Substance Use and Public Health Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of deaths in people aged 35 and older is attributed to smoking?

20%

25%

17% (correct)

10%

Which of the following is the largest cost associated with illegal drug use in the UK?

Cost to society due to illegal drug use (correct)

Cost to social care

Legal costs for prosecuting drug offences

Cost of drug treatment and prevention

According to the DSM-5 criteria, what indicates a severe substance use disorder?

Excessive time spent using the drug

Six or more criteria met (correct)

Unsuccessful efforts to cut down or quit

Use for longer periods than intended

Which symptom is observed on Day 4 of alcohol withdrawal?

Paranoia Signup and view all the answers

What is a common reason cited for drug and alcohol use?

Boredom or lack of activities Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated percentage of people who used drugs in 2022 according to the United Nations World Drug Report?

20% Signup and view all the answers

Which drug received the highest overall harm score according to scientific research?

Heroin Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following drugs is ranked as the least harmful according to public perception?

Cannabis Signup and view all the answers

How much does alcohol-related crime cost society in the UK?

£11 billion Signup and view all the answers

In terms of harmfulness ranking, which substance is considered less harmful than alcohol according to scientific scores?

Cannabis Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a factor associated with the treatment of addiction?

Cultural practices Signup and view all the answers

What is the total estimated cost of alcohol to society in the UK?

£21 billion Signup and view all the answers

According to the prevalence data, how many people reported trying cocaine?

15 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can be a reason people use drugs as a coping mechanism?

To escape from reality Signup and view all the answers

What is a major psychological factor contributing to drug addiction?

Cultural norms Signup and view all the answers

What can increase a person's tolerance to drugs?

Frequent use Signup and view all the answers

How does peer pressure relate to drug use?

It can normalize drug usage. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is commonly associated with the development of drug dependence?

Chasing the high Signup and view all the answers

What role do mental health issues play in drug addiction?

They can exacerbate addiction risk. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a commonly cited reason for drug use?

To enhance creativity Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of 'chasing a high' relate to addiction?

It can result in over-dependence on substances. Signup and view all the answers

What is the concordance rate of alcoholism in identical twins?

54% Signup and view all the answers

How much higher is the risk of alcoholism for adoptee children when their natural parents had an alcohol problem?

4 times higher Signup and view all the answers

What does the ALDH2 gene code for?

Aldehyde dehydrogenase Signup and view all the answers

What impact do more than 4 adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have on the risk of drug use?

Increase use by 5 times Signup and view all the answers

What is a likely consequence of reduced striatal D2 receptor density in addiction?

Decreased motivation for rewards Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is primarily linked to the development of drug addiction in relation to childhood?

Childhood trauma Signup and view all the answers

What can be concluded about the interaction of genetics and the environment in addiction risk?

Genetic predispositions can be influenced by environmental factors Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about early adversity and its impacts is correct?

It leads to risky behavior and reduces opportunities Signup and view all the answers

What impact did social housing have on the cocaine use of subordinate monkeys?

They used significantly higher amounts of cocaine. Signup and view all the answers

What was observed regarding D2 receptor density in monkeys under different social housing conditions?

D2 receptor density changed in dominant monkeys but not in subordinate monkeys. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor seems to predict the response to stimulant drugs according to the research?

D2 receptor levels. Signup and view all the answers

In the study involving crack cocaine users, what choice did small rewards lead them to make?

They preferred pharmaceutical grade crack for immediate satisfaction. Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant outcome for U.S. soldiers after returning from Vietnam in terms of heroin addiction?

Their addiction levels dropped back to pre-deployment levels. Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion can be drawn from the comparison of drug use in individually housed and socially housed monkeys?

Socially housed subordinate monkeys increased their cocaine intake significantly. Signup and view all the answers

How did the social environment interact with D2 receptor changes in monkeys?

It only influenced dominant monkeys. Signup and view all the answers

What did research findings indicate about morphine consumption in caged versus socialized rats?

Socialized rats showed higher morphine consumption. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the decisional balance tool in client therapy?

Resolving clients' ambivalence about change Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best aligns with the concept that human connection is crucial in overcoming addiction?

The opposite of addiction is human connection. Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical aspect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in managing addiction?

Learning coping strategies for cravings Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a step in the Twelve Steps program?

Promised to never relapse again Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of strengthening clients' importance to change?

To align with their values and goals Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant finding from the Project MATCH study on alcoholism treatments?

The results of the study were disappointing. Signup and view all the answers

Which approach should a therapist take regarding a client's resistance to change?

Reframe it as a constructive conversation Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'not why the addiction, but why the pain' suggest about addiction treatment?

Understanding the underlying pain is essential for treatment. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Drugs and Alcohol

Topic: Drugs and Alcohol overview
Presented by: Professor Celia Morgan
University: University of Exeter

Learning Objectives

How significant is drug and alcohol use as a societal problem?
Understanding the concept of addiction
What factors contribute to addiction?
Current treatment approaches for addiction

Essential Tasks

Attend/Watch lecture
Read Into the Realms of Hungry Ghosts (Part 3, Chapters 11-16)

Optional Tasks

Readings from ELE (Electronic Learning Environment)
Self-study on the topic, including news articles

How big a problem is drug and alcohol use?

