National cross-sectional survey of US adults to assess the reliability of current and lifetime cannabis smoking.

Objective: The objective is to examine the test-retest reliability and internal reliability of six self-report questions assessing both current (past 30 days) and lifetime cannabis smoking in an internet survey in the adult US population.

Design: Cross-sectional national survey.

Participants: Out of 957 US adults who completed a national 2020 survey administered through Ipsos KnowledgePanel, 557 completed a second survey ('reliability survey') aimed at assessing the test-retest and internal reliability of questions asking about current and lifetime cannabis smoking.

Cannabis legalization and changes in cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use and co-use in a national cohort of U.S. adults during 2017-2021.

Background: Little is known about whether cannabis legalization impacts cannabis use uptake or has spillover effects on co-use of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine (using both in the past 30 days). We determined associations of cannabis legalization with self-reported (1) current (past 30-day) cannabis use; (2) current ("now") tobacco/nicotine use (smoking or electronic cigarette use); and (3) current co-use of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine and how prevalence is changing over time.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, a web-based survey was administered to a nationally representative, population-based panel of US adults in 2017, 2020, and 2021.

Changes in Sources of Information about the Risks and Benefits of Cannabis in a National Cohort of US Adults from 2017 - 2021.

Objective: As more states legalize cannabis in the US, marketing from the cannabis industry and news coverage of cannabis have increased. Sources of information on cannabis can influence beliefs about risks and benefits. Yet, little is known about how the use and influence of specific sources of information have changed over time.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Type 2 Diabetes Outcomes in Veterans.

Importance: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reduction is linked with lower risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), but little is known about the association between PTSD and comorbid T2D outcomes. Whether PTSD is a modifiable risk factor for adverse T2D outcomes is unknown.

Objective: To determine whether patients with PTSD who improved and no longer met diagnostic criteria for PTSD had a lower risk of adverse T2D outcomes compared with patients with persistent PTSD.

Severity of posttraumatic stress disorder, type 2 diabetes outcomes and all-cause mortality: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Some evidence suggests patients with comorbid PTSD and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have worse T2D outcomes than those with T2D alone. However, there is no evidence regarding PTSD severity and risk for starting insulin, hyperglycemia, microvascular complications, and all-cause mortality.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) medical record data from fiscal year (FY) 2012 to FY2022 were used to identify eligible patients (n = 23,161) who had a PTSD diagnosis, ≥1 PTSD Checklist score, controlled T2D (HbA1c ≤ 7.

Association of select psychiatric disorders with incident brain aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage among veterans.

Background: Brain aneurysms represent a significant cause of hemorrhagic stroke. Prior research has demonstrated links between stress and stroke, including brain aneurysms. We aimed to determine relationships between select psychiatric disorders and aneurysms and aneurysmal SAH.

Perceptions of Safety of Daily Cannabis vs Tobacco Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure, 2017-2021.

Importance: While rates of cigarette use are declining, more US adults are using cannabis. Perceptions of safety are important drivers of substance use and public policy; however, little is known about the comparative views of US adults on tobacco and cannabis safety.

Objective: To compare public perceptions of safety of cannabis vs tobacco smoke and evaluate how perceptions may be changing over time.

Changes in perceived harms of tobacco and cannabis and their correlations with use: A panel study of young adults 2014-2020.

Purpose: Perceived harm is associated with substance use. Changes in product and policy landscapes may impact perceived harms of tobacco and cannabis. This study aimed to examine changes in young adults' perceived harms of tobacco and cannabis and their associations with use behavior during a period including both before and after legalization of cannabis.

Causal discovery replicates symptomatic and functional interrelations of posttraumatic stress across five patient populations.

Introduction: Approximately half of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may meet criteria for other psychiatric disorders, and PTSD symptoms are associated with diminished health and psychosocial functioning. However, few studies examine the longitudinal progression of PTSD symptoms concurrent with related symptom domains and functional outcomes, such that may neglect important longitudinal patterns of symptom progression beyond PTSD specifically.

Methods: Therefore, we used longitudinal causal discovery analysis to examine the longitudinal interrelations among PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, substance abuse, and various other domains of functioning in five longitudinal cohorts representing veterans ( = 241), civilians seeking treatment for anxiety disorders ( = 79), civilian women seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress and substance abuse ( = 116), active duty military members assessed 0-90 days following TBI ( = 243), and civilians with a history of TBI ( = 43).

Emotion regulation and combat severity differentiates PTSD diagnostic status among veterans.

