Displaying publications 41 - 53 of 53 in total

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  1. Bailey W, Truong L
    J Southeast Asian Stud, 2001;32(2):173-93.
    PMID: 19192502
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs/economics; Street Drugs/history
  2. McKetin R, Kozel N, Douglas J, Ali R, Vicknasingam B, Lund J, et al.
    Drug Alcohol Rev, 2008 May;27(3):220-8.
    PMID: 18368602 DOI: 10.1080/09595230801923710
    Southeast and East Asia has become a global hub for methamphetamine production and trafficking over the past decade. This paper describes the rise of methamphetamine supply and to what extent use of the drug is occurring in the region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs/adverse effects
  3. Tan RKJ, Wong CM, Chen MI, Chan YY, Bin Ibrahim MA, Lim OZ, et al.
    Int J Drug Policy, 2018 11;61:31-37.
    PMID: 30388567 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.10.002
    BACKGROUND: Sexualised substance use, or 'chemsex' has been shown to be a major factor driving the syndemic of HIV/AIDS in communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) around the world. However, there is a paucity of research on chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore due to punitive drug laws and the criminalisation of sexual behaviour between men. This qualitative descriptive study is the first to explore perceptions towards, motivators to engaging in, and the barriers to addressing the harms associated with chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore.

    METHODS: We conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews with self-identifying GBMSM between the ages of 18-39 in Singapore following a purposive sampling strategy. Interview topics included participants' perceptions of drug use among GBMSM in Singapore, perceptions towards chemsex, reasons for drug use and chemsex, and recommendations to address the harms associated with chemsex in Singapore. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analysed using thematic analysis.

    RESULTS: Participants reported that it was common to encounter chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore as it could be easily accessed or initiated using social networking phone apps. Enhancement and prolongation of sexual experiences, fear of rejection from sexual partners and peers, and its use as a means of coping with societal rejection were three main reasons cited for engaging in chemsex. The impact of punitive drug laws on disclosure and stigmatisation of GBMSM who use drugs were reported to be key barriers towards addressing chemsex. Participants suggested using gay-specific commercial venues as avenues for awareness and educational campaigns, and social media to reach out to younger GBMSM.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the complexities behind chemsex use among GBMSM in Singapore, and the range of individual to institutional factors to be addressed. We recommend that community-based organisations and policy-makers find ways to destigmatise discussion of chemsex and provide safe spaces to seek help for drug use.

    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs*
  4. Mohd Salleh NA, Van Draanen J, Nosova E, Barrios R, Milloy MJ, Richardson L
    AIDS, 2020 06 01;34(7):1037-1045.
    PMID: 32073444 DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002501
    OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between poverty, operationalized using a novel material security measure, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) in a context of universal access to HIV care.

    DESIGN: We analyzed data from a community-recruited prospective cohort in Vancouver, Canada (n = 623), from 2014 to 2017.

    METHODS: We used multivariable generalized mixed-effects analyses to estimate longitudinal factors associated with mean material security score. We then estimated the association between achieving at least 95% adherence to ART and overall mean material score, as well as mean score for three factors derived from a factor analysis. The three-factor structure, employed in the current analyses, were factor 1 (basic needs); factor 2 (housing-related variables) and factor 3 (economic resources).

    RESULTS: Recent incarceration [β-coefficient (β) = -0.176, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -0.288 to -0.063], unmet health needs [β = -0.110, 95% CI: -0.178 to -0.042), unmet social service needs (β = -0.264, 95% CI: -0.336 to -0.193) and having access to social services (β= -0.102, 95% CI: -0.1586 to -0.0465) were among the factors associated with lower material security scores. Contrary to expectations that low levels of material security in this population would lead to poor ART adherence, we did not observe a significant relationship between adherence and overall material security score, or for each factor individually.

    CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potentially important role of no-cost, universal access to HIV prevention and treatment, in mitigating the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on ART adherence.

    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs/adverse effects*
  5. Yusoff F, Sahril N, Rasidi NM, Zaki NA, Muhamad N, Ahmad N
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):100S-7S.
    PMID: 25038195 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514542425
    Illicit drug use among adolescents has become a public health issue in Malaysia. This study was from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) and aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with illicit drug use among school-going adolescents in Malaysia. A 2-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used and data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 25 507 students participated in the study. The prevalence of adolescents who ever used illicit drugs was 1.7%. Adolescents who ever used illicit drugs were associated with current smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.99; 95% CI = 5.19, 9.40), current alcohol use (aOR = 4.63; 95% CI = 3.43, 6.26), ever having sex (aOR = 4.76; 95% CI = 3.54, 6.41), truancy (aOR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.90), lack of peer support (aOR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.07, 2.03), and lack of parental monitoring (aOR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.22, 2.39). Public health intervention should be addressed to prevent illicit drug used among adolescents.
    Study name: Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs*
  6. Saref A, Suraya S, Singh D, Grundmann O, Narayanan S, Swogger MT, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2019 Jun 28;238:111876.
    PMID: 31014959 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.111876
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) is a traditional medicinal plant widely used in Southeast Asia for its opioid-like effects. Although kratom produces analgesia through binding of mitragynine and other alkaloids at the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), the association of long-term kratom use with adverse opioid-like effects remains unknown.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine the self-reported prevalence and severity of opioid-related adverse effects after kratom initiation in a cohort of illicit opioid users.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 163 illicit opioid users with current kratom use history were recruited through convenience sampling from the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire.

