While it is understood that problematic alcohol use (PAU) and anxiety disorders (ANX) often co-occur, suggesting some type of shared genetic and neurobiological foundations, the directionality of potential causal relationships and the specific mechanisms have remained unclear.
Binge Drinking Declined in Some Veterans, While Heavy Drinking Increased in Midlife Veterans, Study Finds
Binge drinking declined from 2016 to 2024 in younger and older age groups among U.S. veterans, but, at the same time, heavy drinking increased significantly in midlife veterans, according to a recent study.
Concerns Raised Over New Limitations for SAMHSA Grants; Federal Group Also Has Faced Severe Staff Cuts
New limitations on how Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grant can be used has sparked confusion and concern, as has a campaign by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. urging providers to limit psychiatric medications which have been proven effective in combatting depression and preventing suicide.
Social Determinants of Health and 1-Year Buprenorphine Initiation Among Justice-Involved Veterans
Justice-involved veterans (JIVs), with incarceration history or other legal involvement, tend to have high rates of high opioid-use disorder (OUD) but low uptake of medications for OUD (MOUD).
Does Gabapentin or Pregabalin Work Better for Reducing Alcohol Use?
Gabapentin and pregabalin potentially could be useful for treating alcohol-use disorder (AUD), according to a recent study, but their comparative effectiveness in reducing alcohol consumption in real-world settings is unclear.
Combining Genetics, EHR Helps Identify Repurposed Drug for Alcohol-Use Disorder
A new study integrates genetic and electronic health record (EHR) data to help identify and evaluate drugs that can be repurposed to treat alcohol-use disorder (AUD).
Gambling Issue Linked to Other Adverse Behavioral Health Outcomes in Military
Although gambling screening in the U.S. military was mandated in 2019, few studies have assessed the prevalence of experiencing gambling problems or its association with adverse behavioral health concerns.
More Access to Smoking Cessation Needed for Veterans With HIV
Prevalence of cigarette smoking, which remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, is dangerously high in at-risk groups, including people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Veterans Often Face Longterm Opioid Risks After Cancer Surgery
For many veterans, surgery to treat early-stage cancer marks the beginning of recovery. Yet, for some, it also brings an unexpected challenge: lingering opioid use long after the procedure is over.
Smoke ’Em If You Got ’Em: Veterans Continue to Use Tobacco More Than Broader Community
In the World War II era, servicemembers being urged to take a break would be told by their superiors, “Smoke ’em if you got ’em.” That’s how widespread use of cigarettes was among the military.
Inhaled Cannabis Linked to Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Inhaled cannabis is associated with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), indicating that cannabis could be a modifiable risk factor for these medical conditions, according to a recent study.
Low-Frequency Cannabis Use No Problem for Senior Cognition
How does recent cannabis use affect neuropsychological functioning in adults 65 and older?
Women, Minority Veterans Are at Highest Risk of Opioid Overdose Deaths
From 2010-2019, the risk of death from opioid overdoses increased 61.2% in male veterans but not female veterans, according to a recent study.
Substance Abuse Therapy Makes Veterans Less Likely to Stop Buprenorphine Treatment
Veterans who receive psychosocial services, specifically for substance use, are less likely to stop taking buprenorphine, a medication for opioid-use disorder that is effective in reducing opioid use, according to a recent study.
Not Enough Smoking-Cessation Efforts in MS Patients
Much has been written about how cigarette smoking, a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, disproportionately affects veterans.
Military Sexual Trauma Linked to Increased Suicide and Overdose Risk in Older Veterans
Military sexual trauma (MST) is linked to a substantially higher risk of suicide, suicide attempts and drug overdose mortality, according to a new study.
Veterans Hospitalized for Substance-Use Disorder at High Mortality Risk After Discharge
Past research has revealed that patients who are hospitalized for substance-use disorders appear to have an elevated risk of death, but little information was available on when and why.
Women Veterans With Substance Abuse More Likely to Die by Suicide
Among U.S. military veterans with addiction diagnoses, women are more likely to die by suicide than men and at younger ages, according to a new study.
Greater TBI Severity Linked to Higher Risk of Alcohol-Use Disorder
U.S. military veterans with traumatic brain injuries were more likely to develop alcohol-use disorder (AUD) and experience increased mortality, even after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.
VA Study Underscores the Urgent Need for Clear Guidelines on Treating Chronic Pain
A new VA-led study underscored the urgent need for clear guidelines on how best to treat chronic pain, especially when it comes to prescribing opioid pain medications.
Opioid-Use Disorder Prevalence Declined Since 2017, Especially in Black, Hispanic and Younger Veterans
After peaking at 1.16% in 2017, the prevalence of opioid-use disorder (OUD) among VHA patients declined steadily and was 0.97% in 2022, the most recent date for which data is available.
Psychotherapy Beneficial When Veterans With PTSD Have a SUD
Is it beneficial for VA to provide evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and co-occurring substance use disorder?
Changing DoD Drug Policy Could Open Enlistment for Psoriasis, Eczema Patients
Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are disqualifying for entrance into the military. Both of the chronic, immune-mediated skin disorders can create difficulties wearing body armor and other protective equipment when poorly controlled, limiting a servicemember’s ability to train and deploy worldwide.
Buprenorphine for Post-Surgical Pain, OK for Opioid-Use Disorder Patients
Opioid-use disorder (OUD) has been referred to as a battle that takes more lives every year than the Vietnam or Korean wars.
Misclassification Affects Estimates of Opioid-Use Disorder Medications
Is misclassification of people who inject drugs (PWID) and are hospitalized because of infections affecting the analysis of outcomes from medications for opioid-use disorder (MOUD?
Long-Acting Benzodiazepines Best for Alcohol Withdrawal in Veterans
An extensive study of VA patients concluded that the best way to manage alcohol withdrawal in hospitalized settings is the use of long-acting benzodiazepines with symptom-triggered therapy, as recommended in American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) guidelines.
Study: Racism Contributes to Low OUD Prescribing in MHS
Rates of prescribing for medication for opioid-use disorder (MOUD) are low in the MHS and show evidence of institutional racism, according to a new study.
Cannabis-Use Disorder Riskier in Veterans With Mental Health Conditions
Veterans with psychiatric disorders, especially those with serious mental health issues, are especially vulnerable to cannabis-use disorder, according to a new study warning of an increase in the condition.
Homeless Veterans More Likely to Receive Risky Benzodiazepine Prescriptions
Despite an elevated risk of mental illness and substance use disorder in most homeless populations, a scarcity of research exists on the use of psychiatric medications and understanding of prescribing practices among providers for these populations.
HIV Often Comorbid With Substance-Use Disorder Within VHA
HIV prevalence, which was elevated in all substance-use disorder patients at the VHA, was highest among veterans with alcohol- and opioid-use disorders (AUD/OUD), with disparities by race/ethnicity and age, according to a new study.
