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"As the drug abuse epidemic evolves, so do the tools needed to understand and treat it. Accordingly, Epidemiology of Drug Abuse takes the long view, cogently outlining what the book calls ""the natural history of drug abuse"" and redefining its complex phenomena to reflect our present-day knowledge. Twenty-six eminent contributors discuss the state and future of the field, balancing the practical concerns involved in gathering drug abuse data with the ethics of using the information. - Current thinking on pathways and etiology, as well as medical, psychological, and social sequelae of drug abuse- Proven, up-to-date methodologies for assessment- Challenges of gathering data from high-risk and other user populations- Sampling and application issues- Uses, sources, and limitations of treatment data- Analytical papers applying the methodologies to specific and global studies - The role of epidemiology studies in developing prevention strategies With this multifaceted approach to the subject, Epidemiology of Drug Abuse provides researchers and educators with a reference that sheds significant light on infrequently covered areas. In addition, its breadth and accessibility of coverage make it a teaching text suitable to courses in epidemiology, public health, and drug abuse."

The discipline of epidemiology utilizes the constructs of agent, host, vector, and environment to study the incidence and prevalence (i.e., the nature, extent, distribution, correlates) and the contexts, and consequences of drug abuse in the United States. This paper provides a selected review of the results of 40 years of epidemiological study of drug abuse using surveillance systems, general population surveys, ethnography and qualitative research approaches. It then addresses the challenges in conducting research on drug abuse epidemiology. The paper concludes with some missed opportunities and lessons learned in four decades of a large portfolio of research studies conducted by an impressive array of distinguished scientists.

Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Contributors -- About the Editors -- Part I: Introduction to Substance Use -- 1: A Primer on Alcohol and Adolescent Brain Development: Implications for Prevention -- Introduction -- Adolescent Brain Development Is a New Area Research -- Adolescent Brain Basics -- Changes in the Frontal Lobes During Adolescence -- Changes in Other Parts of the Cortex -- Structures Involved in Emotional Reactivity and Risky Behaviors -- The Corpus Callosum and Sex Differences in Adolescent Brain Development -- Alcohol and Adolescent Brain Development -- Differences in Sensitivity to Alcohol Between Adolescents and Adults -- Age of Onset of Drinking -- Adolescent Neuroplasticity Facilitates the Learning of Both Adaptive and Maladaptive Habits -- Implications for Prevention -- Conclusions -- References -- 2: Epidemiology of Substance Use Internationally -- Introduction -- Data Collections and Caveats -- Prevalence of Substance Use -- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Illicit Drugs -- Injecting Drug Use -- New Psychoactive Substances -- Prevalence of Substance Dependence -- Substance-Related Health Burden -- Mortality -- Burden of Disease -- Risk Factors for Health Harms -- Conclusion -- References -- 3: An Integrative Perspective on the Etiology of Substance Use -- Introduction to the "Ecobiodevelopmental" Framework -- Person Level -- Genetic Susceptibilities and Personality Traits -- Behavioral and Mental Health -- Neurological Development -- Stress Exposures and Physiological Reactivity -- Microlevel Influences -- Parenting and Family Functioning -- Schools and Educational Opportunities -- Peer Influences -- Macro-Level Influences -- The Neighborhood and Physical Environment -- Income/Resources -- Public Policy/Government Influence -- An Integrative Perspective of the Etiology of Substance Use.

Sample attrition, a major concern in any longitudinal study, is even more problematic when adolescents are the study population. The need to minimize the loss of participants in order to maintain the integrity of the cohort is vital in substance abuse prevention evaluations. The Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Study (ASAPS), a national school based prevention study being conducted in six sites across the country, followed students attending schools randomly assigned to either a treatment or control condition from the seventh through the eleventh grade. The percent of study dropouts after the ninth grade pretest warranted consideration of an attrition study to acquire data from those students who were no longer in a study school. A pilot study conducted with a sample of attrition cases in one site (51 of 495) was undertaken to assess the feasibility and costs of a full study. This paper describes the experiences gained from this pilot study in tracking study subjects. An exhaustive protocol was developed and contacts with parents were initiated through telephone calls and flyers sent by mail. Online public records and telephone directories were used to acquire additional contact information. Contact was established with 56.8% of the parents and resulted in completed surveys from 19.6% of the sample at a cost of $1,949.30 per survey.

Over the past twenty-five years, tremendous progress has been made in the area of drug abuse prevention research. The accumulated findings from longitudinal studies of adolescents regarding the factors associated with vulnerability to the substance use and abuse and trends from national surveys of substance use showing their association to societal perceptions of the harmfulness resulting from the use of these substances have informed the development of effective innovative prevention strategies. The 1990s saw a reversal in the perception of the value and importance of drug abuse prevention research with recognition of the field's approach to intervention development and implementation and its scientific rigor in demonstrating intervention impact. This paper reflects on this history anticipating both the positive and negative aspects of the future for the field.

ObjectivesThis study investigates the effect of Hurricane Katrina on adolescent feelings of social isolation. Much anecdotal evidence suggests that individuals who continued to reside in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck felt isolated from the rest of the country. Based on Durkheim's concept of anomie, we suggest that adolescents in New Orleans (and the Gulf region) may experience social isolation as a result of the hurricane.MethodsWe test this hypothesis with data from the Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Study, a multisite longitudinal study of adolescents in six cities around the United States.ResultsWe find that students in New Orleans are no different from students in the other five cities in their level of social isolation prior to the hurricane. In contrast, our posthurricane survey reveals significant differences between New Orleans (and Gulf region) students and students in the other five (comparison) cities in social isolation.ConclusionsOur findings lend contemporary support to the concept of anomie and suggest the importance of mental health interventions for adolescents immediately following a natural disaster.

Evidence-based preventive interventions developed over the past two decades represent great potential for enhancing public health and well-being. Research confirming the limited extent to which these interventions have been broadly and effectively implemented, however, indicates much progress is needed to achieve population-level impact. In part, progress requires Type 2 translation research that investigates the complex processes and systems through which evidence-based interventions are adopted, implemented, and sustained on a large scale, with a strong orientation toward devising empirically-driven strategies for increasing their population impact. In this article, we address two core challenges to the advancement of T2 translation research: (1) building infrastructure and capacity to support systems-oriented scaling up of evidence-based interventions, with well-integrated practice-oriented T2 research, and (2) developing an agenda and improving research methods for advancing T2 translation science. We also summarize a heuristic "Translation Science to Population Impact (TSci Impact) Framework." It articulates key considerations in addressing the core challenges, with three components that represent: (1) four phases of translation functions to be investigated (pre-adoption, adoption, implementation, and sustainability); (2) the multiple contexts in which translation occurs, ranging from community to national levels; and (3) necessary practice and research infrastructure supports. Discussion of the framework addresses the critical roles of practitioner–scientist partnerships and networks, governmental agencies and policies at all levels, plus financing partnerships and structures, all required for both infrastructure development and advances in the science. The article concludes with two sets of recommended action steps that could provide impetus for advancing the next generation of T2 translation science and, in turn, potentially enhance the health and well-being of subsequent generations of youth and ...