We have located links that may give you full text access.
Improving the help and support provided to people who take new psychoactive substances ('legal highs').
Journal of Public Health 2015 December 30
BACKGROUND: There are over 450 new psychoactive substances (NPS) circulating in Europe. In 2013, NPS were found to be a potential contributor to 60 drug deaths in Scotland. However, beyond these statistics, we know very little about the public health impact of NPS.
METHODS: We used mixed methods to inform a needs assessment for Tayside: (i) routine data analysis, (ii) anonymous online survey and (iii) discussions with professionals and local community groups with either first-hand experience of NPS or knowledge of others who had taken NPS.
RESULTS: Routine data are limited. Six hundred and eighty-seven people responded to the survey, 401 with direct or indirect experience of NPS. NPS were most commonly obtained from shops (n = 173) or friends (n = 110). Respondents replied with 94 different names for NPS taken. One hundred and nine respondents reported instances where emergency medical help for NPS use had been required. Qualitative survey answers and discussions highlighted the adverse impact NPS can have on mental health and well-being in particular.
CONCLUSIONS: NPS are varied, easily accessible and can cause significant harm. We recommend that there should be improved data collection, raised awareness, restricted access, improved information sharing around NPS and the development, monitoring and evaluation of NPS-specific support delivered by services.
METHODS: We used mixed methods to inform a needs assessment for Tayside: (i) routine data analysis, (ii) anonymous online survey and (iii) discussions with professionals and local community groups with either first-hand experience of NPS or knowledge of others who had taken NPS.
RESULTS: Routine data are limited. Six hundred and eighty-seven people responded to the survey, 401 with direct or indirect experience of NPS. NPS were most commonly obtained from shops (n = 173) or friends (n = 110). Respondents replied with 94 different names for NPS taken. One hundred and nine respondents reported instances where emergency medical help for NPS use had been required. Qualitative survey answers and discussions highlighted the adverse impact NPS can have on mental health and well-being in particular.
CONCLUSIONS: NPS are varied, easily accessible and can cause significant harm. We recommend that there should be improved data collection, raised awareness, restricted access, improved information sharing around NPS and the development, monitoring and evaluation of NPS-specific support delivered by services.
Full text links
Trending Papers
A Personalized Approach to the Management of Congestion in Acute Heart Failure.Heart International 2023
Potential Mechanisms of the Protective Effects of the Cardiometabolic Drugs Type-2 Sodium-Glucose Transporter Inhibitors and Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in Heart Failure.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024 Februrary 21
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app