Ethical Issues in Treating Substance Use Disorders: Counselor Perspectives.

Ethical issues arise frequently in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Counselors need guidance to navigate ethical dilemmas but receive limited training in resolving ethical issues. To narrow the gap between the ethical dilemmas counselors face and their training, this qualitative study assessed ethical issues that counselors encounter, how they resolve them, and desired training.

Substance use Attitudes, Beliefs, Experience, and Knowledge Among Nursing and Nursing Assistant Students.

Stigma is a public health concern. Stigmatizing attitudes toward persons with substance use disorders (SUDs) can adversely impact clinical care and outcomes. Beliefs about SUD, prior experience and familiarity to persons with SUD, and educational curricula drive attitudes among health-care workers.

Ethical Dilemmas Facing Substance Use Counselors During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment settings experienced several abrupt changes, including decreased admissions, reduction in services, and modified requirements for medication for substance use disorder. While these changes were implemented to facilitate the maintenance of important treatment options, the ethical consequences of such changes remained unknown. The current study aimed to explore ethical issues related to COVID-19-related changes reported by counselors in SUD treatment facilities.

Pre-implementation Assessment of Tobacco Cessation Interventions in Substance Use Disorder Residential Programs in California.

Background: Across the United States, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs vary in terms of tobacco-related policies and cessation services offered. Implementation of tobacco-related policies within this setting can face several barriers. Little is known about how program leadership anticipate such barriers at the pre-implementation phase.

Perspectives of Black Immigrant Women on Mental Health: The Role of Stigma.

Background: Black immigrants are a major growing segment of the United States population. The intersection of race, gender, and migration places black immigrant women at the confluence of multiple social determinants of health, and thus, black immigrant women experience ongoing mental health disparities. Understanding their perspectives, mental health needs, and associated stigma is critical to promoting positive mental health outcomes.

Shelter-Based Integrated Model Is Effective in Scaling Up Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment in Persons Experiencing Homelessness.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is high among people experiencing homelessness, but barriers to scaling up HCV testing and treatment persist. We aimed to implement onsite HCV testing and education and evaluate the effectiveness of low-barrier linkage to HCV therapy among individuals accessing homeless shelters. HCV rapid testing was performed at four large shelters in San Francisco (SF) and Minneapolis (MN).

Correlates of e-cigarette use for smoking cessation among clients in residential substance use disorder treatment.

Little is known about e-cigarette use among persons in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, or their use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Prevalence of e-cigarette use and correlates of e-cigarette use for smoking cessation were examined among clients in SUD treatment. Participants (n = 332) were current cigarette smokers recruited from 20 residential SUD programs in California.

Mental health stigma among university health care students in Nigeria: a cross-sectional observational study.

Introduction: stigma is a key barrier to access and utilization of mental health services, particularly in low- and middle- income countries. The authors explore the specific content of mental health stigma among Nigerian university health care students at a national teaching hospital. These students are key stakeholders and represent a vital demographic to engage in stigma reduction initiatives.

Clients' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to implementing hepatitis C virus care in homeless shelters.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent among homeless persons, yet barriers continue to impede HCV testing and treatment in this population. We studied the experiences of homeless individuals related to accessing HCV care to inform the design of a shelter-based HCV prevention and treatment program.

Methods: Homeless shelter clients (10 women and 10 men) of a large shelter in San Francisco participated in gender segregated focus groups.

Recommendations for Implementing Hepatitis C Virus Care in Homeless Shelters: The Stakeholder Perspective.

Compared with the general population, homeless individuals are at higher risk of hepatitis C infection (HCV) and may face unique barriers in receipt of HCV care. This study sought the perspectives of key stakeholders toward establishing a universal HCV screening, testing, and treatment protocol for individuals accessing homeless shelters. Four focus groups were conducted with homeless shelter staff, practice providers, and social service outreach workers (n = 27) in San Francisco, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Decreasing the Stigma of Mental Illness Through a Student-Nurse Mentoring Program: A Qualitative Study.

Stigma is defined as endorsing prejudicial attitudes about mental illness leading to discriminatory behaviors. It undermines the quality of medical care received by people with mental illness. Research suggests contact based interventions are effective in reducing stigma and increasing positive attitudes towards people with mental illness.

The public stigma of mental illness means a difference between you and me.

Social desirability can influence reports of stigma change in that subscribing to stigmatizing attitudes might pose a threat to personal beliefs of open-mindedness, while endorsing difference might not be as troubling. A measure is needed that assesses stigma change but is less susceptible to desirability effects. This study examined the psychometrics of various assessments of perceived difference from a person with mental illness.

How does direct to consumer advertising affect the stigma of mental illness?

Stigma interferes with life goals of people with mental illness. Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) may impact stigmatizing attitudes. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of psychiatric medication DTCA on the stigmatizing and affirming attitudes of the general population versus individuals self-identified with mental illness.

Comorbid anxiety disorders and treatment of depression in people with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Anxiety is highly comorbid with depression, but little is known about the impact of anxiety disorders on the effectiveness of empirically supported psychotherapies for depression. We examined such outcomes for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and depression, with versus without comorbid anxiety disorders.

Design: Participants with MS (N = 102) received 16 weeks of telephone-administered psychotherapy for depression and were followed for one year post-treatment.

Interest in behavioral and psychological treatments delivered face-to-face, by telephone, and by internet.

Little is known about the acceptability of internet and telephone treatments, or what factors might influence patient interest in receiving treatments via these media. This study examined the level of interest in face-to-face, telephone, and internet treatment and factors that might influence that interest. Six hundred fifty-eight primary care patients were surveyed.