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Bury, Gerard
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Bury, Gerard
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Bury, Gerard
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- PublicationPsychosocial interventions for problem alcohol use in illicit drug users (Protocol)(John Wiley & Sons, 2011-08-10)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows:To determine the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions targeting problem alcohol use versus other treatments in illicit drug users.330 - PublicationPsychosocial Interventions for Alcohol use among problem drug users (PINTA) : protocol for a feasibility study in primary care(JMIR, 2013-08)
; ; ; ; ; Background: Alcohol use is an important issue among problem drug users. Although screening and brief intervention are effective in reducing problem alcohol use in primary care, no research has examined this issue among problem drug users. Objectives: To determine if a complex intervention, incorporating screening and brief intervention for problem alcohol use among problem drug users, is feasible and acceptable in practice and effective in reducing the proportion of patients with problem alcohol use. Methods: PINTA is a pilot feasibility study of a complex intervention comprising screening and brief intervention for problem alcohol use among problem drug users with cluster randomisation at the level of general practice, integrated qualitative process evaluation, and involving general practices in two socioeconomically deprived regions. Participants: Practices (N=16) will be eligible to participate if they are registered to prescribe methadone and/or at least 10 patients of the practice are currently receiving addiction-treatment. Patient inclusion criteria are: aged 18 or over and receiving addiction treatment / care (e.g.methadone) or known to be a problem drug user. Interventions: A complex intervention, supporting screening and brief intervention for problem alcohol use among problem drug users (experimental group) compared to an 'assessment only' control group. A delayed intervention being available to 'control' practices after follow up. Outcome: Primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability of the intervention to patients andprofessionals. Secondary outcome is the effectiveness of the intervention on care process (documented rates of screening and brief intervention) and outcome (proportion of patients with problem alcohol use at the follow up). Randomisation: Stratified random sampling of general practices based on level of training in providing addiction-related care and geographical area. Blinding: Single-blinded; GPs and practice staff, researchers and trainers will not be blinded, but patients and remote randomisers will. Discussion: This is the first study to examine feasibility and acceptability of primary care based complex intervention to enhance alcohol screening and brief intervention among problem drug users. Results will inform future research among this high-risk population and guide policy and service development locally and internationally.254 - PublicationPsychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users(Wiley-Blackwell, 2012-11)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Background: Problem alcohol use is common among illicit drug users and is associated with adverse health outcomes. It is also an important factor in poor prognosis among drug users with hepatitis C virus (HCV) as it impacts on progression to hepatic cirrhosis or opiate overdose in opioid users.Objectives: To assess the effects of psychosocial interventions for problem alcohol use in illicit drug users (principally problem drug users of opiates and stimulants).Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group trials register (November 2011), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, Issue 11, November 2011), PUBMED (1966 to 2011); EMBASE (1974 to 2011); CINAHL (1982 to 2011); PsycINFO (1872 to 2011) and reference list of articles. We also searched: 1) conference proceedings (online archives only) of the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA), International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA), International Conference on Alcohol Harm Reduction (ICAHR), and American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD); 2) online registers of clinical trials, Current Controlled Trials (CCT), Clinical Trials.org, Center Watch and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials comparing psychosocial interventions with another therapy (other psychosocial treatment, including non-pharmacological therapies or placebo) in adult (over the age of 18 years) illicit drug users with concurrent problem alcohol use.Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data from included trials.Main results: Four studies, 594 participants, were included. Half of the trials were rated as having high or unclear risk of bias. They considered six different psychosocial interventions grouped into four comparisons: (1) cognitive-behavioural coping skills training versus 12-step facilitation (N = 41), (2) brief intervention versus treatment as usual (N = 110), (3) hepatitis health promotion versus motivational interviewing (N = 256), and (4) brief motivational intervention versus assessment-only group (N = 187). Differences between studies precluded any pooling of data. Findings are described for each trial individually:comparison 1: no significant difference; comparison 2: higher rates of decreased alcohol use at three months (risk ratio (RR) 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19 to 0.54) and nine months (RR 0.16; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.33) in the treatment as usual group; comparison 3 (group and individual format): no significant