A significant problem in the UK, with high levels of alcohol consumption posing a risk to health.
8% of the UK population smokes tobacco.
10.8 million adults in England exhibit alcohol consumption behaviours raising health risks.
1.6 million UK adults have some level of alcohol dependency.
Only 100,000 people access alcohol treatment.
Significant cost to society: £11 billion (alcohol-related crime), £7 billion (lost productivity due to unemployment & sickness) and £3.5 billion (NHS costs).
Cost of alcohol to society: £21 Billion in the UK.

Drug Use Statistics

180 people reported using alcohol.
67 people reported using cannabis.
15 people reported using cocaine.
12 people reported using MDMA.
15 people reported using ketamine.
13 people reported using magic mushrooms / psilocybin.
88 people reported using tobacco.
3 people reported using heroin.

Global Drug Use

The UN World Drug Report (2024) highlights almost 292 million people using drugs globally in 2022.
A 20% increase compared to figures from a decade earlier.

Ranking of Drug Harm

Rank of Drugs from most to least harmful according to a survey:
- Heroin
- Cocaine
- Ketamine
- MDMA
- Magic Mushrooms / Psilocybin
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Cannabis

What is Addiction?

A concept defined by the compulsion and continuous behaviour to consume a drug or substance even with negative consequences.
A state in which an organism engages in compulsive behavior, as once pleasurable behaviours become compulsive.
A lack of control over the intake of the offending substance.
Many 177 participants in a survey describe addiction as consuming, reliant, or escaping.

DSM-5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders

Criteria include use in excessive amounts, unsuccessful attempts to quit, excessive time spent on the substance, intense desire, problems related to use and use even in physically hazardous settings.
Severity defined by the number of symptoms.

Common Symptoms During Alcohol Withdrawal

Includes hangover symptoms, night sweats, shaking, paranoia, relief, brain fog, cravings, and better sleep.

Illegal Drug Use Costs in the UK

Estimated costs to the UK of £11 billion per year due to opiates and crack users.
Only £30 million of this is allocated to treatment and prevention.
Additional £2.6 billion in legal costs for prosecuting drug offences.

What causes Addiction?

Many factors contributing to addiction include peer pressure, availability, genetic susceptibility, coping mechanisms, escaping, and mental health issues. (based on a 229 response survey)

Vulnerabilities

Biological and genetic factors are influential in addiction susceptibility
Environmental and social factors interact with biological factors and play a role.
The interaction between biological and environmental variables results in vulnerabilities.

Genetic Risk of Alcoholism

Identical twins show a high concordance rate (54%) for alcoholism compared to fraternal twins (28%) showing genetic factors play a role.
Environmental influences contribute too, even when identical twins are raised in differing environments.
A 4 times higher risk is seen in adopted children when biological parents had alcohol problems showing that biological factors contribute the onset of addiction.

ALDH Genes and Alcohol

ALDH2 gene codes for ALDH enzyme.
Variants in the ALDH2 gene can offer protection against alcoholism.

Genes and Environment

Genes interact with environmental factors, including availability and social learning, which are crucial in individual susceptibility to addiction.

Childhood Trauma and Addiction

Evidence from Leza et al (2021) suggests a strong link between childhood trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences/ACES) and addiction.
The link between ACES and addiction is stronger than other health issues, like diabetes, pointing to additional vulnerabilities linked to this.

Early Adversity's Lasting Impact

Early adversity is linked to various negative outcomes such as substance abuse, risky behaviour and mental health concerns.
Experience shows more than 4 ACEs are linked to 5x increase in drugs use and 7x increase in alcohol use disorders.

Brain Changes in Addiction

Reduced density of D2 receptors in the striatum (part of the brain).
D2 receptor changes can predict initial response to stimulants.
Socially housed monkeys show higher rates of cocaine use than individually housed monkeys.

Treatment for Addiction

Medication (benzodiazepines, methadone, drugs which block substance effects, semaglutide)
Motivational interviewing (collaboration and compassion)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (coping skills and changing behaviours)
12 step programs (building healthy connections)
Contingency Management (reinforcers)

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Techniques are used to assess, strengthen, transform, and explore client's motivation.
Includes Reframing techniques to reinforce change talk.

Project MATCH Results

Shows that three different treatments for alcoholism have comparable results, but effectiveness differs with treatment quantity.

Relapse

Relapse is a common part of addiction recovery.

Psychedelics and Addiction

The use of substances such as ketamine as a possible treatment in cases of addition and depression are areas for consideration.

Questions/Break

12 questions followed by 3 upvotes

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Description

Test your knowledge on the impacts of substance use, particularly alcohol and drugs, on public health. Explore statistics, costs, and potential disorders related to substance use. This quiz will challenge your understanding of addiction and its implications in society.