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The effects of the cost of living crisis on families and friends of someone with a substance use problem
The impact of addiction on family finances is multiple.
It is therefore no surprise to find that the cost of living crisis is causing additional difficulty and strain to families affected by substance use, adding further complexity to the...
How have governments communicated UK alcohol duty policy changes?
Pricing, including taxation, is a key tool to address harm from alcohol and is identified by the World Health Organization as a ‘best buy’ policy (meaning it is both effective in reducing harm and cost-effective). However alcohol was 72%...
LGBTQ+ People and Alcohol
This briefing provides a summary of alcohol consumption, alcohol harm, alcohol treatment, and gaps in knowledge regarding alcohol use among LGBTQ+ people.
It uses the acronym LGBTQ+ to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer...
The complexity and challenge of ‘dual diagnosis’
This Drug and Alcohol Finding publication addresses a hot topic which generates heated debate- dual diagnosis.
Whether to focus on mental health problems or substance use problems when the patient exhibits both is a long-standing...
Mental ill health and substance misuse: Dual Diagnosis
This paper has been compiled in response to an MLA request on the complex issue of ‘dual diagnosis’ in the context of service provision. Specifically, the paper provides the following:
- An overview of dual diagnosis.
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Estimated...
Multiple disadvantage and co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions.
Substance use and mental health needs are two of the primary concerns for many people experiencing multiple disadvantage. We know that people who experience both issues at the same time (also known as “co-occurring conditions” or “dual...
Guidance on the Clinical Management of Acute and Chronic Harms of Club Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances
This document provides guidance on the clinical management of harms resulting from acute intoxication and from the harmful and dependent use of club drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
This is an extensive and comprehensive...
From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives
Executive summary
The 10-year UK Government plan to combat illegal drugs sets out how we are doing more than ever to cut off the supply of drugs by criminal gangs and give people with a drug addiction a route to a productive and drug-free...
The role of specialist addiction nurses in alcohol treatment
A recent study has found that embedding specialist Addiction Nurses within general practice teams can help address alcohol problems in deprived areas.
In this blog, the lead author Dr Andrea Mohan examines why the role of the Addiction...
From harm to hope: A ten year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives
Here you can read the UK governments 10-year plan to reduce illegal drug use.
The 10-year plan is also the formal, substantive response to the Independent Reviews of Drugs led by Dame Carol Black and accepts all of her key recommendations...
Alcohol energy (calorie) labelling: Evidence, public support, alternatives, and wider labelling considerations
This briefing synthesises existing evidence on alcohol energy (calorie) labelling, spanning the past five years (2016-2021).
This briefing covers reviews in the academic literature about the impact of alcohol energy labelling, studies and...
Dame Carol Black's Independent Review of drugs part two: prevention, treatment, and recovery
Part 2 of the major independent review by Professor Dame Carol Black into the misuse of illegal drugs in England. Published 8 July 2021
Evaluation of the Drink Wise Age Well Programme
The Drink Wise, Age Well programme was delivered over five years from 2015 to 2020 in five intervention areas across the UK.
The project had 4 objectives:
- To raise awareness of the issue of alcohol misuse among people over 50, change...
Women Affected by Domestic Abuse and Someone Else's Substance Use
Executive Summary
Domestic abuse predominantly affects women, and 35 years of experience supporting families affected by substance use has taught Adfam that women are disproportionately affected by the problematic drug or alcohol use of a...
State of the Sector 2019: Drug and Alcohol Family Support
This report shares the findings from Adfam's State of the Sector Family Support Survey which in 2019 asked 117 practitioners and managers working in family support services in England about current trends, developments, strengths and...
Families, substance use and mental health: Report and Toolkit
Dual diagnosis is the term used to describe people with mental health problems, who also misuse drugs or alcohol.
People affected by dual diagnosis often fall through the cracks of public services, and so do their families. Those cracks...
Families in Lockdown: The Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Family and Friends of Someone with an Alcohol, Drug or Gambling Problem
In April, 241 people coping with a friend or family member’s alcohol, drug or gambling problem responded to an online survey by Adfam which sought to understand how some of their usual daily challenges associated with addiction- fear...
Stepping Up: The Response of Stop Smoking Services in England to the Covid-19 Pandemic
This report, written in partnership with Cancer Research UK, examines the performance of stop smoking services in England during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Points
- The proportion of local authorities commissioning a specialist stop...
Essays on Alcohol-related Harm and Interventions
The Effectiveness Bank features a collection of 45 hot topics – essays written by Drug and Alcohol Findings explaining the background and evidence relating to topics which sometimes prompt heated debate.
They are a popular way to get up to...