Suchergebnisse

BACKGROUND: North America remains in the midst of an escalating opioid overdose epidemic, largely driven by the influx of synthetic opioids such a fentanyl and related analogues. High rates of mental illness among substance-using populations have been well documented; in particular, opioid-using individuals suffer from high rates of PTSD. Despite the devastating disease burden of both PTSD and OUD, especially within the context of the current opioid overdose epidemic, treatment options and outcomes remain suboptimal. MAIN BODY: Comorbid PTSD-OUD is often complex and inextricably intertwined, thereby impeding effective diagnosis, assessment and early intervention. Best outcomes occur when treatment addresses both comorbidities simultaneously, known as parallel or integrative approaches. Despite these findings, affected individuals often do not receive adequate or equitable access to healthcare. The WHO recommends that public spending for both mental and physical aspects of healthcare be equitable to the burden of disease. Despite these recommendations mental healthcare services remain chronically underfunded in Canada. The Mental Health Parity Act is a call for the Canadian government to implement equitable public spending on all aspects of healthcare. Furthermore, prohibitory legislative practices serve to marginalize substance-using populations thereby increasing the likelihood of exposure to traumatic violence and other associated harms. CONCLUSION: Efforts are now needed to address regulatory drug-use frameworks and public healthcare policies that perpetuate these inequalities. Alternative regulatory frameworks for drugs and mental health parity should be implemented and evaluated in an effort to reduce violence, trauma and ultimately opioid-related overdose deaths.

There has been widespread support for harm reduction programs as an essential component for responding to the HIV and illicit drug use epidemics. However, despite the growing international acceptance of harm reduction, there continues to be strong opposition to this approach, with critics alleging that harm reduction programs enable drug use. Vancouver, Canada provides a compelling case study that demonstrates that many positive impacts of harm reduction can be attained while addiction treatment-related goals are simultaneously supported. While the evidence for harm reduction is clearly mounting, it is unfortunate that ideological and political barriers to implementing harm reduction programs in Canada remain. As evidenced by Vancouver and elsewhere, harm reduction programs do not exacerbate drug use and undermine treatment efforts and should thereby occupy a well-deserved space within the continuum of programs and services offered to people who inject drugs. ; Medicine, Department of ; Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of ; Medicine, Faculty of ; Reviewed ; Faculty

There is growing recognition, particularly in the areas of illicit drug policy and HIV prevention, that policy-makers are in many instances implementing suboptimal programs and services because they are not basing their decisions on the best available scientific evidence. One notable example where a policy-making body has failed to use scientific evidence to inform policy is the Canadian federal government's opposition to Vancouver's supervised injection facility despite a large body of scientific evidence indicating that the program is associated with a range of health and social benefits. Two of the key strategies that have been used to try to shift drug policy toward an evidence-based approach and maintain the operation of this evidence-based health facility are knowledge translation and legal actions. We provide an overview of these two strategies and hope it will offer lessons for the implementation of evidence-based approaches in other controversial areas of public policy. ; Medicine, Faculty of ; Other UBC ; Medicine, Department of ; Reviewed ; Faculty ; Graduate

CO2 emissions from energy production and consumption are a major contributor to climate change. Thus, stabilising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere by reducing these emissions is an increasingly urgent international necessity. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) represents one of the most promising potential solutions to contain emissions resulting from continued use of coal and other fossil fuels. However, challenges such as a lack of legal and regulatory frameworks to guide near-term demonstration projects and long-term technology expansion must be addressed to facilitate the expanded use of CCS.

[4], 59 [i.e. 60] p. ; Attributed by Wing to both Thomas Ken (Wing 2nd ed. K264C at reel 1703:12) and Thomas Kerr (Wing K350 at reel 921:2); Wing K350 is cancelled in 2nd ed. ; Reproduction of originals in Huntington Library and University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library.

Background: Due to the popularity of public service announcements (PSAs), as well as the broader health and social harms associated with illicit drug use, this study sought to investigate how drug prevention messages found in the Government of Canada's DrugsNot4Me campaign were understood, experienced, and engaged with among a group of street-involved young people in Vancouver, Canada. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 individuals enrolled in the At-Risk Youth Study, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Findings indicate that the campaign's messages neither resonated with "at-risk youth", nor provided information or resources for support. In some cases, the messaging exacerbated the social suffering experienced by these individuals. Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of rigorous evaluation of PSAs and the need to consider diverting funds allocated to drug prevention campaigns to social services that can meaningfully address the structural drivers of drug-related harms among vulnerable youth populations. ; Medicine, Faculty of ; Other UBC ; Non UBC ; Medicine, Department of ; Reviewed ; Faculty