Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Adolescent girls less successful than boys in quitting methamphetamine in UCLA pilot research study

A new UCLA study of adolescents receiving treatment for methamphetamine dependence found that girls used more methamphetamine during treatment than boys, suggesting that new approaches to treating methamphetamine abuse among adolescent girls are needed. The study was done by the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine and Behavioral Health Services, Incorporated, a community-based substance abuse treatment program. Results were published in the April edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Nineteen adolescents with methamphetamine abuse or dependence receiving counseling at Behavioral Health Services adolescent substance abuse treatment programs received treatment with the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin®) or placebo pills. The pilot study was not designed to provide final conclusions regarding use of bupropion in adolescents with methamphetamine abuse, although adolescents receiving bupropion provided fewer methamphetamine-free urine drug tests during treatment than adolescents receiving placebo. Additional studies are needed to determine whether bupropion is effective for treating adolescent methamphetamine abuse. Researchers also compared treatment outcomes in boys versus girls and found that boys provided over twice as many methamphetamine-free urine drug tests during treatment than girls.

Dr. Keith Heinzerling of the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine and the UCLA Department of Family Medicine, principal investigator for the study, commented that “the greater severity of methamphetamine problems in adolescent girls compared to boys in our pilot study combined with results of studies in adults that also found women to be more susceptible to methamphetamine than men suggests that the gender differences in methamphetamine addiction observed in adults may actually begin in adolescence.” Dr. Heinzerling suggested that research to develop new interventions to improve outcomes of treatment for methamphetamine addiction in adolescent girls is needed.

The study was a collaboration between UCLA and Behavioral Health Services adolescent substance abuse treatment programs in the Lincoln Heights and Boyle Heights neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Mr. Henry van Oudheusden, President & Chief Executive Officer of Behavioral Health Services, Incorporated stated that “it is always a pleasure to partner with UCLA researchers on work to insure that we can provide the highest quality substance abuse treatment services to the community.” Dr Heinzerling of UCLA agreed that “partnerships between researchers and communities are critical to insuring that research is translated into improvements in the health of real people.”

The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00994448).

The UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine aims to advance the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses, especially in communities with healthcare disparities. This includes internationally recognized research to advance the science behind Addiction Medicine in order to develop safer and more effective treatments for addiction. Treatment for methamphetamine addiction is available through the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine at our clinics in Santa Monica and Hollywood.

The UCLA Department of Family Medicine provides comprehensive primary care to entire families, from newborns to seniors. It provides low-risk obstetrical services and prenatal and inpatient care at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and outpatient care at the University Family Health Center in Santa Monica and the Mid-Valley Family Health Center, located in a Los Angeles County Health Center in Van Nuys, Calif. The department is also a leader in family medicine education, for both medical students and residents, and houses a significant research unit focusing on health care disparities among immigrant families and minority communities and other underserved populations in Los Angeles and California.

Behavioral Health Services, Incorporated is a not-for-profit community-based healthcare organization providing substance abuse, mental health, drug-free transitional living, older adult services, HIV/AIDS education and prevention, and other related health services to the residents of Southern California. 


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Monday, April 01, 2013

SMART Recovery Thursdays 5-6P!!!

Just in case you've forgotten, we have SMART recovery meetings at our clinic on Thursdays from 5P to 6P!  Call us for more details!  1 866 449 UCLA. Be the change you want to see! Stay safe.


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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Are you interested in participating in a clinical trial?
















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Monday, February 11, 2013

Check out this great video about our services!

Follow the link below to an video of our staff and some information about our services as created by the Hollywood Patch. If something sounds interesting to you, send us an email or give us a call!  866 449 8252.      Click HERE to see the video!

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Wednesday, January 02, 2013

From the LA Times - the role of Twitter in medical research

The doctor's in, on Twitter

For doctors, social media is a tool for research and teaching people about healthful habits. For patients, it's an avenue for sharing doctors, facilities and advice.


Twitter.
A popular online social network? Yes. A vital tool for medical research? Maybe. "Until now, healthcare providers have primarily used online networks as a promotional tool," says Lee Aase, director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. "We think they can be much more."

 

Read the whole article at the LA Times by clicking here!


Happy New Year!  Be safe, be sane, make a change!

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