English:

The comorbidity between depression and alcohol consumption is a public health concern, affecting progression, treatment adherence, and outcomes. Alcohol use in Latin America exceeds the global average. This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms and risky alcohol consumption, considering gender and age, in 4,890 participants (ages 18-64) from six Latin American countries. Results showed women had higher risky alcohol consumption and more severe depressive symptoms than men. Younger adults (18-24) reported more depression symptoms. Women with risky alcohol consumption...

From September 11th to 13th, 2024, the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) participated in the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) Conference held in Cremona, Italy.

The poster titled “Facilitators, Challenges, and Lessons Learnt from INEP Plus Spanish Language Version: Adapting Prevention Training for Spanish-Speaking Participants” and co-authored by Rasha Abi Hana, Rachele Donini, Jeff Lee, and José Luis Benítez Villa, highlighted findings from the Introduction to Evidence-Based Prevention (INEP) Plus Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving Spanish...

Background

Since 1996, an urban community-based organisation whose primary mission is to serve diverse94 and emerging community health needs has provided screening, testing, overdose prevention and training, referrals, and access to treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) and communicable diseases such as HIV through its Life Points harm reduction program.

Methods

As a partner in a State survey in 2021, the community organisation recruited a convenience sample of people who use drugs to participate in a survey focused on their substance use, healthcare, and barriers to SUD...

Stimulants are a class of drugs that act on the central nervous system, increasing alertness, energy, and attention while elevating mood. They achieve these effects by enhancing the activity of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

Many stimulant-related hazards are linked to intensive, high-dose, or long-term usage. The mode of administration plays a significant moderating role; injecting stimulants and smoking crack cocaine or methamphetamine have been specifically associated with more problematic use behaviours. Even people who use stimulants sporadically or...