Amanda, Rachael, and Todd publish paper on substance abuse during covid-19

Amanda  ToddIn Dec 2021, Amanda Roberts, Rachael Mason, and Todd Hogue (with other colleagues) published a new systematic review in the ‘Drug and Alcohol Dependence’ journal, entitled “Alcohol and other substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review”

 

 

Abstract:

Background

Although evidence suggests substance and alcohol use may change during the Covid-19 pandemic there has been no full review of the evidence around this.

 

Methods

A systematic review of all available evidence was carried out to document and interpret the frequency and severity of alcohol and other substance use during the Covid-19 pandemic and their relationship to demographic and mental health variables that may suggest further clinical implications. Peer reviewed articles in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL complete and Sociological Abstracts were searched from December 2019 until November 2020.

 

Results

The search and screening identified 45 articles from 513 deduplicated records. The evidence suggests a mixed picture for alcohol use. Overall, there was a trend towards increased alcohol consumption. The proportion of people consuming alcohol during the pandemic ranged from 21.7% to 72.9% in general population samples. Unlike alcohol use, there was a clear trend towards increased use of other substances use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of people consuming other substances during the pandemic ranged from 3.6% to 17.5% in the general population. Mental health factors were the most common correlates or triggers for increased use of both alcohol and other substances.

 

Conclusion

There is an increased need for treatment for alcohol and other substance use related problems during the pandemic. Increased targeting and evidence-based interventions will also be important in the period which follows this pandemic, to improve the quality of life for individuals and families, but also to prevent additional costs to society and health systems.

Rachael Dagnall secures research funding!

CongratulRachaelations to Rachael Dagnall who will be involved in a research project that has just been awarded £20,000 (jointly funded by HMPPS & NHS).

Specifically, the research is exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on staff employed in Offender Personality Disorder Services within HMPPS. This is a collaboration, led by Swansea University, with the University of Lincoln, Queens University of Belfast and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)

Amanda Roberts secures funding to run gambling research conferences

Amanda RoAmandaberts has been awarded £30,000 from GREO (Gambling Research Exchange Ontario) and the SSA (Society of the Study of Addictions) to organise and host a series of Current Advances in Gambling Research (CAGR) conferences.

The CAGR conferences aim to showcase some of the first-class gambling research being done in the UK, by drawing together academic experts from different areas to discuss the latest data driven advances.

The next conference will be on 19th and 20th May 2022 in Cardiff.

Hannah Merdian submits recommendations for European Council

The European Council of Ministers have passed recommendations brought to the European Council regarding the assessment, management and reintegration of persons accused or convicted of a sexual offence; see here

The submission was coordinated by Prof Kieran McCartan (UWE) with a consortium of international stakeholders.

Hannah Merdian led the submission on behalf of the “International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders” (IATSO).