outpatients who met the inclusion criteria were interviewed with a sociodemographic questionnaire and a ten items Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), other relevant data were obtained from their case notes at the psychiatric clinic of Sarkin Maska Shehu (SMASH) Hospital, Funtua, Katsina State. Data were tabulated and analysed with Microsoft Excel and version 11.65 of Window Program for Epidemiologist (WINPEPI).
Ketodex is a combination of ketamine and dexmedetomidine. Ketamine, an old intravenous anesthetic, is a non-narcotic and non-barbiturate drug. It has several properties of the ideal anesthetic agent. However, ketamine can produce the psychological adverse effects. Dexmedetomidine has analgesic, amnesic, sedative and anxiolytic properties. A distinct advantage of dexmedetomidine is the maintenance of respiratory force and preserved airway patency. It converges on a natural sleep pathway, activating pathways that promote endogenous non-rapid eye movement sleep to exert its sedative effect. However, dexmedetomidine can produce bradycardia and hypotension. A combination of ketamine and dexmedetomidine has several benefits in the terms of hemodynamic stability, absence of respiratory depression, post-operative analgesia and recovery. Several previous studies have been demonstrated the therapeutic utility of the combination of ketamine and dexmedetomidine.
Adolescence is characterized by high level of psychosocial vulnerabilities. It is a developmental phase in which youths explore themselves, others, and their social context.
Background: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use leads to nicotine addiction and is associated with several health problems. However, it may be perceived as a safe alternative to cigarettes resulting in a potential for increased use among smokers and non-smokers alike. We assessed the pattern of smokeless tobacco use, as well as, the knowledge and attitudes towards SLT among adult residents in Lagos, South West Nigeria..
Lung cancer is a major issue in oncology pathology worldwide. According to the WHO, this disease is the number one cause of death in both men and women worldwide [1].
This paper argues for an established Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) cut-off for impaired driving at 0.05%, aka 0.05 g/dl, for drivers in the United States.
Substance abuse is one of the major concerns of human societies. Many problems exist for controlling drug abuse that profoundly influences treatment. One of the most important and prevalent problems is Withdrawal Syndrome (WS).
