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The urgency of this study has become vivid in the light of the growing problem of prevalence and use of new synthetic drug types. Lately there has been a tendency of expanding the range of psychologically active substances (PAS) used by addicts with the purpose of their illegal taking. The aim of this research is an attempt of systematizing and classifying "design" drugs according to their chemical structure, neurochemical mechanisms of action and clinical manifestations. As a result, we have found that they can be divided into ten big groups. This classification will allow to better arrange new clinical phenomenology in modern addictology. This paper would be useful for psychiatrists, experts in narcology, as well as for personnel of institutions and agencies engaged in anti-drug activity.

The relevance of the study is due to the development of a new stage of prevention and the need to justify new educational goals and objectives of the pedagogical prevention of addictive behavior in the educational environment. The purpose of this article is to examine the totality of the necessary and sufficient individual resources, that are protective factors for teenagers from different types of addictions. The leading method of research is the analysis of psychological and educational literature and legal acts in the field of prevention of addictive behavior, psycho diagnostic methods. The paper theoretically justifies the formation of the person's resilience as a task of pedagogical prevention of addictive behavior in the educational environment, shows the results of psychodiagnostics for coping strategies, personal resources and resilience of adolescents, reveals the relationship between the models of coping behavior, the development level of the individual resources and the level of teenagers' resilience. The article presents theoretical and practical significance for teachers, social workers and psychologists involved in the development and implementation of educational programs of addictive behavior prevention in the educational environment.

This study examined drug use patterns, HIV/AIDS, and related outcomes among former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants from Russia, Ukraine and the Caucasus mountain region in Israel who reported heroin use. A total of 253 FSU heroin users were interviewed from 2002 to 2007 as part of a large drug use surveillance study in Israel. Individuals were sampled at drug treatment facilities in an urban population center of the Negev region of Israel. Participants were assessed using the Addiction Severity Index, fifth edition. First, immigrants from Russia and Ukraine were compared; then, as a group, compared to those from the Caucasus region. Overall, ASI composite scores suggested comparable levels of addiction severity between the Russian and Ukrainian groups. However, Kavkaz immigrants are older, less likely to be employed, and have more severe scores on many of the drug use measures as compared to the other two nationalities. This study shows different drug use patterns exist among FSU immigrants. Such differences may be, in part, due to socioeconomic, geographic and other sociodemographic factors. Injection drug use, regardless of country/region of origin is a critical public health problem, especially given the link between injection drug use and infectious disease.

The activities of religious organizations have been the cause of numerous disputes first and foremost because it was only relatively recently that these organizations came to be involved as active agents in antinarcotics policy, and there is little if any unanimity of opinion as regards how "useful" or "harmful" they are in combating narcotics abuse in society. In this survey, the authors attempt to analyze the activities of the various religious institutions in regard to preventing people's addiction to psychoactive substances, as well as determine the possibilities of interfaith cooperation and collaboration between these institutions and state and civic organizations. The survey included the following: (a) a secondary analysis of the specialized literature and the mass media; and (b) a survey of experts in Moscow and Moscow oblast, St. Petersburg, and Krasnodar krai, including the Republic of Adygeia (2007). The basis for the secondary analysis was the data of surveys carried out by the Center for Social Forecasting under the direction of F. Sheregi in 2002 and 2003, in particular surveys of representatives of various religious organizations (unfortunately, denominational affiliation was not indicated). Empirical data show that religious organizations have no influence in preventing people from becoming drug addicts or in attempts to give up drug abuse. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.)

From 1992 through 2001, Russia lost more than 7 million people as a result of natural population loss or, with the positive migration balance taken into account, 4.7 million. These statistics show that the size of Russia's population is diminishing steadily. This article reports the findings of a study examining the factors that account for the decline in the percentage of children in Russia. These factors include low birthrate and the high rate of infant mortality. The report also reveals that there is a decline of health among Russian people--the greatest losses were to be seen among children and adolescents. The study also reveals three negative circumstances of the youth that need to be addressed by the government: (1) There are 2 million children of school age who are not going to school; (2) Tuition-charging education is becoming more widespread on all levels, and for the population today it adds up to one-third of all spending for these services; (3) According to statistics about 1 million children are not able to obtain a standard education owing to their health condition and so they have to attend special schools or classes, be schooled at home, or not get any schooling at all; and (4) Experts believe that 10 percent of all youngsters who enroll in school are not able to learn the school program in full. Based on the findings of the study, the authors of the study suggest three main priorities that the government must address: (1) The health of children and young people; (2) Active efforts to prevent narcotics abuse; and (3) The erection of a powerful barrier to the spread of minor adolescents who are not going to school, lack of supervision, and homelessness. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.)