Objective: This study examined whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic groups in veterans were differentiated by combat severity and specific avoidance and approach-related emotion regulation (ER) strategies.

Method: In a cohort study, 725 participants (Mage = 58.39, SD = 11.

The association of post-traumatic stress disorder with glomerular filtration rate decline.

While major depression is known to be associated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline, there is a lack of data on the association of other mental illnesses like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with kidney disease. In 640 adult participants of the Heart and Soul Study (mean baseline age of 66.2 years) with a high prevalence cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes, we examined the association of PTSD with GFR decline over a 5-year follow-up.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Future Research and Clinical Care.

Purpose Of Review: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We explore the literature linking PTSD to CVD, potential mechanisms, interventions, and clinical implications. We outline gaps in current literature and highlight necessary future research.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement among patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35 % at least 40 days after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death among patients with persistently reduced (≤35 %) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at least 40 days following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Few prior studies have used LVEF measured after the 40-day waiting period to examine primary prevention ICD placement.

Methods: We sought to determine factors associated with ICD placement among patients who met LVEF criteria post-MI within a large integrated health care system in the U.

Comparison of mental health outcomes of augmenting medications for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: A national veterans affairs study.

Rationale: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent among veterans. Many veterans with PTSD respond well to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). Nonresponders may be prescribed augmenting medications, which are not as well-studied in PTSD.

Self-reported Changes in Cannabis Use Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic among US Adults.

Cannabis use may confer high COVID-19 risk. This study examined self-reported changes in cannabis use that US adults attributed to the pandemic and factors associated with any changes. We conducted a national, cross-sectional survey among US adults in August 2020.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms associated with protective and risky behaviors for coronavirus disease 2019.

Objective: Psychiatric disorders increase risk for contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but we know little about relationships between psychiatric symptoms and COVID-19 risky and protective behaviors. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with increased propensity to engage in risky behaviors, but may also be associated with increased COVID-19 protective behaviors due to increased threat sensitivity and social isolation.

Method: We examined associations of PTSD symptoms with COVID-19-related protective and risky behaviors using data from a cross-sectional online United States study among 845 US adults in August through September 2020.

Stress Measurement in Primary Care: Conceptual Issues, Barriers, Resources, and Recommendations for Study.

Objective: Exposure to stressors in daily life and dysregulated stress responses are associated with increased risk for a variety of chronic mental and physical health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, asthma, heart disease, certain cancers, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders. Despite this fact, stress exposure and responses are rarely assessed in the primary care setting and infrequently targeted for disease prevention or treatment.

Method: In this narrative review, we describe the primary reasons for this striking disjoint between the centrality of stress for promoting disease and how rarely it is assessed by summarizing the main conceptual, measurement, practical, and reimbursement issues that have made stress difficult to routinely measure in primary care.

The Association Between Interpersonal Violence and Unstable Housing Among Veterans.

Background: Despite programs to address housing for Veterans, they continue to be at high risk of unstable housing. Interpersonal violence is also highly prevalent among Veterans and may contribute to unstable housing. Our study aimed to determine whether interpersonal violence was associated with unstable housing among Veterans, and how this association was influenced by common co-occurring conditions such as substance use and mental illness.

The Heart and Cannabis (THC) Cohort: Differences in Baseline Health and Behaviors by Cannabis Use.

Background: Evidence on the cardiovascular health effects of cannabis use is limited. We designed a prospective cohort study of older Veterans (66 to 68 years) with coronary artery disease (CAD) to understand the cardiovascular consequences of cannabis use. We describe the cohort construction, baseline characteristics, and health behaviors that were associated with smoking cannabis.

Clusters of COVID-19 protective and risky behaviors and their associations with pandemic, socio-demographic, and mental health factors in the United States.

Individual behaviors are critical for preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Given that both protective risky behaviors influence risk of infection, it is critical that we understand how such behaviors cluster together and in whom. Using a data-driven approach, we identified clusters of COVID-19-related protective and risky behaviors and examined associations with socio-demographic, pandemic, and mental health factors.

Increased Smoking Cessation Among Veterans With Large Decreases in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity.

Introduction: Improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with better health behavior such as better medication adherence and greater use of nutrition and weight loss programs. However, it is not known if reducing PTSD severity is associated with smoking cessation, a poor health behavior common in patients with PTSD.

Aims And Methods: Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) medical record data (2008-2015) were used to identify patients with PTSD diagnosed in specialty care.