Epidemiology of substance use disorders

Abstract

Epidemiological studies of substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs) have provided an abundance of data on the patterns of substance use in nationally representative samples across the world (Degenhardt et al. 2008; Johnston et al. 2011; SAMHSA 2011). This paper presents a summary of the goals, methods and recent findings on the epidemiology of substance use and disorders in the general population of adults and adolescents and describes the methods and findings on the genetic epidemiology of drug use disorders. The high 12 month prevalence rates of substance dependence in U.S. adults (about 12% for alcohol and 2–3% for illicit drugs) approximate those of other mental disorders as well as chronic physical disorders with major public health impact. New findings from the nationally representative samples of U.S. youth reveal that the lifetime prevalence of alcohol use disorders is approximately 8% and illicit drug use disorders is 2–3% (Merikangas et al. 2010; Swendsen et al. in press, SAMSHA, 2011). The striking increase in prevalence rates from ages 13 to 18 highlight adolescence as the key period of development of substance use disorders. The application of genetic epidemiological studies has consistently demonstrated that genetic factors have a major influence on progression of substance use to dependence, whereas environmental factors unique to the individual play an important role in exposure and initial use of substances. Identification of specific susceptibility genes and environmental factors that influence exposure and progression of drug use may enhance our ability to prevent and treat substance use disorders.

Gender differences in the prevalence of DSM-IV alcohol use disorders in adolescents

“…This information is essential for increasing our understanding of their natural history, and would be extremely helpful in the planning of assessment, prevention and intervention initiatives for addressing alcohol-related consequences in adolescence (Harford, Grant, Yi, & Chen, 2005). Furthermore, individuals who develop serious problems with substance use in adolescence are more likely to have these problems persist into adulthood (McKay, Percy, & Cole, 2013;Merikangas & McClair, 2012). Therefore, a better understanding of the factors associated with this early use may help us to identify groups who require prevention strategies for reducing use and related harm (Newton, Havard, & Teesson, 2012;Swendsen et al, 2012).…”

Prospective, Longitudinal Study to Evaluate the Clinical Utility of a Predictive Algorithm to Detect Opioid Use Disorder in Chronic Pain Patients

“…The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that opioid prescriptions increased by 300% in recent years while data from the RADARS (Researched Abuse, Diversion and Addiction-Related Surveillance) System programs show that opioid prescriptions increased from 47 million per quarter in 2006 to 60 million per quarter in 2011 and stayed so until 2013 [4,5]. From 2002 to 2011, an estimated 25 million Americans used opioids for nonmedical purposes [6].…”

Emotion Regulation Problems and Addiction Potential in Iranian Students

“…The 12 month prevalence rates of substance abuse among adults in U.S are 12% for alcohol and 2%-3% for illicit drugs respectively (Merikangas & McClair, 2012). However substance abuse is more in college students; approximately 30% of college students report drug use (Dennhardt & Murphy, 2013).…”