Drugs Research in Scotland, Scoping Review: July 2016

Review of research being undertaken, or recently concluded, on drug use/misuse in Scotland.


Reducing drug death and harm

Theme and sub-theme

Title

Purpose

Methods

Who by

Start date / status

Funding

More info available & contact

Harms

Analytical research on the effectiveness of services to prevent, diagnose and treat BBV in Scotland

Use data collected as part of the Scottish Government's Sexual Health and BBV Framework

Quantitative

Glasgow Caledonian University, Researcher Prof Sharon Hutchinson

Started 2015

Ongoing, completion due 2020

Funded by Health Protection Scotland, 2015-2020

Contact:

Sharon.Hutchinson@gcu.ac.uk

Harms

Needle Exchange Surveillance Initiative ( NESI)

Aims to measure and monitor the prevalence of the Hepatitis C virus and injecting risk behaviours among people who inject drugs in Scotland

Quantitative

UWS / Health Protection Scotland

Started 2008

Ongoing

Scottish Government

Contact:

Avril.Taylor@uws.ac.uk

Sharon.Hutchinson@gcu.ac.uk

David.goldberg2@nhs.net

Harms

Assessing the impact and cost-effectiveness of needle/ syringe provision on Hep C transmission among people who inject drugs

Drug injecting and Hep C

Quantitative analysis of pooled datasets and economic modelling

GCU, Lead Researcher Dr Lucy Platt from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with Prof Sharon Hutchinson

2013

Ongoing, completion due 2016

NIHR

Contact:

Sharon.Hutchinson@gcu.ac.uk

Harms

An exploration of the ethical paradigm and effect of knowledge of Hepatitis C Virus infection status on risk behaviour in injecting drug users, Shetland: a qualitative study

To explore the ethical dimension and effect of knowledge of Hepatitis C Virus status on risk taking behaviour in Injecting (heroin) drug users in the Shetland Islands

Qualitative exploration

NHS Shetland/Aberdeen University, PhD researcher Wendy Hatrick

November 2015

NHS Shetland

Contact:

Wendy.hatrick@nhs.net

Harms

A review and investigation of international responses to street injecting

To conduct a rapid review of international literature on responses to the problems associated with public injecting in other cities around the world

Literature review

McMillan Rome Ltd. Researcher Andrew Rome

Started 03/15 Completed 05/15

Glasgow City Alcohol & Drugs Partnership

Contact:

andrew@mcmillanrome.co.uk

Harms

Leg ulceration in young people who inject drugs

To determine prevalence of leg ulceration within young drug users

Sequential explanatory mixed methods

Stirling University, PhD researcher Alison Coull

Started 2006

Completed 2016

Smith and Nephew Foundation / Stirling University

Coull, A. (2015) The role of intravenous drug use in venous leg ulceration. British Journal of Nursing, Tissue Viability Suppl, 24 November S1.

Coull, A.F. Atherton, I. Taylor, A and Watterson, A.E. (2014) Prevalence of skin problems and leg ulceration in a sample of young injecting drug users. Harm Reduction Journal, 11:22, available at: http://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-7517-11-22

Contact:

alison.coull@stir.ac.uk

Harms

Foil provision and route transition Interventions

Supplying foil to reduce injecting, incidence, prevalence & health related risks

Service evaluation
Patient interviews

Glasgow University, MSc researcher MaryClare Madden

Started 2016

Ongoing

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Addiction Services

Contact:

Maryclare.madden@ggc.scot. nhs.uk

Harms

Understanding the prevalence, motives and harms of New Psychoactive Substance ( NPS) use in Scotland

Increase understanding of NPS use amongst vulnerable groups

Mixed methods- qualitative interviews and survey of NPS users and staff

Scottish Drugs Forum (Katy MacLeod) and Glasgow University (Lucy Pickering/ Maria Gannon)

Started 6/2015

Ongoing, completion due Sept 2016

Scottish Government

Contact:

enquiries@sdf.org.uk

katy@sdf.org.uk

Lucy.Pickering@glasgow.ac.uk

Harms

Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances ( NPS) by inpatients on general psychiatric wards

NPS use mentioned in discharge letters - primary outcome measure

All adult inpatients (18-65) discharged from general psychiatric wards between 1 st July and 31 st December 2014

Cross-sectional survey

NHS Lothian, Jack Stanley, Daniel Mogford, Rebecca Lawrence and Stephen Lawrie

Completed

No specific grant

Available at: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/5/e009430.full.pdf+html (open access)

Contact:

Rebecca.Lawrence@nhslothian. scot.nhs.uk

Harms

Test for change - New Psychoactive Substances

To gather information on NPS use and injecting patterns in Lothian in response to an increase in the injection of ethylphenidate

Survey

NHS Lothian, Researcher Alison Coull Specialist Nurse (Wound Care)