During the last few years, in the territory of the Russian Federation, the number of cases of toxic phosphoric osteonecrosis of the jaws has increased against the background of taking drugs of "artisanal" production (pervitin, desomorphin). The aim of our study was to increase the effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with a diagnosis of toxic phosphorus necrosis of the maxilla. We performed a comprehensive treatment of patients with a history of drug addiction and the above diagnosis. Surgical intervention in the volume of complete resection of pathologically altered tissues and reconstructive techniques using local tissues and a replaced flap made it possible to achieve good aesthetic and functional results in the early and late postoperative period. Thus, our proposed method of surgical treatment can be used in similar clinical situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drug addiction is one of most serious deviant behavior seriously harming both addict person and one's relationship. The drug using is considered as deviant because means using substances from non-legal turn-over or applied in non-medical purposes. Then follows degradation of health of person and one's positioning into physical and mental dependence on them. With time, personal dependence on drugs becomes stronger. The addicted person looses possibility to experience joy from natural stimuli and more difficulties in controlling drug using appear. Persons using drugs frequently commit crimes to have money to maintain one's dependence. Therefore, issues of prevention narcotism and struggle with drug addiction are fundamental ones for whole system of prevention in Novorossiysk. The article presents analysis of implemented activities and adopted measures of struggle with drug addiction in population of Novorossiysk.

According to the Federal service for drug control in Russia, currently, 8.5 million people take drugs, including marijuana-6.2 million, synthetic drugs-1.5 million, and heroin-800,000 people. According to foreign and domestic literature, the population's consumption of narcotic drugs is continuously growing, especially in the youth and adolescence: in the structure of drug addicts, 20% are patients aged 9-16 years, 60% - 17-30 years, 20% - 30 years and older. Besides, many authors note the fact that even in young people with short-term use of methadone sharply increases the intensity of dental caries with subsequent rapid loss of teeth. Since 2005, the WHO has included the drug methadone in the list of essential medicines for the treatment of opioid dependence. However, according to the latest literature, the negative effect of methadone on the body as a whole, and dental health is much more pronounced than when taking heroin. Changes in the oral cavity when taking heroin and methadone in the literature are not covered enough, so it is considered relevant to study dental pathology in this group of patients. This article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the adverse effects of heroin and methadone on the hard tissues of the teeth of drug-dependent patients. In patients taking heroin and methadone, there was a deterioration in dental status indicators. The main manifestations of taking narcotic drugs are the development of the carious process, inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, violation of salivation, the formation and spread of chronic odontogenic infection. The negative effect of methadone is more pronounced in comparison with heroin due to the contact of the tablet form of the drug with the oral mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the cultural context of substance abuse among drug-addicted Former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants in Israel. Using a qualitative approach, it focuses on immigrant users' affiliation with the Russian criminal culture. The data analysis elicited a number of themes, including the key components of this culture, its attitude toward drug consumption, and its role in the users' lives and rehabilitation. It is argued that drug-addicted immigrants suffer multiple marginalization. Their affiliation with the ethnic criminal subculture serves as a defense reaction that protects their identities and grants them a sense of mastery not afforded in the wider society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the practice of estimating social economic losses of society from drug consumption implemented in Russia and European countries from 2002 to the present time. Purpose of the study is to identify objective indicators and advantages of various calculation methods applied to analyze of foreign and national practice of estimating social and economic losses of society from drug consumption. The analytical method was applied to analyze various approaches to estimating social economic losses of society because of drug consumption in various countries. The sampling of articles was implemented in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines in the PubMed, Google Scholar and eLibrary databases. It is established that in various studies assessing value of social cost of drug consumption, different methodological approaches are applied, which affects the results of assessment. The magnitude of social cost of drug addiction in the studies ranged from 0.00023% to 4.7% of the Gross Domestic (National) Product (GNP). The large part of social cost of drug abuse in GNP is mostly conditioned by estimating number of hidden drug users during the study, as well as by optimal approach in calculating expenditure categories. The assessment of amount of economic losses of society because of drug traffic is needed to make correct management decisions within the framework of implementation of state drug policy at various levels. This approach can help to better use of the public financial resources.

The article discusses the issues related to poverty situation in Russia Federation. Topics discussed include the study "Poverty and Inequality in Modern Russia: 10 Years On" conducted by the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Institute of Sociology, statistics related to causes of poverty like drug addiction; prolonged unemployment and lack of support on the part of parents; and the poor share of housing and utilities and food in the budget of Russia.

