Academic literature on the topic 'Substance abuse – Scotland'

Background and objectivesAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with a range of poorer health and social outcomes throughout the life course; however, to date they have primarily been conducted retrospectively in adulthood. This paper sets out to determine the prevalence of ACEs at age 8 in a recent prospective birth cohort and examine associations between risk factors in the first year and cumulative ACEs.DesignThis study uses the Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1, in which children born in Scotland in 2004/5 were identified using Child Benefit Records and followed up for 7 years (n.3119). ACE scores and sample characteristics were calculated and described. Logistic regression models were fitted to explore associations between risk factors (sex, mother’s age and education, household income, area level deprivation and urban/rural indicator) and ACE scores.ResultsSeven ACEs (or proxies) were assessed: physical abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, parental separation, parental incarceration and emotional neglect. Instances of sexual abuse were too few to be reported. Emotional abuse and physical neglect could not be gathered. Around two-thirds of children had experienced one or more ACE, with 10% experiencing three or more in their lifetime. Higher ACE scores were associated with being male, having a young mother, low income and urban areas.ConclusionsUsing prospective data, the majority of children born in 2004/2005 in Scotland experienced at least one ACE by age 8, although three ACEs could not be assessed in this cohort. ACEs were highly correlated with socioeconomic disadvantage in the first year of life.

Volatile substance abuse (VSA, solvent abuse, ‘glue sniffing’), carries a risk of sudden death (some 700 deaths in the UK, 1996-2006). However, mortality data take no account of the social cost of the habit. From press cuttings we have identified 508 instances (569 individuals: 507 male, median age 25 yr, range 8-51 yr and 62 female, median age 18 yr, range 11-36 yr) where VSA, either alone or together with alcohol/other drugs, was reported in association with criminal or antisocial behaviour that resulted in a criminal conviction or caution. The frequency of reports decreased from 84 per annum (1997 and 1998) to 20 (2007). The agents reported (17 individuals, two agents) were ‘glue’ (225), LPG/‘butane’/aerosol propellants (176), ‘solvents’ (158), and petrol (gasoline) (27). The offences cited (most serious crime) were: homicide (35), rape or other sexual assault (34), arson (25), assault or serious threat of assault (192), child neglect/cruelty (6), attempting to pervert the course of justice (2), criminal damage (41), burglary/robbery/theft/shoplifting (100), nuisance/breach of the peace/breach of antisocial behaviour order (104), driving whilst impaired and other vehicle-related offence (22), and supply (non-retail) (8). Thirty offenders were given life sentences or detained indefinitely under mental health legislation. Reports came from all parts of the UK, although most were from Northern England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. There were many reports of recidivists; one 34-year-old male had made 113 court appearances, and had spent approximately nine years in custody. Although there are severe limitations to data derived from press cuttings and not-withstanding that in some cases VSA may have been raised in mitigation, these data provide an additional insight into the problem posed by VSA in the UK.

1 A retrospective analysis of 352 consecutive cases of fatal substance overdose that occurred in the Lothian and Borders region of Scotland (LBRS) between 1983 and 1992 (inclusive) is presented. All these cases were subjected to a full forensic autopsy with histological and toxicological studies. 2 The overall male:female ratio is 1,2:1. Males significantly predominate (1.9 :1) in the 21-30 year age group, but females significantly predominate (0.7-0.9:1) above the age of 50 years (P<0.001). A significant progressive alteration in the sex ratio is noted: from 0.7:1 in 1988 to 2.4:1 in 1992 (P<0.001). 3 Analgesics account for 43.2% of all overdose deaths with narcotic analgesics representing 32.4%. Dextropropoxyphene is the commonest (38.2%) narcotic analgesic and fatal overdoses on it have been increasing since 1989; methadone deaths also showed an increase. Death from heroin overdose fell sharply in 1985. 4 Antidepressants account for 20.2% of deaths (tricyclics representing 19.3%): Amitriptyline is the commonest (75.0%) tricyclic and its use, particularly by female suicides, has been increasing since 1989. Barbiturate poisoning has declined considerably since 1986. 5 Temazepam comprises 65.4% of all benzodiazepines overdose deaths; two-thirds of fatal benzodiazepine abuse involve males. 6 This study once more emphasises that physicians, and especially general practitioners, must prescribe cautiously for their patients. Control through legislation of the sale of non-narcotic analgesics is worth serious consideration.

Parenting can be impacted by substance misuse, and children can be at risk of maltreatment, leading to their removal from their mothers. Successful treatment of substance abuse relies on these women gaining effective support from services. Previous research has demonstrated the impact working in this field can have on staff, including high staff turnover, vicarious trauma, and burnout. The present study further explores the experience of staff members working in a Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service in Scotland who work with mothers who have had their children removed. Six interviews with nurses and social care workers were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes were developed from the data: (1) complexity and tension within working relationships and (2) emotional experiences and attempts to resolve them. Participants described the complexity of their roles, including the dual role of supporting mothers while also being involved in the child removal process by providing reports and evidence and how they respond and work with mothers after removal and conflicts with the wider system. They also highlighted their attempts to cope with the emotional impact of being part of this process and the empathy they have with mothers, especially when they are parents themselves, and described the complexities of trying to cope and manage when working in this challenging area. Clinical implications, including training needs and requirements, are discussed.