Started 06/15

Completed 11/15

NHS Lothian

Smith, L. Lafferty, C. Coull, A. and Shanley J. (2015) The experience of an increase in the injection of ethyphenidate in Lothian, April 2014 - March 2015. Report to SMD NHS Lothian. May 2015

Lafferty, C. Smith, L. Coull, A. and Shanley J. (2016) The experience of an increase in the injection of ethyphenidate in Lothian, April 2014 - March 2015. Scottish Medical Journal May 16, 2016, available at: http://scm.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/05/12/0036933016649871.full (not open access)

Contact:

alison.coull@stir.ac.uk

Harms

The prevalence and harms of New Psychoactive Substances in Scotland

Determine the prevalence of psychoactive substances

Literature review, analysis of survey data, interviews with key stakeholders

SGSSS Internship, Researcher Allan Gillies

Started 08/14

Completed 12/14

Scottish Government

Gillies, Allan, with contributions from Wallace, Isla, (2015) Closing Evidence Gaps on the Prevalence and Harms of New Psychoactive Substances in Scotland, Justice Analytical Services, Scottish Government. Available at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/crime-and-justice/publications/prevnewNPS

Gillies, Allan (2015), 'Mapping Current and Potential Sources of Routine Data Capture on New Psychoactive Substances in Scotland', Justice Analytical Services, Scottish Government

Available at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/crime-and-justice/publications/psysubmap

Contact:

isla.wallace@gov.scot

Harms

Investigating the prevalence of New Psychoactive Substances use in the forensic psychiatry population of the West of Scotland

Expand knowledge in this area

Anonymised screening of urine samples

NHS GGC, Researcher Dr Richard Stevenson

2015

Ongoing, completion due 06/16

Scottish Government

Contact:

richard.stevenson@nhs.net

Harms

Prolonged or problematic iatrogenic opioid use following surgery

Assessment of development of problematic opioid use and development of predictive model
Surgical patients

Cohort study

Dundee University, Dr Brian Kidd, Dr Keith Matthews & Dr Craig Heath ( NHS Lanarkshire)

Started 12/15

Ongoing, completion due end of 2017

Indivior

Contact:

Brian.kidd@nhs.net

Harms

Non-prescription medicine ( NPM) misuse, abuse and dependence in the UK

To determine the prevalence of non-prescription medicine misuse, abuse and dependence in the UK and identify the barriers and enablers to seeking, and providing, treatment for NPM dependence

Mixed methods

Aberdeen University, PhD researcher Niamh Fingleton

Started 01/10/12

Ongoing, completion due 30/06/16

Society for the Study of Addiction ( PhD studentship)

Fingleton, N., Watson, MC., Duncan, EM. & Matheson, C. (2016). Non-prescription medicine misuse, abuse and dependence: a cross-sectional survey of the UK general population. Journal of Public Health DOI: 10.1093/PUBMED/FDV204 available at: http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/19/pubmed.fdv204.long (full text open access)

Contact:

n.fingleton@abdn.ac.uk

Harms

Prevalence of dependence on prescription opiate analgesics

To determine prevalence across the UK GP population and conduct an economic analysis

Quantitative

Independent Research Company, Researcher Dr Catriona Matheson

Started 06/16

Ongoing, 03/17

University of Sheffield and Indivior

Contact:

cmathesonbusiness@gmail.com

Harms

Systematic review of tools to assess risk of analgesic misuse

Exploratory, Student project ( MSc)

Systematic review

NHS Lothian Substance Misuse Directorate, Researcher

Dr Rebecca Lawrence, Supervisor Dr Lesley Colvin

Current, completion date not known

N/A

Contact:

Rebecca.Lawrence@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Harms

Anabolic steroid use - internet research project

MSc project

Mixed methods

NHS Lothian Substance Misuse Directorate, Researcher Dr Joe Tay

with Glasgow University ( STRADA)

Ongoing,

completion due Sept 2016

N/A

Contact:

joe.tay@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Harms

Cardiac risk and methadone treatment

Using informatics to explore links between underlying cardiac risk and drug death and then screening patients in prospective cohort study

Prospective cohort study

Dundee University, Dr Brian Kidd, Dr Keith Matthews (with Profs. Chim Lang, Anna Choy and Alan Struthers)

About to start

Not yet in place

Contact:

Brian.kidd@nhs.net

Harms

Death in comorbid epilepsy and opiate dependence

Aim to clarify incidence of death & relative risk in Scottish cohort using informatics of deaths in patients experiencing comorbid epilepsy/ opiate dependence

Population-based study

Dundee University,

Dr Brian Kidd, Dr Craig Health, Dr Keith Matthews,

NHS Tayside

Start date 5/16

TENOVUS

Contact:

Brian.kidd@nhs.net

Harms

Informatics-based study of death associated with hazardous activities: comparing three cohorts - suicides, drug deaths and others