    RESULTS: Respondents were all males, majority Malays (94%, n = 154/163), with a mean age of 37.10 years (SD = 10.9). Most were single (65%, n = 106/163), had 11 years of education (52%, n = 85/163) and employed (88%, n = 144/163). Half reported using kratom for over >6 years (50%, n = 81/163), and 41% consumed >3 glasses of kratom daily (n = 67/163). Results from Chi-square analysis showed kratom initiation was associated with decreased prevalence of respiratory depression, constipation, physical pain, insomnia, depression, loss of appetite, craving, decreased sexual performance, weight loss and fatigue.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that kratom initiation (approximately 214.29 mg of mitragynine) was associated with significant decreases in the prevalence and severity of opioid adverse effects.

    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
  7. Mustafa KB, Ibrahim Nb, Noraziana AW, Ayu AS, Suhaiza A, Awang M
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: To describe the sociodemographic profile, contraceptive practice, and awareness of HIV infection among unmarried post partum women in the biggest government hospital in Pahang.
    Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire-proforma-based study was conducted for one year duration from August 2010 until July 2011 by identifying and recruiting all the unmarried women upon admission for delivery. Basic information were obtained from the use of patients’ case notes, and further related and necessary information were obtained from a direct face-to-face interview based on a proforma.
    Results: A total of 121 unmarried women were identified and recruited. The age ranged from 13 to 36 years with a mean age of 21.6 years. 31.4% were teenagers. Only 16% of patients have tertiary education, and 2.5% never had any formal education. About one third of the women were smokers or ex-smokers, 7.5% had consumed alcohol, but none denied ever use of any recreational drugs. Almost 9% has prior history of being sexually assaulted. About three quarter of the women never used any contraceptive method. Majority of the patients (85.1%) were aware of HIV transmission risk; 75% never had any antenatal checkup or booked at late gestation (> 20 weeks); and 45.8% were not aware of any support groups for single mothers. Conclusion: Single unmarried women are associated with disadvantaged sociodemographic profile.
    Contraceptive practice was also very low despite significant awareness towards risk of HIV infection. Further follow up, support and care should be offered to these women.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
  8. Liew HC, Noor Illiati I, Yii RSL, Siti Nadzrah Y, Moy FM
    JUMMEC, 2011;14(2):1-8.
    MyJurnal
    INTRODUCTION: Health-risky behaviours among undergraduates are a course of concern both due to its tendency to be carried towards later adulthood and the emergence of non-communicable diseases at younger age group.
    METHODS AND MATERIAL: A cross-sectional study involving 1622 respondents comprising of students undertaking tertiary education was carried out using self-administered questionnaires. (adapted and translated into Bahasa Malaysia from the CDC Health Risk Behaviour Survey)
    RESULTS: It is found that 6.9% of the respondents have had sexual intercourse with the mean age of the first intercourse at 18.6 years. Of those who have had intercourse, 25.9% did not practice safe sex. The study showed that 7.2% of the undergraduates who drives have driven after taking alcohol and 19.3% of the respondents have travelled in a car driven by drunk driver. It is also found that 10.8% of the respondents tried smoking at a young age of 15 years. One point two percent (1.2%) of the studied population has also taken recreational drugs previously.
    CONCLUSION: Health risk behaviours among undergraduates in Malaysia are presently existing issues which poses serious concerns.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
  9. Durairajanayagam D
    Arab J Urol, 2018 Mar;16(1):10-20.
    PMID: 29713532 DOI: 10.1016/j.aju.2017.12.004
    Objective: To examine the potential effects of lifestyle factors on male reproductive health. Evidence of a global decline in human sperm quality over recent decades has been accumulating. Environmental, occupational, and modifiable lifestyle factors may contribute to this decline. This review focuses on key lifestyle factors that are associated with male infertility such as smoking cigarettes, alcohol intake, use of illicit drugs, obesity, psychological stress, advanced paternal age, dietary practices, and coffee consumption. Other factors such as testicular heat stress, intense cycling training, lack of sleep and exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone use are briefly discussed.

    Materials and method: A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify and synthesise all relevant information, mainly from within the last decade, on the major lifestyle factors associated with male infertility and semen quality. Database searches were limited to reports published in English only. A manual search of bibliographies of the reports retrieved was conducted to identify additional relevant articles.

    Results: In all, 1012 articles were identified from the database search and after reviewing the titles and abstract of the reports, 104 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 30 reports were excluded as the full-text could not be retrieved and the abstract did not have relevant data. The remaining 74 reports were reviewed for data on association between a particular lifestyle factor and male infertility and were included in the present review.

