Objective: to investigate the correlation between disorders related to the use of alcohol and other drugs and symptoms of mental disorders, problems related to crime and violence and to age and gender. Methods: cross-sectional descriptive study carried out with 128 users of a Psychosocial Care Center for Alcohol and other Drugs, in the city of São Paulo, interviewed by means of the instrument entitled Global Appraisal of Individual Needs - Short Screener. Univariate and multiple linear regression models were used to verify the correlation between the variables. Results: using univariate regression models, internalizing and externalizing symptoms and problems related to crime/violence proved significant and were included in the multiple model, in which only the internalizing symptoms and problems related to crime and violence remained significant. Conclusions: there is a correlation between the severity of problems related to alcohol use and severity of mental health symptoms and crime and violence in the study sample. The results emphasize the need for an interdisciplinary and intersectional character of attention to users of alcohol and other drugs, since they live in a socially vulnerable environment.

IntroductionThis study used the Rasch model to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Substance Problem Scale (SPS) of the “Global Appraisal of Individual Needs - Initial” for use in Brazil. The SPS measures alcohol and drug problem severity within a DSM-IV-TR framework. The goal of the Rasch analysis was to assess scale dimensionality, item severity, and differential item functioning (DIF).MethodsData was collected from 40 inpatients and 70 outpatients in São Paulo, Brazil. The Rasch model fit and DIF by gender and level of care were examined.ResultsThe SPS fit the Rasch model, with no items distorting the measure. Only three of the sixteen items performed differently between men and women and three performed differently by level of care.ConclusionsThe results were compatible with those from Rasch analyses of the American English and Canadian English versions of the scale. The Portuguese version of the SPS is, thus, valid for use in Brazil, both with men and women in inpatient and outpatient programs.

Introduction: Approximately 5% of the global population used an illicit drug in 2013. Regarding licit drugs, alcohol is responsible for the occurrence of approximately 200 diseases, among them depression. In addition to health impairments, alcohol is also implicated in many acts of violence. This study aimed to measure the properties of the Rasch model of the Portuguese version of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Short Screener based on evidence obtained during care for users of alcohol and other drugs. Method: To collect the data, 128 interviews were held at the Psychosocial Care Center for Alcohol and Other Drugs in the state capital, during which the scale was applied.Results: The Rasch model revealed that the subscales of the instrument were appropriate, with all items having mean infit and outfit values from 0.5 to 1.5, considered optimal for measurement. There was no evidence of differential performance for gender. Substance use and crime and violence items presented redundancy for severity measures. Conclusion: Given the need for validated instruments for use in Brazil, it is encouraging that the Portuguese version of the scale was valid for the Rasch model. The results are consistent with studies using the other American, Brazilian, and Canadian versions of the instrument.

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Objetivo: identificar o conhecimento dos enfermeiros sobre a Síndrome Alcoólica Fetal (SAF) e as ações promovidas por estes no pré-natal de gestantes usuárias de álcool nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS). Método: pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa, de caráter descritivo e exploratório, desenvolvida em UBSs, situadas em um município do interior de Minas Gerais. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas e, para a interpretação, utilizou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Resultados: onze enfermeiros participaram deste estudo. Das informações analisadas, emergiram três categorias temáticas. Categoria Temática 1: falta conhecimento sobre a Síndrome Alcoólica Fetal; Categoria temática 2: estratégias utilizadas pelos enfermeiros no atendimento às gestantes usuárias de álcool; e, Categoria temática 3: dificuldades em se realizar a referência e contrarreferência na rede de atenção à saúde (RAS). Conclusão: Conclui-se que os enfermeiros possuem pouco conhecimento no que se refere aos efeitos teratogênicos do álcool, suas ações se baseiam em realizar busca ativa de gestantes usuárias de álcool, na tentativa de estabelecer o vínculo terapêutico. Dentre as dificuldades com relação à temática, a que mais impacta o processo assistencial é a inexistência de fluxo pactuado que respeite as obrigações pertinentes a referência e contrarrefência na rede de atenção à saúde. A busca por aprimoramento profissional na área da Saúde da Mulher e Saúde Mental, bem como o estabelecimento de um fluxo assistencial adequado na rede, asseguraria uma atenção integral à gestante e ao recém-nascido.

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WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data:Alcohol and injuries: emergency department studies in an international perspective. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers' products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.The named authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication. Printed in France i 279Alcohol and Injuries iv iv fOreWOrdThe harmful use of alcohol is one of the main risk factors to health. It is responsible each year for about 2.3 million premature deaths worldwide. Injuries -both unintentional and intentionalaccount for more than a third of the burden of disease attributable to alcohol consumption. These include injuries from road traffic crashes, burns, poisoning, falls and drowning as well as violence against oneself or others. The impact of alcohol-related injuries affects not only those who are intoxicated at the time of injury occurrence, but also those who fall victim to their behavior. These include the pedestrian or cyclist knocked over by a drunk driver or the woman or children beaten by a drunk husband or father.Alcohol-attributable injuries and violence are of growing concern to the World HealthOrganization. Alcohol-related injuries are especially evident in hospital emergency rooms and trauma centers. The clinical encounters in these settings present a one-time chance for health professionals to get access to a population often difficult to reach. Reduction of the burden of such injuries can be achieved by implementing evidence-based public health strategies, policy measures and effective interventions on a broad scale.This publication draws together the current state of knowledge on research, practice and policy issues on the association of alcohol with injuries. It synthesizes the results of studies from a number of hospital emergency departments conducted in different cultural settings, including the World Health Organization's Collaborative Study on Alcohol and Injuries....

The goal of this article is to present evidence on the internal consistency and convergent validity of the Brazilian Portuguese versions of the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs–“Initial” and “Short Screener” versions.MethodsOne hundred sixty-eight individuals from an inpatient service and/or a community-based outpatient service located in São Paulo were interviewed using the Brazilian Portuguese versions of the instruments. The internal consistency of the instruments scales was computed, along with evidence for the convergent validity between corresponding subscales of the Initial and Short Screener instruments.ResultsCronbach’s alpha values for both instruments’ total scale scores were greater than .7. The Short Screener scales showed strong-to-moderate correlations with corresponding subscales of the Initial. The General Individual Severity Scale from the Initial and Total Disorder Screener from the Short Screener have convergent validity with each other (ρ = 0.801).ConclusionsThe Brazilian Portuguese instrument scales showed evidence for internal consistency and convergent validity performing similarly to the American English versions.