Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine dependence: a case report involving daily methamphetamine use.

Methamphetamine (MA) dependence leads to severe physical and psychological issues. Current treatments, including psychosocial therapies and residential rehabilitation, face limitations such as high relapse rates, cost, and accessibility issues. As a result, there is an urgent need for novel approaches to treat MA dependence that are effective, affordable, and accessible to patients.

Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence: A randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Aims: This study tested the efficacy and safety of a 12-week course of lisdexamfetamine in reducing methamphetamine use, an outcome which is associated with improvements in health and wellbeing, in people dependent on methamphetamine.

Design, Setting And Participants: This study was a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted in six specialist outpatient clinics in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney, Australia (2018-2021). Participants were164 adults with methamphetamine dependence, reporting at least 14 use days out of the previous 28 days (62% male, 38% female, < 1% other; mean age 39 years).

Methadone-Buprenorphine Transfers Using Low Dosing of Buprenorphine: An Open-Label, Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

Aims: To compare a low-dosing protocol to standard practice for methadone-buprenorphine transfers.

Methods: We undertook a nonrandomized open-label clinical trial across 8 sites from NSW, Australia. Participants prescribed methadone wishing to transfer to buprenorphine could either choose or be randomized to a low-dose transfer or standard care transfer as per NSW health guidelines.

Diagnosing and managing prescription opioid use disorder in patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain in Australian general practice settings: a qualitative study using the theory of Planned Behaviour.

Background: Chronic pain is a debilitating and common health issue. General Practitioners (GPs) often prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain, despite limited evidence of benefit and increasing evidence of harms, including prescription Opioid Use Disorder (pOUD). Australian GPs are worried about the harms of long-term opioids, but few are involved in the treatment of pOUD.

Effect of a Smartphone App (S-Check) on Actual and Intended Help-Seeking and Motivation to Change Methamphetamine Use Among Adult Consumers of Methamphetamine in Australia: Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial.

Background: Interventions are required that address delays in treatment-seeking and low treatment coverage among people consuming methamphetamine.

Objective: We aim to determine whether a self-administered smartphone-based intervention, the "S-Check app" can increase help-seeking and motivation to change methamphetamine use, and determine factors associated with app engagement.

Methods: This study is a randomized, 28-day waitlist-controlled trial.

Sociodemographic and Health Factors of the Alcohol Treatment-seeking Population in New South Wales, Australia.

Objectives: Although factors associated with alcohol use have been researched at a population level, descriptions of the alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment-seeking population in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, are limited. This study addresses this gap by analyzing sociodemographic and health characteristics in the NSW AOD treatment-seeking population.

Methods: Self-reported Australian Treatment Outcomes Profile data on substance use, health ratings, and sociodemographic factors were acquired from public AOD services (offering services from counseling to ambulatory/inpatient withdrawal management) in 6 administrative health districts from 2016 to 2019 (n = 14,287).

Medical cannabis use in Australia seven years after legalisation: findings from the online Cannabis as Medicine Survey 2022-2023 (CAMS-22).

Background: Cannabis was legalised for medical purposes in 2016. Uptake was initially slow, but since 2019 there has been a large increase in the number of Australians who have been prescribed cannabis for medical reasons. Yet a significant number of consumers continue to treat their medical conditions via illicitly-sourced cannabis.

Trends in reported GHB-related presentations to Sydney emergency departments between 2012 and 2021.

Objectives: In overdose, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its precursors can cause decreased levels of consciousness, coma and death. Here, we aim to describe reported exposure to GHB at four EDs in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: We searched the ED databases of four Sydney metropolitan hospitals for presentations relating to GHB exposure between 2012 and 2021.

Measuring Objective and Subjective Sleep during Lisdexamfetamine Treatment of Acute Methamphetamine Withdrawal: A Feasibility Study.

Introduction: Sleep disturbance is common during methamphetamine (MA) use and withdrawal; however, the feasibility of combined subjective-objective measurement of sleep-wake has not been shown in this population. Actigraphy is a well-established, non-invasive measure of sleep-wake cycles with good concordance with polysomnography. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and utility of using actigraphy and sleep diaries to investigate sleep during MA withdrawal.

Differences in prescribed medicinal cannabis use by cannabinoid product composition: Findings from the cannabis as medicine survey 2020 (CAMS-20) Australia-wide study.

Introduction: Prescribed medicinal cannabis (MC) is an increasingly common prescription in Australia for treating pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Prescribed MC products generally contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol (CBD) in a variety of dose levels and forms. It is unclear whether THC and CBD products are used by patients with different characteristics and for different conditions.

How I manage severe bacterial infections in people who inject drugs.