    Conclusion: The major lifestyle factors discussed in the present review are amongst the multiple potential risk factors that could impair male fertility. However, their negative impact may well be mostly overcome by behaviour modification and better lifestyle choices. Greater awareness and recognition of the possible impact of these lifestyle factors are important amongst couples seeking conception.

    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
  10. Chawarski MC, Vicknasingam B, Mazlan M, Schottenfeld RS
    Drug Alcohol Depend, 2012 Jul 1;124(1-2):177-80.
    PMID: 22266088 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.024
    Malaysia has been experiencing significant drug abuse problems since the 1970s, and drug abuse is the major driver of HIV transmission in Malaysia. We investigated risk factors for HIV associated with use of amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) among not-in-treatment opiate injectors in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs*
  11. Reid G, Kamarulzaman A, Sran SK
    Int J Drug Policy, 2007 Mar;18(2):136-40.
    PMID: 17689356
    In Malaysia the response to illicit drug use has been largely punitive with the current goal of the Malaysian government being to achieve a drug-free society by 2015. This paper outlines the results of a desk-based situation assessment conducted over a 3-week period in 2004. Additional events, examined in 2005, were also included to describe more recent policy developments and examine how these came about. Despite punitive drug policy there has been a substantial rise in the number of drug users in the country. Over two-thirds of HIV/AIDS cases are among injecting drug users (IDUs) and there has been an exponential rise in the number of cases reported. Further, data suggest high risk drug use practices are widespread. Harm reduction initiatives have only recently been introduced in Malaysia. The successful piloting of substitution therapies, in particular methadone and buprenorphine, is cause for genuine hope for the rapid development of such interventions. In 2005 the government announced it will allow methadone maintenance programmes to operate beyond the pilot phase and needle and syringe exchange programmes will be established to serve the needs of IDUs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs/legislation & jurisprudence*
  12. Mojgan, N., Sharifah Zainiyah, S.Y., Munn Sann, L., Zalilah, M.S.
    MyJurnal
    The relationship between zinc and infant birth weight is still contradictory and up until today there is still no research on this issue done in Iran. This unmatched case control study to evaluate the association between plasma cord blood zinc and infant birth weight at the time of delivery was carried out in the labor ward, Fatemieh Hospital, Hamadan, Iran from the 6 th December 2009 to 18 October 2010. Plasma venous cord blood zinc was measured by AtomicAbsorption Spectro-photometry (AAS) and the weight of 134 Low Birth Weight (LBW) infants (cases) and 134 normal
    weight infants (control) were measured at the time of delivery. All mothers with history of chronic diseases, obstetric complications, anemia, twin pregnancy, smoking, using illicit drugs, and alcohol and infants with any obvious anomalies were excluded from this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Logistic regression was used to assess the contribution of other risk factors on infant birth weight. The result showed there was significant relationship between infant birth weight and plasma cord blood zinc. The risk of having LBW infant is more than 12 times in mothers who have severe zinc deficiency (OR=12.234,CI 95% 1.122, 133.392, p-value= 0.040). Also in mothers
    who have mild to moderate zinc deficiency the risk of having LBW was more than one (OR=1.148, CI 95% 0.358, 3.900, p-value= 0.797). A significant relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) (p< 0.002), maternal weight gain during pregnancy (p< 0.021), previous LBW (p< 0.016), maternal age (p< 0.034) and parity (p< 0.004) with infant birth weight were also found. Logistic regression showed that zinc deficiency along with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, previous LBW, maternal age and parity were predictors
    for infant birth weight.
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
  13. Peltzer K, Pengpid S
    Cent Asian J Glob Health, 2017;6(1):288.
    PMID: 30881756 DOI: 10.5195/cajgh.2017.288
    Introduction: There has been a global increase in illicit drug use among young people. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of lifetime cannabis and amphetamine use, as well as to explore factors associated with substance use among adolescents in five Asian countries: Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Vietnam.
    Methods: 38,941 school children (mean age 15.4 years, SD=1.5) completed the cross-sectional Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Topics covered in the questionnaire included cannabis and amphetamine use. Personal, parental, and environmental attributes were explored as predictors of cannabis and amphetamine use. Logistic regression was used to assess the contribution of potential predictors on lifetime cannabis and lifetime amphetamine use.
    Results: Overall, the prevalence of lifetime cannabis use was 0.9% and lifetime amphetamine use was 1.0% among research participants. Cannabis use was influenced by male gender (Kuwait, Mongolia), parental smoking habits (Kuwait, Iraq), and current cigarette smoking in all countries. Amphetamine use was associated with suicidal ideation (Kuwait, Malaysia, Vietnam), school truancy (Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam), being a victim of physical assault (Kuwait, Mongolia), bullying victimization (Iraq, Malaysia, Vietnam), as well as anxiety and current cigarette use in all countries.
    Conclusions: Our preliminary results show the importance of personal attributes such as mental distress and environmental stressors on lifetime cannabis and lifetime amphetamine use. Future prospective studies are needed to identify causal relationships among personal attributes, parental attributes, environmental stressors, and illicit substance use.
    Study name: Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)
    Matched MeSH terms: Street Drugs
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