Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Guydish

Publications and source records attributed to J Guydish.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Relapse outcomes in a randomized trial of residential and day drug abuse treatment.

Relapse outcomes at 6-, 12-, and 18-month intervals were compared between clients randomly assigned to day (n=114) versus residential (n=147) drug abuse treatment. Day clients were more likely than residential clients to relapse 6 months post-admission (OR=3.06, p<0.001); however, no setting differences at 12 or 18 months were found. Few baseline predictors were prospectively related to relapse at 12 and 18 months. These predictors were usual employment status (part-time OR=17.47, p<0.001; full-time OR=2.54, p<0.001), history of drug injecting (OR=5.39, p<0.01), multiple sex partners (OR=1.16, p<0.01), and not having a gay sexual partner (OR=0.05, p<0.03) during 6 months prior to admission. Still, these baseline predictors, together with the existing literature, could be used by drug treatment professionals to identify individuals who may be at high risk for relapse over time, and to offer specialized treatment and aftercare resources as intervention and prevention measures.

Adult↗

Gender differences in income after substance abuse treatment.

This study asked whether men and women who enrolled in substance use treatment reported similar changes in income from work, public assistance, and crime over time. Income data were analyzed for 261 substance users (77 women, 184 men) who entered day or residential treatment, and completed Addiction Severity Index measures at treatment entry and up to 18 months later. Over time, respondents reported increases in employment income. People whose main source of income at baseline had been crime or public assistance showed significant decreases respectively in income from crime or public assistance. Men made greater gains in work income than women did. Across time, men were more likely to be employed than women were. Findings show the economic value of substance use treatment, but less improvement in employment outcomes for women than men.

Adult↗

Does centralized intake improve drug abuse treatment outcomes?

This study was designed to assess whether centralized intake and assessment in a drug abuse treatment system would lead to improved outcomes. Clients entering treatment through a centralized intake unit (CIU) or through individual programs (non-CIU) were interviewed at admission, and at 1 month and 1 year postadmission. Interviews included measures of treatment access and satisfaction, psychiatric symptoms, social support, and Addiction Severity Index composite scores. At treatment entry, CIU participants had more employment and psychological problems and lower social support, were more often required to be in treatment, and were more often placed on a waiting list. In analyses controlling for baseline differences between groups, there were main effects of time, but no CIU status effects or CIU status by time interactions. The CIU may have improved access to treatment for a more disabled population; however, clients entering treatment through the CIU did not have better outcomes than those entering treatment directly.

Adult↗

A randomized trial comparing day and residential drug abuse treatment: 18-month outcomes.

Extending an earlier report of 6-month outcomes, this study reports 12- and 18-month follow-up data for clients (N = 188) entering a therapeutic community drug treatment program who were randomly assigned to day or residential treatment conditions. Outcomes included Addiction Severity Index composite scores and measures of depression, psychiatric symptoms, and social support. Both groups showed significant change over time. The pattern of change indicated decreased problem severity in the 1st 6 months and then maintenance of lowered problem severity. Comparisons between groups indicated greater improvement for residential treatment clients on social problems and psychiatric symptoms but no differences on the remaining outcomes. Although residential treatment may offer some specific advantages, the conclusion here is that improvement among day treatment clients was not significantly different from that of residential treatment clients.

Adult↗

Drug abuse day treatment: a randomized clinical trial comparing day and residential treatment programs.

Clients entering a therapeutic community (TC)-oriented drug treatment program were randomly assigned to day or residential conditions and interviewed at 2 weeks and 6 months after admission. Outcomes included Addiction Severity Index composite scores and summary scores for the Beck Depression Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and a social support scale. Only clients who remained in treatment for at least 2 weeks were included. The mean age of the sample (N = 261) was 32.9 (SD = 6.7 years) and the mean education level was 12.1 years (SD = 1.9 years); 30% were women. Comparison of outcome scores at 6 months between groups, while controlling for baseline values, indicated greater improvement for residential clients on social problems and psychiatric symptoms. The groups were similar on the 8 remaining outcomes, including measures of alcohol and drug problems. Overall, the level of improvement among day treatment clients was not significantly different from that of residential clients.

Adult↗

Syringe use and reuse: effects of syringe exchange programs in four cities.

We determined the effect of syringe exchange programs (SEPs) on syringe reuse patterns. Five methods were employed to estimate injections per syringe made by exchange clients in four cities. In San Francisco, Chicago, and Baltimore, self-reported data on the number of injections per syringe were obtained. In New Haven, self-reported injection frequencies were combined with syringe tracking data to derive two methods for estimating the mean injections per syringe. The average number of injections per syringe declined by at least half after establishment of SEPs in New Haven, Baltimore, and Chicago, all cities where such an analysis could be made. There were significant increases in the percentages of exchangers reporting once-only use of their syringes in San Francisco, Baltimore, and Chicago, all cities where the data were amenable to this form of analysis. Self-report and syringe tracking estimates were in agreement that SEP participation was associated with decreases in syringe reuse by drug injectors. SEP participation was associated with increases in the once-only use of syringes. These findings add to earlier studies supporting the role of SEPs in reducing the transmission of syringe-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis.

