Search

Objectives To assess whether implementation of the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act was associated with an increase in the percentage of opioid prescriptions written for 7 days or fewer among patients with acute or postsurgical musculoskeletal conditions. Design An interrupted time-series study was conducted to determine the change in duration of opioid prescriptions associated with the STOP Act. Setting Data were extracted from the electronic health record of a large health care system in North Carolina. Subjects Patients presenting from 2016 to 2020 with an acute musculoskeletal injury and the clinicians treating them were included in an interrupted time-series study (n  = 12 839). Methods Trends were assessed over time, including the change in trend associated with implementation of the STOP Act, for the percentage of prescriptions written for ≤7 days. Results Among patients with acute musculoskeletal injury, less than 30% of prescriptions were written for ≤7 days in January of 2016; by December of 2020, almost 90% of prescriptions were written for ≤7 days. Prescriptions written for ≤7 days increased 17.7% after the STOP Act was implemented (P  < .001), after adjustment for the existing trend. Conclusions These results demonstrate significant potential for legislation to influence opioid prescribing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The use of social media (SM) as a surveillance tool of global illicit drug use is limited. To address this limitation, a systematic review of literature focused on the ability of SM to better recognize illicit drug use trends was addressed. Methods A search was conducted in databases: PubMed, CINAHL via Ebsco, PsychINFO via Ebsco, Medline via Ebsco, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ABI/INFORM Complete and Communication and Mass Media Complete. Included studies were original research published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2005 and June 2015 that primarily focused on collecting data from SM platforms to track trends in illicit drug use. Excluded were studies focused on purchasing prescription drugs from illicit online pharmacies. Results Selected studies used a range of SM tools/applications, including message boards, Twitter and blog/forums/platform discussions. Limitations included relevance, a lack of standardized surveillance systems and a lack of efficient algorithms to isolate relevant items. Conclusion Illicit drug use is a worldwide problem, and the rise of global social networking sites has led to the evolution of a readily accessible surveillance tool. Systematic approaches need to be developed to efficiently extract and analyze illicit drug content from social networks to supplement effective prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hooking up is an impersonal sexual interaction, differing from sexual activity that occurs in the context of a committed relationship. Hookup behavior has been widely studied among college populations; however, this type of sexual behavior has yet to be explored in a military population.Methods: The current study conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 male soldiers with high-risk drinking habits to explore conceptualizations of hooking up. Interviews were systematically coded and analyzed via thematic analysis.Results: Five themes emerged: (1) definitions of hookups, (2) descriptions of why hookups occur, (3) how hookups occur (ie, the social context of hookups), (4) factors that facilitate hookups, and (5) differences between hookups and relationships.Conclusions: Findings suggest that perceptions of hookups among participants who were male soldiers are generally consistent with college populations, with some varying aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention of sexual assault (SA) in the U.S. military is a significant priority. This study applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to a literature search that identified research evaluating SA prevention programs conducted within military settings. Only six studies published between 2005 and 2016 met criteria for inclusion in the review. Studies demonstrated high heterogeneity in the: (1) conceptual framework of the prevention approach; (2) target population and timing of administration; (3) study recruitment methods; (4) methodological design; (5) method of delivery, program dosage and theory of change; and (6) outcome administration and efficacy. Scientific rigor according to the Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine was also variable. Several gaps in the research base were identified. Specifically, research evaluating SA prevention programs have only been conducted among U.S. Army and U.S. Navy samples. Most studies did not examine whether program participation was associated with reductions in rates of sexual violence. Studies also lacked utilization of a long-term follow-up period. Additionally, studies did not reflect the types of SA prevention programs currently being implemented in military settings. Taken together, further research is needed to enhance the evidence base for SA prevention in the military, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches currently being conducted with service members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]