Exploring the effectiveness of methadone treatment from the perspective of drug users and their families: a qualitative study in Iran

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) from the perspective of drug users and their families. For this qualitative content analysis study, 15 participants were selected via purposive sampling. Data collection was done using deep and semi-structured interviews, which were then analyzed. The results showed that MMT can bring favorable impacts into the patients’ lives and help them with the process of treatment and rehabilitation despite the medical side effects.     

Using a community-created multisite evaluation to promote evaluation use across a sector

Multisite evaluation has been cited as a strategy for building knowledge about a program's success and enhancing evaluation capacity and evaluation use. Even so, the extent to which data from these efforts are made available to individual project participants varies. This article describes a community-created multisite evaluation that was designed to overcome this limitation. Based on the negotiated centralized evaluation model and implemented within the context of a community of practice, the EvalFest community-created multisite evaluation has used shared measures to collect data from 30,000 participants from partner sites across the community over three years. This article describes the design characteristics of the community-created multisite approach, and presents results related to partners’ evaluation use that demonstrate the early success of this method. We conclude by considering how this strategy might be applied to other sectors.     

Patterns of alcohol use and marijuana use among students at 2- and 4-year institutions

Objective: The objective of this study was to understand substance use patterns of alcohol, marijuana, and simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use among 2- and 4-year college students. Participants: Participants were 526 young adults aged 18–23 (n?=?355 4-year students; n?=?171 2-year students) recruited from February 2015 to January 2016 who were participating in a larger longitudinal study. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify past-month classes of alcohol, marijuana, and SAM use. Results: Among both 2- and 4-year students, a four-class solution yielded the best-fitting model, with 2-year classes tending to include greater marijuana use and less alcohol use and 4-year classes tending to include heavy alcohol use. Demographic characteristics were largely similar across classes. Conclusions: Classes of alcohol, marijuana, and SAM use differed by education status. Screening and prevention efforts for 4-year students may need to be tailored for the needs of 2-year students.     

Comparison on predictors of mental health service use among Asian older adults

Studies have mostly examined mental health service use of older Asian immigrant combining all Asian Americans into one group whereas immigration backgrounds and socioeconomic status of each Asian minority group are different. Therefore, this study aimed to identify predictors of mental health service use within specific ethnic groups among older Asian adults focusing on Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese in California. The Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP) is used to guide the secondary data analysis of a sample of 3,453 older Asian immigrants from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Logistic and linear regression analyses are performed to examine predictors of mental health service use and the frequency of mental health service use, respectively. As results, mental health‐seeking patterns differ by ethnicity within the older Asian immigrant sample, not being married (Korean), higher levels of acculturation (Filipino), lower levels of neighborhood cohesion (Korean and Vietnamese), higher levels of perceived safety (Korean) and lower levels of perceived safety (Vietnamese), higher levels of mental distress (Korean and Filipino), and having perceived need (all) were related to more visits for mental health services. The study findings highlight the necessity of cultural competency services and programs for each Asian ethnicity.     

Purpose and life satisfaction during adolescence: the role of meaning in life,social support,and problematic digital use

This study examined the characteristics of youth with different types of purpose in life, as well as the associations between adolescents’ life satisfaction, purpose in life, meaning in life, social support, and problematic digital use. The sample included 193 participants aged 14–18 who completed self-report questionnaires on life satisfaction, purpose in life, meaning in life, social support, and problematic digital use. The following purpose in life clusters were found: (1) other-oriented goals (n?=?33); (2) self-oriented goals (n?=?42); and (3) both other- and self-oriented goals (n?=?107). Adolescents with both self- and other-oriented goals had significantly higher life satisfaction, meaning in life, and social support compared to the other groups. Meaning in life and greater support from parents and teachers were significantly associated with greater life satisfaction. In addition, having other-oriented goals was associated with lower life satisfaction. Finally, support from parents (p?=?0.05) mediated the association between problematic digital use and life satisfaction. Findings are discussed in light of previous research and the theoretical and practical implications are examined.     

Sexual Health Services for Homeless Youth: A Qualitative Analysis of their Experiences

The sexual health problems experienced by homeless youth bring into question their use of available sexual health services. Using a qualitative typological analysis, this study aims to identify sexual health services utilization profiles for homeless youth, and to understand the role of the homeless experience on the utilization of sexual health services. Individual interviews were conducted with 33 homeless youth (17 men, 16 women) between 18 and 25?years of age. Typological analysis identified four profiles: (1) a targeted use of sexual health services to determine one’s serological status following a relational change during the homeless experience; (2) a limited use of sexual health services to manage sexual emergencies that arise during the homeless experience; (3) a regular use of sexual health services to avoid the risks associated with the homeless experience; (4) a frequent use of sexual health services to obtain support when engaging in prostitution during the homeless experience. This study shows that the precarious and unstable conditions within the homeless experience incite youth to utilize sexual health services in different ways. These findings point to the importance of rethinking sexual health services to better adapt them to the different utilization profiles of homeless youth.     

论档案价值与档案价值实现

依据档案价值的特性及档案价值实现的规律,对档案价值与档案价值的实现进行了思考。人们只有对档案价值的客观性、潜在性、多元性及其具体表现形式有了深刻的了解,才能切实做好档案利用工作,最大限度地开发和利用档案资源,充分发挥档案的价值。     

犯罪标签与我国刑事法治

犯罪标签理论是西方犯罪学中重要的学说之一。它认为 ,人的行为并不取决于行为的内在性质 ,而是取决于社会解释方式 ,即社会将这些行为称作什么以及由这些称呼所包含的社会意义和社会、个体对这种称谓的反应。个人犯罪就是社会对行为人贴上了标签的结果。这一理论有其自身的合理性和不足之处。基于该理论思考我国的刑事法治建设 ,做到洋为中用 ,期望对我国刑事法学和刑事司法实践有所裨益。     

中外网络环境下著作权限制制度的比较及启示

网络技术的应用带来了著作权人权利范围的扩张,从而破坏了权利人与公众之间的利益平衡,激化了权利人与使用者的矛盾。目前,我国还没有关于网络环境下著作权权利限制方面的明确立法,而网络环境下著作权的纠纷却层出不穷,给司法实践中的具体操作带来了困难。通过对国外相关的立法经验和国际条约的规定进行分析和比较,可得出有益的启示,应从权能限制即合理使用和法定许可这两个方面来构建我国网络环境下著作权的权利限制。     

中国城市建设用地集约利用水平差异的影响因素分析

将全国268 个地级城市建设用地集约利用的水平划分为低效、集约、挖潜三类,选取指标并利用因子分析和多元逻辑回归方法探索出了影响城市建设用地集约利用水平差异的关键因素.结果表明：城市建设投资水平是提高集约用地水平的关键,土地利用集约度高的城市有着更高的基础设施建设投资强度;而在实现挖潜用地时,则需要将发展重点放在提高交通的便利性上,警惕可能出现的由城市空间结构和用地模式对交通便利性产生的负面效应.