Aims To describe drug use and safety with intramuscular injectable extended-release naltrexone ( XR- NTX) in opioid dependence during a 1-year open-label extension phase. Design Following 6 months of randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled injections given every 28 days, patients receiving XR- NTX 380 mg continued and PBO patients were switched to open-label XR- NTX, with monthly individual drug counseling, for a further year. Setting Thirteen clinical sites in Russia. Participants Adult opioid-dependent outpatients. Measurements Monthly urine samples; reports of craving and functioning; adverse events. Findings For the open-label extension ( n = 114), 67 continued on XR- NTX and 47 switched from PBO during the double-blind phase to XR- NTX during the open-label phase. Overall, 62.3% (95% CI: 52.7%, 71.2%) completed the extension. Discontinuation occurred most commonly because of withdrawal of consent (18.4%) and loss to follow-up (11.4%); two patients discontinued as a result of lack of efficacy and one because of adverse events. Urine testing revealed that 50.9% (41.5%, 60.4%) were abstinent from opioids at all assessments during the 1-year open-label phase. Adverse events reported by 21.1% of patients were judged to be study drug-related. Injection site reactions were infrequent (6.1%) and the majority were mild. Elevations in liver function tests occurred for 16.7% of patients, but none of these elevations was judged to be clinically significant. No patients died, overdosed or discontinued as a result of severe adverse events. Conclusions During a 1-year open-label extension phase of injectable XR- NTX for the prevention of relapse in opioid dependence, 62.3% of patients completed the phase and 50.9% were abstinent from opioids. No new safety concerns were evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Depressive disorders pose a major challenge to healthcare in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The objective of the current study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and its determinants in outpatients with major depressive disorder in an urban Russian population. Methods: We consecutively recruited 100 urban Russian outpatients with major depression and 100 non-depressed controls who were matched for age and sex. The severity of their depression was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). HrQoL was evaluated using the EuroQol (the EQ-5D and the visual analogue scale, EQ VAS). Independent determinants of HrQoL were identified using multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean EQ VAS score was 43.0 ± 27.4 in patients with depression compared to 81.4 ± 14.7 in the controls (p Conclusions: HrQoL is considerably reduced in Russians with major depression. The disease-specific patterns of HrQoL impairment and the independent determinants of HrQoL identified in our study could be addressed in focused healthcare programs and clinical trials. Comorbid drug addiction as a determinant of HrQoL should receive greater attention in the management of depressive disorders in urban Russian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to drug addiction. Addiction is defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) as the primary and chronic disease of brain reward, memory, motivation, and related circuitry. The coca eradication programme in Huallaga, Peru was suspended by the Peruvian government. Russia deals with concerns in treating drug addiction by putting patients in a quarantine room wherein they do not have a choice but to stop drug abuse practices.

The article analyses the main reasons as to why children and teenagers are at risk and are committing crimes. The most serious reasons are related to crises in family relations due to the growth in poverty rates, the decrease in living standards, the deterioration in moral values and the educative potential of families. So-called 'exterior' reasons; namely, ineffective youth offence prevention, the general growth in crime, the influence of TV and advertising, the influence of a child's mates or 'bad street children' are important as well, although their influence is less intensive as compared to problems which exist within individual families. The analysis shows that in contrast to general trends, regions and municipalities have certain specific characteristics. In some regions the most common problems are drug addiction, youth unemployment, child neglect and homelessness and juvenile delinquency. The negative general trends and regional characteristics require the creation of a multi-level system of social support and protection for young people at risk and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid transformation of women's roles in twentieth-century society, including feminism, is seen as a psychological threat to men. Using the work of English psychotherapist Roger Horrocks, the author discusses sociological data from urban Veliki Novgorod. Marginalized male drug addicts are studied in the context of a society that has criminalized drug addiction and forced men into dangerous positions of disillusionment, aggression, and deviance. Men are said to be the overwhelming majority of drug and alcohol abusers in the Novgorod region, where relatively low official statistics are balanced by more accurate perspective from penal colony officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimated number of opiate users in Russia is 2,000,000 and heroin consumption is continuing to increase. The Russian government is discussing the initiation of compulsory treatment to bring illegal drug users to the treatment services. At the same time, there is no access to the evidence-based treatment for opiate addiction such as methadone and buprenorphine maintenance programs. Qualitative interviews were conducted with drug user treatment service providers (N = 35) in Barnaul, Volgograd, and Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2003-2004 to examine their views on drug user treatment services in Russia. The framework approach was used in data collection and analysis. Study participants identified major challenges in service provision for drug using population, including lack of resources, rehabilitation programs, and social support. It also depicted ambivalent attitudes toward compulsory treatment and clients' registration. The Russian drug user treatment system desperately needs resources allocation to provide quality care and diversify in its services in order to achieve long-term recovery. At this stage, it seems unreasonable to initiate compulsory treatment as is advocated by some government officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the increase in the number of narcotics abuse and crime in Russia. Narcotics abuse and crime presented a serious threat to the future and national security of Russia. The rapid increase in the use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs not required for medical needs, especially by children, adolescents and young people, has had direct and destructive impact on the physical and mental health of the country. This process stems from a drastic increase in the magnitude of illegal traffic in narcotics, psychotropic and other substances, from the intensive formation of the market in narcotics and the negative effect of a number of economic, social, and psychological factors. The increase in the number of persons addicted to narcotics and other substances who are registered in the treatment and prevention institutions became a steady trend at the end of 1980s.

