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Introduction and Aims: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are common and frequently co-occur with mood and anxiety disorders. This paper provides a detailed analysis of patterns, prevalence and correlates of mood and anxiety disorders among those with a (i) pure SUD; (ii) SUD plus a mood or anxiety disorder (SUDs + 1); and (iii) SUD plus a mood and anxiety disorder (SUDs + 2).Design and Methods: Data came from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing; a nationally representative household survey of 8841 Australians aged 16-85 years.Results: The 12-month prevalence of SUDs was 5.1%. Of those with a 12-month SUD, 65% met the criteria for pure SUDs, 19% for SUDs + 1 and 16% for SUDs + 2. Major depression was the most common mood disorder in both comorbid groups. One-third of SUDs + 1 experienced social phobia, while over half of SUDs + 2 experienced generalised anxiety disorder. Compared with pure SUDs, SUDs + 1 experienced two times more and SUDs + 2 experienced over four times more days out of role in the preceding 30 days. Both comorbid groups were more likely to experience severe levels of impairment. SUDs + 2 were over 18 times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts in the same year. SUDs + 1 were over three times and SUDs + 2 were over 10 times more likely to have had one or more consultations with a health professional in the previous year.Discussions and Conclusions: These findings highlight the complexities inherent with responding to and treating multiple comorbidities among substance users and emphasise the need for coordinated, cohesive responses from drug and alcohol treatment services.[Prior K, Mills K, Ross J, Teesson M. Substance use disorders comorbid with mood and anxiety disorders in the Australian general population. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:317-324]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: Indicators suggest an escalation in opioid use globally, with recent HIV outbreaks linked to non-medical pharmaceutical opioid (NMPO) use. Little is known about how young Australians engage in NMPO use.Design and Methods: During 2015, we conducted qualitative interviews with young people (16-29 years) who reported oral NMPO use at least twice in the past 90 days. The study included a sample of injecting (n = 14) and oral (n = 22) users. This paper focuses on the oral user group.Results: Most participants grew up in affluent areas of Sydney, reported few health problems, rarely accessed health or welfare services and had limited contact with police. NMPO use was part of a repertoire of drug use involving: (i) use to come down from stimulants; (ii) use in conjunction with cannabis and alcohol; and (iii) use by itself. Participants reported limiting their use in order to avoid stigma and dependence.Discussion and Conclusions: Results suggest culture of self-limiting NMPO use characterised by stable housing, disposable income and intimate friendship networks. Despite the adverse health outcomes observed in other settings, our data suggest that the patterns and meanings of NMPO use observed in this small sample may help explain the limited nature of problematic use among young Australians to date. Findings indicate a need for epidemiological data, including longitudinal data, to assess possible demographic shifts in NMPO use in Australia, and to address risk factors for dependence and transitions to injecting and heroin use in this population. [Dertadian GC, Dixon TC, Iversen J, Maher L. Self-limiting non-medical pharmaceutical opioid use among young people in Sydney, Australia: An exploratory study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]