The age of onset of substance use is related to the coping strategies to deal with treatment in men with substance use disorder

Abstract

BackgroundThe age of onset of substance use (OSU) as well as the coping strategies (CS) influence both the development and the course of Substance Use Disorders (SUD). We aim to examine the differences in the CS applied to deal with treatment in men with SUD, considering whether the age of OSU had begun at age 16 or earlier (OSU ≤ 16) or at 17 years or later (OSU ≥ 17), as well as the associations of the CS with clinical variables were studied.MethodsA total of 122 patients with at least three months of abstinence, 60 with OSU≤16 and 62 with OSU≥17, were evaluated through the Coping Strategies Inventory and clinical assessment tools.ResultsThe OSU≤16 patients were younger and presented a worse clinical state. Compared to the norms, the SUD patients were less likely to use adaptive CS, although this was more remarkable for the OSU≤16 group. Furthermore, the OSU≤16 patients presented a CS pattern of higher Disengagement, with lesser use of Social Support and higher Problem Avoidance and Social Withdrawal. In the whole SUD sample, the severity of addiction, number of relapses and age of OSU (as a continuous variable) were related to maladaptive coping. Nevertheless, the cut-off age of OSU modulated these results.ConclusionsThe OSU≤16 was a risk factor for presenting greater clinical severity and a more dysfunctional CS profile to deal with treatment. Thus, the cut-off age considered has allowed us to differentiate SUD patients with more vulnerability to present worse clinical prognosis who may require specific prevention and rehabilitation strategies discussed throughout this work.

Circadian Rhythmic Characteristics in Men With Substance Use Disorder Under Treatment. Influence of Age of Onset of Substance Use and Duration of Abstinence

“…In this sense, the OSU ≤ 16 patients presented greater duration of drug use and consumption of more substances, both factors being related to the severity of the addiction ( 74 ). These results highlight the evidence that an early age of OSU is related to a more severe clinical symptomatology in adult age ( 4 – 6 ), and are in accordance with the works that use the same cut-off point ( 7 , 8 ). The better clinical impression of the LA patients compared to the SA group supports the progressive symptomatic recovery as the duration of abstinence increases ( 75 ).…”

“…During adolescence there is a higher risk to begin substance consumption ( 1 , 2 ), and an early age of onset of substance use (OSU) is associated to the future development of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) ( 3 ) and to more severe clinical characteristics ( 4 – 8 ). Therefore, it is crucial to improve substance consumption prevention programs, as well as to consider the age of OSU and its clinical implications in SUD treatments.…”

“…Several studies have highlighted the importance of the age of onset of substance use on the consequences of those who develop a SUD. When compared to people who begin consumption at 17 or later, those who begin at 16 or earlier have a lower premorbid intelligence quotient ( 7 , 50 ), a worse neuropsychological performance ( 51 , 52 ), maladaptive treatment-coping strategies ( 8 ), and a lesser volume of gray brain matter ( 53 ). This cut-off age has been based on neurodevelopmental characteristics, such as a possible dysfunction in the dopaminergic and endocannabinoid systems.…”

The Impact of an In-service Educational Program on Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Pain Management in an Ethiopian University Hospital

“…Although pain control for hospitalized patients is a central issue for all health care providers, major barriers are presented by nurses' inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes, insufficient assessment skills, reluctance to act as the patient's advocate ( 8 , 9 ), and misconceptions ( 7 , 9 ). Inadequate pain management reflects inadequate knowledge on the part of nurses.…”

Avaliação da relação entre esquemas iniciais desadaptativos e o coping em indivíduos com transtorno por uso de substâncias

“…Há décadas pesquisas têm buscado avaliar a estrutura e os resultados do enfrentamento entre indivíduos com problemas no uso de substâncias, demonstrando que estratégias de enfrentamento adequadas podem prevenir a recaída do uso de drogas (Araújo et al, 2010;Boden et al, 2014, Capella & Adan, 2017Forys, McKellar, & Moos, 2007;Gąsior et al, 2015;Hyman et al, 2009;Kronenberg, Goossens, Busschbach, Achterberg, & Brink, 2015;Moghaddam, Mohseni, & Khorshidi, 2015;Moos, Brennan, Fondacaro, & Moos, 1990). O grande número pesquisas sobre o enfrentamento é indicativo de uma crescente convicção de que este seja um fator importante na relação entre eventos estressantes e resultados desadaptativos, como depressão, sintomas psíquicos e doenças somáticas.…”