Focuses on the vulnerability of adolescents to risks of narcotic addiction and HIV infection in Russia. Importance of indicators of the state of health of youngsters in the defining their condition in society; Concern on the spread of nonmedical use of narcotics; Narcotics abusers' attitudes toward their own health and their willingness to change their lives.

Assesses the attitudes of college students toward narcotics use in Russia. Types or models of behavior of young people in regard to the use of narcotic substances; Image of narcotics addict; Factors causing narcotics dependency; Social factors that condition narcotics use; Level of knowledge among college students concerning various kinds of narcotic substances.

Discusses the rate of growth of narcotic addiction among the adolescents in Russia. Problems of narcotics prevention in the adolescent community; Difference in the level of addiction to narcotics addiction among adolescent and the population as a whole; Need to strengthen the guideline for the prevention of the abuse of psychoactive substances.

The life expectancy gap between Russia and post-industrial countries is mainly due to mortality from diseases of the circulatory system (DCS), primarily in working ages, substantiating the need for a program to reduce cardiovascular mortality, currently implemented in Russia. In general, this program has resulted in a multiple reduction in cardiovascular mortality in Russia, however, in 2015-2017, Moscow turned out to be the absolute outsider among the Russian regions in DCS mortality among males of young and middle working ages and a contrastive outsider among females: in ages 15-29 mortality increased 4.4-fold among males and 3-fold among females; in ages 30-44 - 2.1-fold and 2.0-fold, respectively. The purpose of the study is to identify causes of the abnormal increase in mortality in Moscow in 2015-2017. The study shows that, first, the abnormal dynamics were due to cardiomyopathy, unspecified (CU) (I42. 9): the CU mortality in ages 15-44 increased 20-fold in males and 10-fold in females; in ages 45-59 - 7-fold and 8-fold, respectively, resulting in the highest ever CU mortality in Russia. Second, the CU deaths were usually sudden, not predated by a long-term treatment: admissions one month prior to death were registered in about 1% of cases in both sexes. Third, similar processes with the same reference point (2015) have been reported for drug poisoning, the rates of increase are comparable: about 10-fold in ages 15-29, 13 and 29-fold in ages 30-44 and 7.5 and 4-fold in ages 45-59, respectively. Fourth, numerous studies have shown that drug addiction (DA) leads to cardiovascular disorders, especially cardiomyopathies. Official data show that total DA mortality in Russia in the 2010s ranged from 3,752 to 5,581, which hardly corresponds to the actual scale of the problem because of underestimation of DA deaths due to their transferring to a latent form. In Moscow, DCS and cardiomyopathy, unspecified, in particular are one of the reservoirs for DA latent deaths. Key messages: Drug addiction (DA) leads to cardiovascular disorders, especially cardiomyopathies. As to the capital, DCS, CU in particular, are one of the latent reservoirs of DA mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the author's learnings from the "Society, Stress, and Health" international conference held in Moscow, Russia from June 26 to July 1, 1995. Difficulties in interrelationships between society, health and stress in countries undergoing rapid transition; Stress of rapid socio-cultural changes and constant internal military conflicts; Factors affecting major stresses in Russia.

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among tuberculosis (TB) patients are associated with nonadherence and poor treatment outcomes. We developed a multidisciplinary model to manage AUDs among TB patients in Tomsk, Russia. First, we assessed current standards of care through stakeholder meetings and ethnographic work. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was incorporated into routine assessment of all patients starting TB treatment. We established treatment algorithms based on AUDIT scores. We then hired specialists and addressed licensing requirements to provide on-site addictions care. Our experience offers a successful model in the management of co-occurring AUDs among patients with chronic medical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the analysis of organization of chemical-toxicological service and in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra. The introduction of three-level system for provision of addiction medical care of population and implementation of the principle of zoning made it possible to organize three-level system of chemical-toxicological service that permitted to achieve equal access to chemical-toxicological and addiction care services in all territories of the region. The investments in chemical-toxicological laboratories, supply of modern equipment, advanced training of laboratory specialists, cooperation with leading research centers and professional communities outside of the region allowed timely and accurately identify psychoactive substances, prompt response in cases of mass poisoning with novel psychoactive substances, and quick introduction of advanced methods of chemical-toxicological examination to the medical organizations of the large industrial northern region of Russia.

