BACKGROUND It is not yet known if the increased risk of suicide in substance abusers is caused by the causal and/or coexisting relationship between substance use and psychiatric disorders. This study was designed to estimate the suicide risk among individuals with illicit drug use alone, illicit drug users with mental disorders, and illicit drug users with alcohol use disorders. METHODS Subje...

conclusions this method can be appropriate to estimate sensitive issues; however, lack of understanding the method or doubting the confidentiality of the responses can lead to bias in the results. that is to say, if the instructions are introduced better, the level of trusting the method will increase and accordingly more reliable responses can be obtained. more studies under controlled conditi...

Illicit drug use has become popular in China. Acknowledging the challenge of illicit drug use, China has adopted several new policies on the management of illicit drug use in recent years. This study reviews the current policies on drug use and assesses the harm reduction interventions among drug users in China. The review documents that the new policies on drug use provide a variety of choices...

BACKGROUND Drug users' organizations have made progress in recent years in advocating for the health and human rights of people who use illicit drugs but have historically not emphasized the needs of people who drink alcohol. METHODS This paper reports on a qualitative participatory needs assessment with people who use illicit substances in British Columbia, Canada. We held workshops in 17 co...

BACKGROUND Loss to follow up (LTFU) is an important prognostic factor in patients with HIV-1 infection. The impact of illicit drug use on LTFU of patients with HIV-1 infection is unknown in Japan. METHODS A single center observational study was conducted to elucidate the impact of illicit drug use on LTFU at a large HIV clinic in Tokyo. LTFU was defined as those who discontinued their visits ...

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY / PRINCIPLES The main aim of this study was to investigate profiles of drug users, with a particular focus on illicit drugs other than cannabis, and to explore the effect of early-onset intensive use (drunkenness, daily smoking, high on cannabis) on profiles of illicit drug use. METHODS Baseline data from a representative sample of 5,831 young Swiss men in the ongoing Co...

BACKGROUND Illicit drug use/dependence has been recognized as a major problem. Clinical studies demonstrate that poor sleep quality is associated with increased frequency of drug use and relapse. However, few studies have addressed the issue of sleep quality among illicit drug dependent subjects. METHODS This cross-sectional study explored sleep quality in drug dependent subjects in China. We...

OBJECTIVE HIV infection and illicit drug use are each associated with diminished cognitive performance. This study examined the separate and interactive effects of HIV and recent illicit drug use on verbal memory, processing speed, and executive function in the multicenter Women's Interagency HIV Study. METHODS Participants included 952 HIV-infected and 443 HIV-uninfected women (mean age = 42...