Baltimore↗

Evaluating needle exchange: a description of client characteristics, health status, program utilization, and HIV risk behavior.

This study was designed to describe demographic and drug use characteristics, health status, and HIV-related risk behavior among clients attending the San Francisco needle exchange program (NEP), and to assess the relationship between NEP utilization and risk behavior. Randomly selected clients were interviewed when they visited the NEP. Participants were of diverse ethnicity, had a mean age of 38.2, and 72% were male. Many reported being homeless (25%), unemployed (34%), uninsured (52%), and having an episode of infectious disease in the past 2 years (36%). Clients who received a higher proportion of their needles from the exchange were less likely to report sharing of needles or rinse water. Clients who attended the exchange more frequently were more likely to clean their skin prior to injecting and less likely to use the same needle repeatedly. Frequency of visiting the NEP was not associated with the likelihood of sharing needles or rinse water. Efforts to evaluate needle exchange in the United States will benefit from descriptive reports from other NEP programs, and the use of nonexchange comparison groups.

Adult↗

Clients entering drug abuse day treatment: 18-month outcomes.

Clients who entered and remained in day treatment for at least 2 weeks (N = 66) were interviewed at 6, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Follow-up rates for each time point ranged from 58% to 68%, and 30 clients (45%) were interviewed at every time point. Those who were consistently followed (N = 30) did not differ from those who were not consistently followed (N = 36) on demographics or on outcome variables measured at baseline. Comparison of mean outcome scores across time using MANOVA indicated significant changes from baseline to 6 months in the areas of alcohol, drug, legal, and social problem severity, and these changes were maintained up to 18 months postadmission. Outcomes reflecting psychiatric symptoms and employment also changed over time, but exhibited different patterns of change. Results are confounded by treatment received, since many respondents also participated in residential treatment during follow-up. Day treatment can serve clients having a range of substance abuse problems, and can act as a bridge to traditional residential treatment. Randomized clinical trials, where clients receive only one or the other type of treatment, are needed to assess the effectiveness of day treatment alone.

Adult↗

Risk behavior and HIV seroprevalence among injecting drug users in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize HIV seroprevalence and risk behavior among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1990 and 1996. DESIGN: We report data from three separate cross-sectional samples of IDUs in Rio de Janeiro: the World Health Organization (WHO) sample (n = 479), the Proviva sample (n = 138) and the Brasil sample (n = 110). These data provide the most comprehensive view available, to date, of this understudied population in Rio. METHODS: Demographic characteristics, HIV/AIDS risk behavior and HIV seroprevalence were compared across the three samples and combined analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with injecting risk behavior, sexual risk behavior and HIV seropositivity. RESULTS: The overall HIV seroprevalence among IDUs was 25%. Two encouraging findings of the present analysis were the lower levels of needle-sharing among participants recruited in the latest years (1995-1996) and the lower HIV seroprevalence in the Proviva sample composed mainly of less educated, poorer IDUs living in deprived neighborhoods. No trends toward safer behavior were found for sexual risk, younger age being the principal factor associated with high risk. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of needle-sharing and sexual risk among IDUs in Rio remain high, demonstrating the urgent need to increase the limited preventive measures undertaken so far. Seroprevalence levels for HIV remain significantly lower in the most deprived sample, arguing for the fundamental importance of prompt and effective prevention strategies to keep infection rates from rising among the poorest and largest strata of Rio's IDUs.

Adolescent↗

A visual inspection protocol for measuring characteristics of used syringes.

This article reports on the use of a Visual Inspection Protocol (VIP) to measure observable characteristics of syringes deposited at the San Francisco needle exchange program. Syringes received by the program were evaluated by several inspectors using the VIP, and interrater reliability was assessed for each item. In Study I, syringes bearing individual markings made by the user (n = 568) were more likely to be capped at the point end and plunger end, and more often were new in appearance when compared with unmarked syringes (n = 2,820). In Study II, syringes with a short street life (n = 250) were more often new in appearance and were less likely to contain blood than syringes with a long street life (n = 246). Syringes having individual markings also show signs of more careful use, and marking syringes may represent an ad hoc HIV prevention strategy for some injection drug users.

HIV Infections↗

Evaluating needle exchange: are there negative effects?