Background: This is a methodological study investigating the online responses to a national debate over an important health and social problem in Russia. Russia is the largest Internet market in Europe, exceeding Germany in the absolute number of users. However, Russia is unusual in that the main search provider is not Google, but Yandex. Objective: This study had two main objectives. First, to validate Yandex search patterns against those provided by Google, and second, to test this method's adequacy for investigating online interest in a 2010 national debate over Russian illicit drug policy. We hoped to learn what search patterns and specific search terms could reveal about the relative importance and geographic distribution of interest in this debate. Methods: A national drug debate, centering on the anti-drug campaigner Egor Bychkov, was one of the main Russian domestic news events of 2010. Public interest in this episode was accompanied by increased Internet search. First, we measured the search patterns for 13 search terms related to the Bychkov episode and concurrent domestic events by extracting data from Google Insights for Search (GIFS) and Yandex WordStat (YaW). We conducted Spearman Rank Correlation of GIFS and YaW search data series. Second, we coded all 420 primary posts from Bychkov's personal blog between March 2010 and March 2012 to identify the main themes. Third, we compared GIFS and Yandex policies concerning the public release of search volume data. Finally, we established the relationship between salient drug issues and the Bychkov episode. Results: We found a consistent pattern of strong to moderate positive correlations between Google and Yandex for the terms "Egor Bychkov" (rs = 0.88, P < .001), "Bychkov" (rs = .78, P < .001) and "Khimki"(rs = 0.92, P < .001). Peak search volumes for the Bychkov episode were comparable to other prominent domestic political events during 2010. Monthly search counts were 146,689 for "Bychkov" and 48,084 for "Egor Bychkov", compared to 53,403 for "Khimki" in Yandex. We found Google potentially provides timely search results, whereas Yandex provides more accurate geographic localization. The correlation was moderate to strong between search terms representing the Bychkov episode and terms representing salient drug issues in Yandex-"illicit drug treatment" (rs = .90, P < .001), "illicit drugs" (rs = .76, P < .001), and "drug addiction" (rs = .74, P < .001). Google correlations were weaker or absent-"illicit drug treatment" (rs = .12, P = .58), "illicit drugs " (rs = -0.29, P = .17), and "drug addiction" (rs = .68, P < .001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the methodological literature on the analysis of search patterns for public health. This paper investigated the relationship between Google and Yandex, and contributed to the broader methods literature by highlighting both the potential and limitations of these two search providers. We believe that Yandex Wordstat is a potentially valuable, and underused data source for researchers working on Russian-related illicit drug policy and other public health problems. The Russian Federation, with its large, geographically dispersed, and politically engaged online population presents unique opportunities for studying the evolving influence of the Internet on politics and policy, using low cost methods resilient against potential increases in censorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders associated with alcohol and drugs in regions of Siberia and Far East varies widely. In north-eastern territories level of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis per 100 thousand of population ranges from 2790 to 5563, vice versa, in West, covering much of West and East Siberia, figure ranges from 789 to 1583. Prevalence of drug use in regions of Russia has also large fluctuations, reaching 30-fold magnitude. Ranking of areas in terms of prevalence of drug use showed that Russia''s total at 252 per 100 thousand of population of 55 territories of European part of Russia only in two territories indicated value exceeds 0.4% of population, accounting for 774 and 488, respectively. Similar figures for population of Siberia and Far East are taking place in 6 subjects from 22; here are high mortality rates due to drug intoxication. Thus, prevalence of drug abuse in 1/3 of territories of Siberia and Far East exceeded that of prevailing in European part of Russia. Proportion of registered drug users per 100 thousand people in general structure of therapy of addictive disorders ranges from 7% to 58%. However, in Far East, including north-eastern regions, proportion of drug addiction is not more than 22%, while in West Siberia - 35-60%. Thus, in structure of addictive disorders, substance abuse agencies reported, there is a definite territorial focus: drug abuse is prevalent in western territories, and alcoholic disorders - in East, i.e. in structure of drug addiction, disorders have the opposite territorial orientation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]