Background Although the prevalence of head injury is estimated to be high in juveniles in prison, the extent of persisting disability is unknown and relationships with offending uncertain. This limited understanding makes it difficult to develop effective management strategies and interventions to improve health or reduce recidivism. This study investigates effects of significant head injury (SHI) on cognitive function, disability and offending in juvenile prisoners, and considers relationships with common comorbidities. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited male juvenile prisoners in Scotland from Her Majesty’s Young Offenders Institute (HMYOI) Polmont (detaining approximately 305 of 310 male juveniles in prison in Scotland). To be included juveniles had to be 16 years or older, fluent in English, able to participate in assessment, provide informed consent and not have a severe acute disorder of cognition or communication. Head injury, cognition, disability, history of abuse, mental health and problematic substance use were assessed by interview and questionnaire. Results We recruited 103 (34%) of 305 juvenile males in HMYOI Polmont. The sample was demographically representative of juvenile males in prisons for young offenders in Scotland. SHI was found in 82/103 (80%) and head injury repeated over long periods of time in 69/82 (85%). Disability was associated with SHI in 11/82 (13%) and was significantly associated with mental health problems, particularly anxiety. Group differences on cognitive tests were not found. However the SHI group reported poorer behavioural control on the Dysexecutive Questionnaire and were more often reported for incidents in prison than those without SHI. Characteristics of offending, including violence, did not differ between groups. Conclusions Although SHI is highly prevalent in juvenile prisoners, associated disability was relatively uncommon. There was no evidence for differences in cognitive test performance or offending in juveniles with and without SHI. However, signs of poorer behavioural control and greater psychological distress in juveniles with SHI suggest that they may be at greater risk of recidivism and of potentially becoming lifelong offenders. This implies a need for remedial programmes for juvenile prisoners to take account of persisting effects of SHI on mental health and self-control and education and to improve their understanding of the effects of SHI reduce the likelihood of cumulative effects from further SHI.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on political leadership around the world. Differences in how leaders address the pandemic through public messages have practical implications for building trust and an effective response within a country.MethodsWe analysed the speeches made by 20 heads of government around the world (Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Scotland, Sint Maarten, United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan) to highlight the differences between men and women leaders in discussing COVID-19. We used an inductive analytical approach, coding speeches for specific themes based on language and content.FindingsFive primary themes emerged across a total of 122 speeches on COVID-19, made by heads of government: economics and financial relief, social welfare and vulnerable populations, nationalism, responsibility and paternalism, and emotional appeals. While all leaders described the economic impact of the pandemic, women spoke more frequently about the impact on the individual scale. Women leaders were also more often found describing a wider range of social welfare services, including: mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence. Both men and women from lower-resource settings described detailed financial relief and social welfare support that would impact the majority of their populations. While 17 of the 20 leaders used war metaphors to describe COVID-19 and the response, men largely used these with greater volume and frequency.ConclusionWhile this analysis does not attempt to answer whether men or women are more effective leaders in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, it does provide insight into the rhetorical tools and types of language used by different leaders during a national and international crisis. This analysis provides additional evidence on the differences in political leaders’ messages and priorities to inspire citizens’ adhesion to the social contract in the adoption of response and recovery measures. However, it does not consider the influence of contexts, such as the public audience, on leaders’ strategic communication approaches.

The author turns to the study of individual preventive measures implemented abroad in order to combat negative factors that threaten the criminological security of the education sector. We are talking about the prevention of suicides of schoolchildren and students, extremism among students, drug addiction, substance abuse and alcoholism among participants in educational relations. The author analyzes the preventive experience of Australia, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, Scotland, the USA and a large number of other countries. For example, special school prevention programs are being introduced to combat suicides among students studying abroad. Prevention of extremism among schoolchildren and students abroad is based on the introduction of special state directives and brochures into the educational process. Prevention of drug addiction and alcoholism among participants in educational relations is based on the interaction of law enforcement agencies with teachers. Based on the analysis, the author concludes that some positive foreign experience in combating negative social phenomena that exist in the educational environment should be tested in Russia.

