Development of a short cannabis problems questionnaire for adolescents in the community.

The widespread and harmful use of cannabis amongst young people in the community has been well established. In order to assist in identifying young people at risk of harm for their cannabis use, the present paper documents the development of a short 12-item cannabis problems measure--the Cannabis Problems Questionnaire for Adolescents, Short form (CPQ-A-S). The CPQ-A-S was derived from the 27-item Cannabis Problems Questionnaire for Adolescents (CPQ-A) which had been shown in an earlier study to be a reliable and valid indicator of cannabis problems in adolescents.

The association of alcohol dependence with general practice attendance.

Introduction And Aims: This study was designed to examine the relationship between alcohol dependence and general practitioner (GP) service attendance in Australia.

Design And Methods: Data were analysed from the 1997 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. In this survey, a representative sample of the Australian population was interviewed to ascertain past 12 month psychiatric diagnoses for all major mental disorders as well as the use of primary and other health services (n = 10 641, 79% response rate).

Impaired physical health among methamphetamine users in comparison with the general population: the role of methamphetamine dependence and opioid use.

Aim: To examine the extent of physical health impairment among a community sample of methamphetamine users in comparison with the general population, and factors associated with impairment among this group.

Method: A cross-sectional survey of 309 regular methamphetamine users from Sydney. The Physical Component Scale of the Short Form 12 (SF-12) was used to measure impairment in physical health (score < 40).

The structure of alcohol dependence in the community.

Background: Although dependence on alcohol appears to be a reliable unitary construct, abuse has not found a similar level of support as a separate construct. This paper describes a confirmatory factor analysis of the DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence criteria in a general population sample.

Methods: Data from alcohol drinkers (n = 7746) were obtained from a cross-sectional study of a large, representative sample of the Australian general population.

Who seeks treatment for alcohol dependence? Findings from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Background: This paper presents findings from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) regarding prevalence and treatment seeking for Australians with DSM-IV alcohol dependence and examines the influence of alcohol use variables on treatment seeking.

Method: A standardised interview (including CIDI 2.1) was administered to a stratified random sample of 10,641 Australians aged 18 years and over.