Research Roundup

Welcome to the November edition of Turning Point’s Research Roundup newsletter.

In this edition:?

• Turning Point contributes to?a new chapter on Digital Health Approaches for Addiction in the?Oxford Handbook of Addiction Medicine.?
• The latest findings in the Health4Her project?were showcased at the European Society of Breast Imaging Congress.
• Researchers are investigating the unique dynamics of drinking cultures among nurses and midwives.?
• Plus, our latest publications, research participation opportunities, and more!

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Digital health approaches for addiction

One of the most widely used texts in addiction treatment worldwide, the Oxford Handbook of Addiction Medicine, has recently been expanded and updated with Turning Point’s Head of Research and Workforce Development Professor Victoria Manning contributing to a new chapter on Digital Health Approaches for Addiction.

“It is not hard to imagine technologies detecting the availability of substances, or predicting use patterns or relapse risk …, creating opportunities to deliver tailored interventions that prevent or minimise harm from addictive behaviours when it matters most,” Professor Manning says.

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Health4Her at the EUSOBI Congress

The latest findings in the Health4Her project were recently showcased during a poster presentation at the European Society of Breast Imaging?Congress in Lisbon.

In addition to demonstrating benefits in increasing women's literacy regarding alcohol and breast cancer, the new version of the intervention is also effective in reducing women’s intentions to drink alcohol.

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Investigating the unique dynamics of drinking cultures to?minimise alcohol harms

Nurses and midwives work in fast-paced, unpredictable and under-resourced settings. How do these pressures influence their drinking practices??

A team of researchers from La Trobe University and Monash University intend to answer exactly that question and more.?

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Are you up to date with news from the Hamilton Centre??

As an award-winning Statewide Centre for mental health and addiction in Victoria, the Hamilton Centre works to create a more inclusive system by supporting integrated care delivery and breaking down barriers to treatment for people facing co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges.

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New Publications

Exploring the reliability and profile of frequent mental health presentations using different methods?

• This study examined a range of previously applied statistical methods to explore the variability in thresholds that define frequent presenters to ambulance services for acute mental health reasons.
• It found that all frequent presenter definitions had poor reliability in predicting ongoing frequent presentations over time. Compared to non-frequent presenters, frequent presenters had greater odds of experiencing social disadvantage, presenting with self-harm or housing issues, being female and being transported to hospital.?
• The study also found that a range of statistical methods can be used to define frequent presenters according to thresholds of service use over 1 year. The researchers recommend choosing a method that is most closely aligned with the reasons and goals for identifying frequent presenters.?

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Differences in ambulance attendances between children with and without a history of out-of-home-care

• This study usilised ambulance service data to understand the acute healthcare needs of children in out-of-home care (OOHC).
• It found that children with a history of OOHC were substantially more likely to have multiple ambulance attendances for AOD, mental health or self-harm related harms. They also had a substantially higher co-occurrence of substance-related harms, violence, self-harm, suicide ideation and attempts, and developmental or intellectual disability and mental health conditions.
• Rather than responding to the?needs of children in OOHC in a reactionary, crisis-driven manner, the researchers recommend services utlise a preventative, trauma-informed approach to the health care needs of children in OOHC in order to improve their health outcomes.?

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Research Participation Opportunities

The following research studies are currently?open for participants?

• Better ways to help people reduce or stop their cannabis use
• A new treatment for PTSD and alcohol use problems
• The experiences of people who live with alcohol use disorder
• A new ‘brain-training’ app to reduce alcohol use
• The nature, meaning and purposes of nurses and midwives drinking alcohol together

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