Faculty Bibliography

Social discrimination may isolate drug users into higher risk relationships, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhood environments where drug trade occurs. We used negative binomial regression accounting for clustering of individuals within their recruitment neighborhood to investigate the relationship between high-risk drug ties with various forms of social discrimination, neighborhood minority composition, poverty and education. Results show that experiencing discrimination due to drug use is significantly associated with more drug ties in neighborhoods with fewer blacks. Future social network and discrimination research should assess the role of neighborhood social cohesion.

Recent developments in the study of classic hallucinogens, combined with a re-appraisal of the older literature, have led to a renewal of interest in possible therapeutic applications for these drugs, notably their application in the treatment of addictions. This article will first provide a brief review of the research literature providing direct and indirect support for the possible therapeutic effects of classic hallucinogens such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of addictions. Having provided a rationale for clinical investigation in this area, we discuss design issues in clinical trials using classic hallucinogens, some of which are unique to this class of drug. We then discuss the current status of this field of research and design considerations in future randomized trials.

Background: Although opioid substitution therapy is an effective clinical tool used to manage opioid abuse and dependence, concerns regarding the current FDA-approved medications have lead to a search for efficacious, non-opioid medications. Preclinical data indicate that neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor activity may modulate opioid effects and withdrawal. This investigation sought to examine the ability of the NK1 antagonist aprepitant to alter the effects of methadone as well as withdrawal symptoms induced by brief methadone discontinuation. Methods: This blinded, placebo-controlled, within-subjects study consisted of placebo and aprepitant conditions. Experimental assessments occurred on the first three days (days 1-3: placebo or aprepitant + methadone) and again on days 8-10 (aprepitant or placebo + methadone). Fifteen methadone-maintained patients completed the investigation. Outcome measures were the assessments of opioid withdrawal, as well as subjective measures of opioid-like effects. Results: Statistical trends indicated that aprepitant may reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms. When an active dose of aprepitant was administered an hour before methadone, participants reported less desire to use methadone. However, ratings of methadone "Liking" also appeared to increase. Conclusions: These data tentatively suggest that aprepitant has some ability to alleviate withdrawal following methadone abstinence, but also appears to increase subjective indicators of methadone's abuse liability. Since few of the differences between aprepitant and placebo reached statistical significance, these data should only be viewed as preliminary. Findings from other studies indicate that higher doses of aprepitant may be more clinically effective. Further clinical investigations are needed in order to determine whether aprepitant is useful for alleviating opioid withdrawal.

Many individuals diagnosed with a substance use disorder are also diagnosed with another psychiatric disorder. Little is known regarding which treatments are efficacious for these dually diagnosed individuals (DDI). Characterizing the psychometric properties of assessments used with DDI samples is essential to efficacy studies with DDI. This study examined the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of self-report instruments among DDI. Most subscales demonstrated high test-retest reliability; one subscale demonstrated poor reliability. Internal consistency was similar to that of non-DDI samples. This exploratory study suggests that, while some instruments should be interpreted cautiously, DDI samples can be accurately assessed with self-report measures.

Discrimination can influence risk of disease by promoting unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use). Whether it influences the formation of high-risk social ties that facilitate HIV transmission is unclear. Using cross-sectional data from a cohort of illicit drug users, this study examined the association between discrimination based on race, drug use and prior incarceration and risky sex and drug ties. Negative binomial regression models were performed. Participants who reported discrimination based on race and drug use had significantly more sex and drug-using ties. But, after accounting for both racial and drug use discrimination, only racial discrimination was associated with increased sex, drug-using, and injecting ties. Drug users who experience discrimination and subsequently develop more sex and drug-using ties, increase their risk of contracting HIV. Future longitudinal studies illuminating the pathways linking discrimination and social network development may guide intervention development and identify drug-using subpopulations at high risk for disease transmission.