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed data on all drug-treatment admissions in San Francisco County over a 4-year period (n = 35,460) to evaluate the potential negative effects of the San Francisco needle-exchange program. METHODS: Admissions in the 2 years preceding implementation of the exchange program (1987-1988) were compared with admissions in the 2 years following implementation (1989-1990). RESULTS: No negative consequences of needle exchange were detected. Specifically, the presence of the exchange program was not associated with (1) increases in injection drug use, (2) increases in needle-sharing behavior, or (3) changing drug-use behavior from non-injection to injection. We also compared high-drug-use neighborhoods with and without local needle-exchange sites. Neighborhoods without needle-exchange sites showed a greater increase in proportion of admissions for injection drug use, and in frequency of injection, over time. CONCLUSIONS: Because of methodological limitations, our findings are preliminary. Longitudinal studies comparing needle-exchange and non-exchange cohorts are needed to further evaluate effects of this intervention.

Adult↗

Evaluating needle exchange: do distributed needles come back?

We employed capture-recapture methods as a strategy for evaluating needle exchange. Needles distributed by the exchange at two time periods were marked with color coded bands indicating the date and site of distribution. Half of the marked needles (2,068/4,239) returned within two weeks of distribution, and 61 percent (2,593/4,239) returned during the study period. The rate of return for stationary exchange sites (63 percent) was greater than that for roving/mobile sites (51 percent; chi 2 = 28.6, p less than .001). Of all needles returned, 87 percent (2,248/2,593) returned to the site of original distribution.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Changes in sexual practices over 5 years of follow-up among heterosexual men in San Francisco.

This report describes changes in sexual behavior of 209 heterosexual men enrolled in a prospective study since 1984. Data were analyzed separately for men who married during the 60 months of follow-up. Study subjects reported fewer total sexual partners and an increase in condom use in the more recent time periods compared to the first period. The proportion of never married men reporting two or more partners in the previous 6 months decreased from 53.2 to 40.7%. All of these men were human immunodeficiency virus seronegative on entry and only one documented seroconversion occurred during the follow-up.

Adult↗

Evaluation of a hospital based substance abuse intervention and referral service for HIV affected patients.

This paper reports an outcome evaluation and needs assessment conducted by the AIDS and Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) of the San Francisco AIDS Health Project. The study was designed to: 1) evaluate effectiveness of a hospital based intervention and referral service for HIV affected substance abusers, and 2) gather information from this population regarding accessibility and barriers to drug treatment. Participants were 86 individuals consecutively referred to ASAP over an 8-month period. All received a brief needs assessment interview in addition to the standard ASAP evaluation protocol. Agency follow-up contacts were made for those individuals referred by ASAP to extended substance abuse treatment, with information limited to whether or not the client contacted the designated referral resource. Source of referral to ASAP, interest in treatment, and prior sexual risk behavior change were significant predictors of intervention outcome. Personal unreadiness and treatment program waiting lists were the most frequently reported obstacles to treatment. While most participants reported changing risk behavior in response to the AIDS epidemic, patterns of change differed according to intravenous drug use history.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Alcohol-related cognitions: do they predict treatment outcome?

Relationships have been reported between alcohol-related cognitions and a range of demographic, drinking behavior, and drinking problem variables. There has been speculation that such cognitions might help predict treatment outcome. We investigated the ability of one class of alcohol-related cognitions--motivations (specifically, reasons for limiting drinking)--to predict the outcomes of a secondary prevention program. Heavily drinking university men were randomly assigned to three groups with different intensities of self-regulation training. Data from the combined sample (n = 40) were analyzed, since outcomes did not differ significantly by treatment level. Four motivation factors, alcohol consumption variables, and alcohol-related problems were assessed pre and posttreatment. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the ability of pretreatment motivations to predict change on selected outcome measures. Two motivational factors were found significantly and differently related to program outcomes. Implications of these findings for future research and treatment effectiveness are discussed.

Adult↗

Reasons students give for limiting drinking: a factor analysis with implications for research and practice.

Dimensions of cognitions associated with self-regulation of alcohol consumption were studied using a 22-item Reasons for Limiting Drinking (RLD) scale in a student survey of nine universities. Data on 2,482 drinkers were factor analyzed using several methods in split halves and the total sample. Four interpretable factors accounting for 39% of the common variance were consistently found. Based on core content, these subjective motivational factors were labeled self-control, upbringing, self-reform and performance. Reliability analysis was used to construct subscales to assess these factors. Subscales had adequate internal reliability (alphas = .66-.73) for brief research scales. Relationships between the RLD subscales and between these subscales and selected demographic, alcohol-consumption and problem indicators are summarized. Based on these results and an application in a prevention experiment with heavily drinking students, the niche for such "reasons" measures in participant screening and program evaluation is discussed.

Adult↗