Aim to determine feasibility of using existing data - from multiple sources - to predict death

Suicides, drug deaths and others

a. Systematic review of the literature b. Retrospective cohort study of three cohorts over 10 years. c. Predictive modelling using regression analyses

Dundee University, Dr Brian Kidd and Dr Keith Matthews

Started 11/14

Ongoing, completion due 11/17

Scottish Government Health Department and TENOVUS

Contact:

Brian.kidd@nhs.net

Harms

Informatics-based development of the study above

Compare clinical outcomes/cost effectiveness of buprenorphine/ methadone in Fife cohort over 2 years

Two year prospective cohort study comparing already identified cohorts (see above)

Dundee University, Dr Brian Kidd, Dr Alex Baldacchino, Dr Keith Matthews

Started 12/15

Ongoing, completion due end 2017

Indivior

Contact:

Brian.kidd@nhs.net

Harms

Age-period-cohort ( APC) analyses: drugs paper

Age-period-cohort analysis of Scottish deaths for specific causes, undertaken as part of testing of various hypotheses proposed to explain Scotland's 'excess' mortality. Drug-related deaths is one of the causes of deaths being looked at

Descriptive analyses, Shaded Contour Plots (lexis heatmaps), regression analysis, specifically intrinsic estimator APC analysis

NHS Health Scotland, Jane Parkinson with coauthors Jon Minton, Jim Lewsey and Janet Bouttell at Glasgow University and Gerry McCartney, NHS Health Scotland

April 2016

NHS Health Scotland core funding

Results will be written up for submission as a journal paper

Contact:

Jane.parkinson@nhs.net

Harms

Assessment of Northern European countries with high or increasing rates of drug-induced deaths

Relative assessment of drug-induced deaths

Comparison between countries

Comparative study

Health Protection Scotland, Researcher Andrew McAuley

Started 2016

Ongoing

EMCDDA

Contact:

Andrew.mcauley@nhs.net

Harms

Investigating the role of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics in drug-related mortality: A systematic review

Investigating role of specific substances in drug related mortality

Systematic review

NHS Health Scotland, Andrew McAuley (supervising PhD intern Christopher Johnson)

Started 2015

Completed 2016

NHS Health Scotland

Report on ScotPHO website: http://www.scotpho.org.uk/publications/reports-and-papers/1803-investigating-the-role-of-benzodiazepines-in-drug-related-mortality

Contact:

Andrew.mcauley@nhs.net

Harms

A community approach to reducing drug-related deaths

Expand knowledge in this area

Action research

Stirling University, PhD researcher Andrew Rome

About to start

TBC

Contact:

a.m.rome@stir.ac.uk

Harms

The role of concurrent prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines in drug-related death

Retrospective case-control study examining 12-month prescribing predictors of drug-related death

Informatics data linkage

Dundee University, Researcher Cassie Higgins

Ongoing - completion anticipated January 2011

TENOVUS

Contact:

c.z.higgins@dundee.ac.uk

Harms

Evaluating the impact of a national naloxone programme on ambulance attendance at overdose incidents: an interrupted time series analysis

Add to national naloxone programme

Quantitative

Health Protection Scotland, Researcher Andrew McAuley

Started 2016

Ongoing

NHS Health Scotland

Contact:

Andrew.mcauley@nhs.net

Harms

Lived experiences of take-home naloxone

Add to National naloxone programme

Interpretative Phenomen-ological Analysis

University of West of Scotland ( UWS), PhD researcher Andrew McAuley

Started 2009

Ongoing, completion due 2016

UWS

Contact:

Andrew.mcauley@nhs.net

Harms

The chemical and physical charact-erisation of illicit tablets and development of a statistical model to identify populations within the illegal supply chain

Aims to provide drug intelligence information that could assist the police in determining links between different seizures. This will be attempted through the measurement of certain physical and chemical characteristics of illicit tablets and the extraction of information from the data set to identify different populations

Quantitative

Abertay University, PhD researcher Prof David Bremner

Started 1/2014

Ongoing, completion due 6/17

Abertay, R-Lincs Project

Involves collaboration with Police Scotland, The Crown Office and Robert Gordon University

S. Bibi, D. H. Bremner, M. Macdougall-Heasman, R. Reid, K. Simpson, A. Tough, S. Waddell, I. J. Stewart and K. H. Matthews. (2015). A preliminary investigation to group disparate batches of licit and illicit diazepam tablets using differential scanning calorimetry DOI:10.1039/C5AY01711D Anal. Methods 7, 8597-8604, available at: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2015/ay/c5ay01711d#!divAbstract (open access)

This work has been presented at the Scottish Student Forensic Research Symposium, the European Academy of Forensic Science Conference in Prague and International Society of Addiction Medicine Congress in 2015.

Contact:

D.Bremner@abertay.ac.uk

Contact

Email: Michael Crook, Michael.Crook@gov.scot

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