HIV testing services and research among drug users has largely focused on injection drug users (IDUs); yet noninjection drug users (NIDUs) are also at increased risk for HIV due to high-risk sexual behaviors and overlapping networks with IDUs. This study examined drug use, sexual risk, and social network characteristics associated with recent HIV testing (testing within past year) among NIDUs. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were conducted among 418 NIDUs and log-binomial regression models were used to identify correlates of recent HIV testing. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Nearly 97% of NIDUs reported having ever been tested for HIV and most participants (85.7%) indicated testing for HIV within the past year. Factors independently associated with recent HIV testing were higher educational attainment (PR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.34) and networks to discuss health and medical services (PR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.20). A prior positive sexually transmitted infection was associated with decreased likelihood of recent HIV test (PR: 0.43; 95% CI 0.25, 0.74). Identifying specific social network characteristics may be effective in facilitating HIV testing and prevention strategies targeting NIDUs.

The purpose of this study is to examine the HIV risk behaviors and demographic characteristics of injection drug users (IDUs) by type of health care setting, which can inform development of tailored structural interventions to increase access to HIV prevention and medical treatment services. IDU syringe customers were recruited from pharmacies as part of the "Pharmacist As Resources Making Links to Community Services" (PHARM-Link) study, a randomized community-based intervention in New York City (NYC) aimed at connecting IDUs to HIV prevention, medical, and social services. An ACASI survey ascertained demographics, risk behavior, health-care utilization, and location where health care services were received in the past year. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Of 602 participants, 34% reported receiving health care at a community clinic, 46% a private medical office, 15% a mobile medical unit, and 59% an emergency room (ER). After adjustment, participants who attended a community clinic were significantly more likely to have health insurance, report syringe sharing, and be HIV positive. Whites, nondaily injectors, insured, and higher income IDUs were more likely to attend a private medical office. Participants who recently used a case manager and had multiple sexual partners were more likely to use a mobile medical unit. ER attendees were more likely to be homeless and report recent drug treatment use. These findings show that IDU demographics and risk behaviors differ by health care setting, suggesting that risk reduction interventions should be tailored to health care settings. Specifically, these data suggest that community clinics and mobile medical units serve high-risk IDUs, highlighting the need for more research to develop and test innovative prevention and care programs within these settings.

The feasibility of long-term extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) alcohol treatment is unknown. Following an initial 12-week, single-arm, observational trial of XR-NTX plus medical management (MM) in primary care, we offered 48 additional weeks of XR-NTX treatment (12 additional monthly injections) in two public primary care clinics as a naturalistic extension study. Of 65 alcohol dependent adults initiating XR-NTX treatment, 40 (62%) completed the initial 12-week XR-NTX observational trial, and 19 (29%) continued treatment for a median of 38weeks total (range, 16-72weeks; median 8 total XR-NTX injections). Among active extension phase participants, self-reported rates of drinking days (vs. last 30 days pre-treatment baseline) were low: median 0.2 vs. 6.0drinks per day; 82 vs. 38% days abstinent; 11 vs. 61% heavy drinking days. Long-term XR-NTX treatment in a primary care MM model was feasible and may promote lasting drinking reductions or alcohol abstinence (clinical trial: NCT00620750).

BACKGROUND: Illicit drug users experience various forms of discrimination which may vary by type of drug used, as there are different levels of stigma associated with different types of drugs. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated self-report of perceived discrimination by primary type of drug used. METHODS: This analysis used data from "Social Ties Associated with Risk of Transition into Injection Drug Use" (START), a cross-sectional study of recently initiated injection drug users (IDUs) and prospective study of heroin/crack/cocaine-using non-IDUs (n = 652). Using log binomial regression, the relationship between primary drug used (i.e., single drug used most often) with discrimination due to drug use was examined. RESULTS: Heroin users were significantly more likely (Prevalence ratio (PR): 1.52 (95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.15-2.07)) to report discrimination due to drug use compared to cocaine users. CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: More research is needed to understand the mechanism through which discrimination affects heroin users, and its potential relation with other discrimination-related outcomes, namely depression and drug treatment.