difference; comparison 4: more people reduced alcohol use (by seven or more days in the past 30 days at 6 months) in the brief motivational intervention compared to controls (RR 1.67; 95% CI 1.08 to 2.60).Authors' conclusions: Very little evidence exists that there is no difference in the effectiveness between different types of interventions and that brief interventions are not superior to assessment only or treatment as usual. No conclusion can be made because of the paucity of the data and the low quality of the retrieved studies.912 - PublicationProblem alcohol use among problem drug users : development of clinical guidelines for general practice(2012-03-09)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Introduction: Problem alcohol use is common and associated with considerable adverse health and social outcomes among patients who attend GPs in Ireland and other European countries for opioid substitution treatment. This paper aims to describe the development and content of clinical guidelines for the management of problem alcohol use among current or former opioid users attending general practice for methadone treatment. Methods: The guidelines were developed in several stages: i) identification of key stakeholders; ii) development of evidence-based draft guidelines, and iii)determination of a modified ‘Delphi-facilitated’ consensus among the group members. These guidelines were informed by a review of scientific evidence and a qualitative study, results of which will be presented also at this conference. Results: The guidelines incorporate advice for GPs on all aspects of care of this problem, including i) definition of problem alcohol use among problem drug users, ii) screening / identification of problem alcohol use, iii) interventions for treatment and management of problem alcohol use, iv) referral to secondary services and v) role of GPs in the management of persistent problem alcohol use and on-going care. Conclusions: General practice has an important role to play in the care of problem alcohol use among problem drug users, especially patients who attend for methadone treatment. Further research on strategies to inform the implementation of this study is a priority.300 - PublicationFactors that influence family and parental preferences and decision making for unscheduled paediatric healthcare: a systematic review protocol(Health Research Board, 2019-09-30)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; There is a plethora of factors that dictate where parents and families choose to seek unscheduled healthcare for their child; and the complexity of these decisions can present a challenge for policy makers and healthcare planners as these behaviours can have a significant impact on resources in the health system. The systematic review will seek to identify the factors that influence parents' and families' preferences and decision making when seeking unscheduled paediatric healthcare. Five databases will be searched for published studies (CINAHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, PsycInfo, EconLit) and grey literature will also be searched. Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be applied and articles assessed for quality. A narrative approach will be used to synthesise the evidence that emerges from the review. By collating the factors that influence decision-making and attendance at these services, the review can inform future health policies and strategies seeking to expand primary care to support the provision of accessible and responsive care. The systematic review will also inform the design of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) which will seek to determine parental and family preferences for unscheduled paediatric healthcare. Policies such as Sláintecare that seek to expand primary care and reduce hospital admissions from emergency departments need to be cognisant of the nuanced and complex factors that govern patients' behaviour.116 - PublicationExploring healthcare professionals experience and attitudes towards screening for and treatment of problem alcohol use among drug users attending primary care(2011-01-20)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; Problem alcohol use (PAU) is common among drug users (DUs) prevalence rates vary from 13-76%, in a recent Irish study of patients on methadone 35% had an AUDIT score indicating PAU. PAU is associated with adverse health outcomes including physical, psychological and social implications. Despite the crucial role of primary care in screening and treatment for problematic alcohol use and the importance of a stepped approach to alcohol treatment, supported by the evidence, little data reporting intervention interventions which address this issue in DUs attending primary care has been reported. This study has examined healthcare professionals’ experience of and attitudes towards screening and treatment for PAU among drug users in primary care. Twelve GPs and practice nurses who were recruited through the central treatment list participated in this study. Qualitative interviews exploring their experiences of and attitudes towards management of PAU in DUs attending primary care were conducted according to a semi structured interview guide. The topic guide was informed by the results of a literature review completed in the previous phase of our research project. Interviews were audio-recorded and subsequently transcribed by external transcribers. For the purpose of this presentation, we have analysed only sections of the interviews concerning strategies that could facilitate implementation of alcohol interventions in primary care settings. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyse these interview sections. Analysis of the selected interview sections revealed that Doctors and Nurses would prefer additional staff to be available in order to support successful implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention within their practices. They rated this strategy as the most helpful from a list of strategies provided by the interviewers. The results of this preliminary analysis pointed to the importance of professionals trained in the delivery of brief interventions as a necessary adjunct to the optimal provision of drug treatment in general practice. This finding supports the evidence showing that implementation of evidence based interventions to vulnerable populations attending primary care needs to be preceded by identification of potential obstacles at the implementation onset. Further implications of our findings for clinical practice and policy planning will be discussed in the presentation.199 - PublicationCommunity first responders for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (Protocol)(Wiley, 2017-08-25)
; ; ; ; ; ; This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the impact of mobilizing community first responders (CFRs) to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest events in the community.164Scopus© Citations 17 - PublicationThe management of problem alcohol use among drug users in primary care : exploring patients’ experience of screening and treatment(2012-03-09)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; Problem alcohol use is common among drug using patients who attend GPs in Ireland (35%) and other European countries. It is associated with adverse health outcomes including physical, psychological and social implications. These include various forms of liver disease exacerbated by the high prevalence of Hepatitis C among IDUs (62-81% in Ireland), fatal/non-fatal opiate overdose, mood anxiety, personality disorders, poor emotional health and wellbeing, early cessation of drug treatment, poor treatment outcomes and an increase in anti-social behaviour. Evidence has demonstrated the role of primary care in screening and treatment for problem alcohol use and the importance of a stepped approach to alcohol treatment. This study examined patients’ experience of being screened and treated for problem alcohol use, the barriers and enablers to addressing these issues and their views on how these therapeutic interventions can be improved.181 - PublicationPrimary care: a key route for distribution of naloxone in the communityHeroin use continues to drive opioid-related overdoses and mortality globally (Degenhardt & Hall, 2012). Not-as-prescribed use of prescription opioids increases the number of victims of this epidemic (Logan, Liu, Paulozzi, Zhang, & Jones, 2013). Naloxone has been shown to reduce mortality in overdose among people who use heroin and other opioids; however, its administration in a number of countries, including Ireland, is limited to paramedics and health professionals (Bury, 2015), despite proven effectiveness of overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programmes by trained lay-people worldwide (McAuley, Aucott, & Matheson, 2015). The effectiveness of these programmes has been demonstrated around outcomes such as knowledge, skills, attitudes and reduced overdose deaths (Coffin & Sullivan, 2013), and involved groups including social workers and needle-exchange staff as well as family and friends of people who use opioids (Walley et al., 2013). While recent systematic reviews have demonstrated the efficacy and feasibility of training diverse groups in OEND (Behar, Santos, Wheeler, Rowe, & Coffin, 2015), the potential and capacity of general practice (GP), to contribute in this area have not been fully characterised (Nielsen & Van Hout, 2016). A naloxone demonstration project is underway in Ireland at the moment and aims to reduce Ireland’s high number of opioid-related deaths (Department of Health, 2015).
342Scopus© Citations 4 - PublicationDevelopment and process evaluation of an educational intervention for overdose prevention and naloxone distribution by general practice traineesBackground: Overdose is the most common cause of fatalities among opioid users. Naloxone is a life-saving medication for reversing opioid overdose. In Ireland, it is currently available to ambulance and emergency care services, but General Practitioners (GP) are in regular contact with opioid users and their families. This positions them to provide naloxone themselves or to instruct patients how to use it. The new Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Pre-hospital Emergency Care Council of Ireland allows trained bystanders to administer intranasal naloxone. We describe the development and process evaluation of an educational intervention, designed to help GP trainees identify and manage opioid overdose with intranasal naloxone. Methods: Participants (N = 23) from one postgraduate training scheme in Ireland participated in a one-hour training session. The repeated-measures design, using the validated Opioid Overdose Knowledge (OOKS) and Attitudes (OOAS) Scales, examined changes immediately after training. Acceptability and satisfaction with training were measured with a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Knowledge of the risks of overdose and appropriate actions to be taken increased significantly post-training [OOKS mean difference, 3.52 (standard deviation 4.45); P < 0.001]; attitudes improved too [OOAS mean difference, 11.13 (SD 6.38); P < 0.001]. The most and least useful delivery methods were simulation and video, respectively. Conclusion: Appropriate training is a key requirement for the distribution of naloxone through general practice. In future studies, the knowledge from this pilot will be used to inform a train-the-trainer model, whereby healthcare professionals and other front-line service providers will be trained to instruct opioid users and their families in overdose prevention and naloxone use.
336Scopus© Citations 14