A Review of: Buchanan, S., & Tuckerman, L. (2016). The information behaviours of disadvantaged and disengaged adolescents. Journal of Documentation, 72(3), 527-548. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JD-05-2015-0060 Objective – To describe the information behaviours of adolescents living in disadvantaged and disengaged circumstances in relation to social integration and self-efficacy. Design – Mixed methods design using observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Setting – Public agencies offering drop-in support services for employment and training at three locations in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Subjects – Adolescents aged 16-20 not in education, employment, or training (NEET status) seeking public agency support services in South Ayrshire, Scotland; and public agency support workers. Methods – The South Ayrshire region was identified using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (2012) and selected because nearly 20% of the region fell into the most deprived decile. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling of NEET youth attending drop-in support groups. Over a period of 4 weeks, the 36 NEET youth attending these sessions were observed regarding their information behaviours, social interactions, and experiences with support workers. Following observation, the investigator used the critical incident technique during interviews to discuss real life scenarios and needs with 15 participants. One focus group of four interview participants was held to explore how groups discuss information behaviours. An information resource sorting activity was used as a discussion prompt. To gain further insight into the information needs, sources used, and barriers experienced by the adolescents who sought support, six support workers were also interviewed. These data were analyzed using iterative deductive coding and thematic analysis. Main Results – Internet usage of participants is similar to general population peers, with general browsing, social networking, and music and gaming usage as the most popular activities. Information needs included employment, education, and training such as finding appropriate job vacancies, identifying employer addresses and contact details, and accessing public transportation schedules. Other personal needs such as financial, health, and housing were identified. Some of these information needs were unmet, which could have implications for their wellbeing. Approximately one third of the interview participants described challenges identifying or meeting needs. Teens frequently rely on people as sources of information, preferring face-to-face interactions. They turn to family, friends, and support workers for information as important members of their social network who listen and “usually have the answer.” Other frequently used sources include the Internet and television news. A third of the interview participants described scenarios in which they used multiple sources – the Internet, family and friends, books and leaflets, and local youth clubs and health clinics. A majority of interview participants (73%) did not use the public library because they were not interested (“I don’t read books”) or thought there was nothing there for them. Of the four who used public libraries, none considered themselves regular users. Focus group participants rated support workers and television news as having high credibility, friends and family as having low credibility, and the Internet as having medium credibility. The information seeking behaviours of NEET teens are often passive and non-motivated, with abandonment and incompletion occurring frequently. Many observation participants appeared visibly withdrawn and were reluctant or unable to engage in discussion with support workers. Throughout the study, participants demonstrated an unwillingness to engage in lengthy discussions. Support workers noted that attendees rely on them to find the information, evaluate it, and give the teens advice about what to do next. Participants exhibited bonding social capital with family and friends, though evidence for bridging social capital was found only with support workers. These adolescents appear to be relatively isolated and have more inward-facing social capital, which puts them at risk for social exclusion. Though nearly two thirds of interview participants reported no barriers to finding information, evidence from observations and support worker interviews suggest that deficits in technology and literacy skills are substantial. Despite assistance from support workers, NEET youth often abandoned tasks before completing them due to literacy and technological barriers. Support workers described a variety of barriers to meeting information needs: home life, isolation, literacy and access, institutional regulations, motivation, lack of confidence, and poor social skills. Common circumstances relating to motivation are familial unemployment, substance abuse issues, and inability to focus. Conclusion – NEET youth faced increased access and behavioural barriers beyond those of typical adolescents. Access barriers are influenced by technology and literacy skills deficits, while behavioural barriers are influenced by social structures. Considering the range of personal needs expressed to support workers in combination with pervasive barriers to information, further study of everyday information needs is warranted. Public and third sector (e.g., typically voluntary and community organizations, associations, etc.) agencies should make remedial literacy education a priority. Since the perception of public libraries is poor, librarians should collaborate with third sector agencies to develop tailored outreach and services to build sustained relationships with these disengaged adolescents. Generally, these adolescents exhibit self-protective behaviours (e.g., deception, risk-taking, secrecy) in seeking out information as well as situation relevance of information sources and inward-facing social networks, all of which suggest they live in an impoverished information environment.

Introduction: In 2019, Scotland reported the highest number of drug deaths amongst EU countries. Of the 1,264 drug deaths reported in 2019, 94% were related to polysedative use. Studies have proposed a relationship between opioid use and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the concomitant use of sedatives and opioids has been associated with lethal cardiopulmonary events. However, evidence is still limited for the relationship between polysedative use and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the association between polysedative use and the underlying cardiovascular pathologies in drug deaths.Methods: This study consisted of a post-mortem investigation of 436 drug deaths. Data extracted from post-mortem reports included socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age), cardiovascular pathologies (e.g., atherosclerosis, atheroma, and inflammation), in addition to the presence of opioids (e.g. methadone, heroin) and other substances (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepine) in the blood of the deceased. Stepwise multiple regression models were employed to identify which substances predicted cardiovascular pathologies.Results: The presence of opioids, benzodiazepines, and alcohol in the blood of the deceased predicted overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) severity [R2 = 0.33, F (5, 430) = 39.64, p &lt; 0.0001; adjusted R2 = 0.32, f2 = 0.49]. Positive Beta coefficients may indicate an exacerbation of CVD (B = 0.48 95% CI = 0.25, 0.70) due to the presence of opioids in the blood of the deceased. Negative associations may instead indicate a relative protective effect of alcohol (B = −0.2, 95% CI = −0.41, −0.00) and benzodiazepines (B = −0.29, 95% CI = −0.48, −0.09) on CVD.Conclusion: These findings may inform national clinical guidelines on the need to monitor individuals who abuse opioids for presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors pathologies and provide timely interventions to reduce mortality in the population.