Background: Injecting drug use is a risk factor for severe bacterial infection, but there is limited high-quality evidence to guide clinicians providing care to people who inject drugs. Management can be complicated by mistrust, stigma, and competing patient priorities.

Objectives: To review the management of severe infections in people who inject drugs, using an illustrative clinical scenario of complicated Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection.

The impact of changes in opioid dependency treatment upon COVID-19 transmission in Sydney, Australia: a retrospective longitudinal observational study.

Background: In April 2020, in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) Drug and Alcohol services modified their delivery of opioid dependency treatment (ODT) to reduce spread of COVID-19 and maintain continuity of care by increasing use of takeaway doses (TADs), transferring clients to local community pharmacies for dosing and encouraging the use of long-acting depot buprenorphine (LADB) which enabled once a month dosing.

Methods: This study was a retrospective longitudinal case-control study conducted from August 1st, to November 30th, 2021. Eligible clients were those admitted for treatment with SESLHD ODT Services prior to August 1st,2021 and who remained in treatment beyond November 30th, 2021.

Understanding the research capacity of alcohol and other drugs services in New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: Enhancing health system research capacity can support improved quality care. This study assessed the research capacity of public local health district (LHD) and non-government organisation (NGO) alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, at the organisational, team and individual level. Research barriers and motivators were also examined.

A systematic review on the effect of routine outcome monitoring and feedback on client outcomes in alcohol and other drug treatment.

Issues: Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) involves regularly measuring clients' outcomes during treatment, which can then be fed back to clinicians and/or clients. In the mental health field, ROM and feedback have been shown to improve client outcomes; however, no systematic reviews have examined whether improvement is also seen in alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment outcomes. This review examines whether feedback to clients and/or clinicians of ROM data in AOD treatment improves future client outcomes.

Identifying thresholds for clinically meaningful change among clients of drug and alcohol services using the Australian Treatment Outcomes Profile.

Aims: The Austraian Treatment Outcomes Profile (ATOP) is a brief clinical outcomes tool used widely in the Australian alcohol and other drugs treatment sector to monitor clients' substance use, health, wellbeing and clinical risk factors. It has demonstrated reliability and validity, and has recommended clinical cut-offs for assessing single-occasion client-rated health scores. This study determined clinically meaningful change thresholds for ATOP substance use and health and wellbeing variables for use by clinicians in monitoring client progress, and for quality improvement and service evaluation.

The DACRIN data project: A process for harmonising data collection for clinical research in alcohol and other drugs services in New South Wales.

Introduction: Standardised data collection processes allow for harmonisation and comparison of data across different studies and services. This project aimed to develop a 'core dataset' to serve as the default collection when designing future studies and evaluations, building upon data routinely collected in clinical alcohol and other drugs (AOD) settings in NSW, Australia.

Methods: A working group was established, comprising clinicians, researchers, data managers and consumers from public sector and non-government organisation AOD services in the NSW Drug and Alcohol Clinical Research and Improvement Network.

Health and correctional staff acceptability of depot buprenorphine in NSW prisons.

Background: Provision of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in custodial settings is resource-intensive and may be associated with diversion, non-medical use, and violence. A clinical trial of a new OAT, depot buprenorphine (the UNLOC-T study), provided the opportunity to obtain health and correctional staff perspectives regarding this treatment prior to widespread roll-out.

Methods: Sixteen focus groups with 52 participants were conducted, including 44 health staff (nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, and operational staff) and eight correctional staff.

"There's a big tag on my head": exploring barriers to treatment seeking with women who use methamphetamine in Sydney, Australia.

Background: Australia has a high prevalence of regular use of methamphetamine. While half of people who use methamphetamine regularly are women, they make up only one third of people seeking treatment for methamphetamine use disorder. There is a lack of qualitative research into the facilitators and barriers to treatment for women who use methamphetamine regularly.

Health and social characteristics of clients reporting amphetamine type substance use at entry to public alcohol and other drug services in New South Wales, Australia, 2016-2019.

Introduction: Amphetamine type substances (ATS) are commonly used by Australian alcohol and other drug service entrants. We describe demographic characteristics, patterns of ATS and other substance use, health and social conditions among clients entering New South Wales (NSW) public alcohol and other drug services.

Methods: Retrospective cohort of 13,864 records across six health districts (2016-2019) for clients seeking substance use treatment.

Inpatient GHB withdrawal management in an inner-city hospital in Sydney, Australia: a retrospective medical record review.

Rationale: Regular consumption of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) may result in a dependence syndrome that can lead to withdrawal symptoms. There are limited data on medications to manage GHB withdrawal.

Objectives: To examine characteristics associated with delirium and discharge against medical advice (DAMA), in the context of implementing a GHB withdrawal management protocol at an inner-city hospital in 2020.