US Children Living With a Parent With Substance Use Disorder

This research letter, using 2023 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, estimates that nearly 19 million US children (approximately 1 in 4) live in households with at least one parent or primary caregiver who meets the DSM-5 criteria for a substance use disorder. Of these children, over 7.6 million live with a parent with a moderate or severe SUD, and more than 3.4 million live with a parent with multiple SUDs. Furthermore, the research letter highlights that over 6.1 million children live with a parent who has a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness. The most common parental SUD involves alcohol. The authors emphasize that these children are at a higher risk for adverse health outcomes, underscoring the need for increased attention and evidence-based, family-focused treatment interventions at various levels.

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Prevalence and Risk Factors for Opioid Overdose Among Women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis, encompassing 123 studies, examined opioid overdoses among women. The analysis found that women accounted for 30% of fatal opioid overdoses and 43% of non-fatal overdoses. However, the proportion and rates of overdoses in women varied significantly across different groups, overdose types and opioid types. Notably, women had higher overdose rates in cases of intentional self-harm, repeated overdoses and within community correction populations compared to men. The study identified several risk factors associated with increased opioid overdose risk in women, including older age, belonging to racial minority groups, having mental health disorders, specific marital statuses and experiencing economic disadvantage. The authors concluded that while opioid overdose is generally less prevalent in women than men, certain subpopulations of women are at higher risk and could benefit from tailored interventions.

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Varenicline for Youth Nicotine Vaping Cessation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This randomized clinical trial investigated the effectiveness of varenicline, a medication, combined with brief, remote behavioral counseling for nicotine vaping cessation in 261 young people aged 16 to 25 who vaped daily or near daily but did not regularly smoke. The study compared a 12-week regimen of varenicline plus counseling to a placebo plus counseling and an enhanced usual care group (referral to a text messaging cessation program). The key finding was that the varenicline group had significantly higher rates of biochemically verified continuous abstinence from vaping during the last four weeks of treatment (51%) compared to the placebo group (14%). This benefit persisted at the 6-month follow-up, with 28% abstinence in the varenicline group versus 7% in the placebo group. The medication was generally well-tolerated, with similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events across the varenicline and placebo groups. The researchers concluded that varenicline, when added to brief counseling, is an efficacious and safe treatment to promote nicotine vaping cessation in this young population.

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