Blogging Technologies for Outreach and Network Building

Theme: Blogging is commonly perceived as being for individuals to share their daily experiences. But what else can Web 2.0 technologies be used for? In the information and library world information dissemination and current awareness services are well-established activities. What are the impacts when you apply new collaborative technology to these well-worn traditional tasks? Description of project: DrugScope, the national drugs information charity, has been using RSS feeds and blogging for over a year. This paper presents a case study of how two projects - to streamline the dissemination of new catalogue data to our existing user group and to speed-up our acquisitions process - led to the development of the DrugScope blog and how this, in turn, afforded us networking and outreach opportunities within our own organisation, within our existing health and social care networks and within new sectors. We will cover, briefly, our use of news aggregators (Bloglines, NHS My Update, Google Alerts) to acquire information, of blogging software to create our own RSS and atom feeds, and of editorial policies to ensure focused content, before highlighting the impact blogging has had on our internal and external profiles. We will also discuss how networking assisted us in marketing our new product nationally and internationally, and how this increased the size and reach of our networks - even into the cultural sector. We will analyse the impact on our own workload, and, more significantly, the uptake of blogging within our sector - via seminars to independent health information professionals and through articles to European substance misuse specialists. The main focus of the paper is to explore the key learning points - both positive and negative - which could be applied to any professional sector - information, health, social care and beyond

Blogging Technologies for Outreach and Network Building

Theme: Blogging is commonly perceived as being for individuals to share their daily experiences. But what else can Web 2.0 technologies be used for? In the information and library world information dissemination and current awareness services are well-established activities. What are the impacts when you apply new collaborative technology to these well-worn traditional tasks? Description of project: DrugScope, the national drugs information charity, has been using RSS feeds and blogging for over a year. This paper presents a case study of how two projects - to streamline the dissemination of new catalogue data to our existing user group and to speed-up our acquisitions process - led to the development of the DrugScope blog and how this, in turn, afforded us networking and outreach opportunities within our own organisation, within our existing health and social care networks and within new sectors. We will cover, briefly, our use of news aggregators (Bloglines, NHS My Update, Google Alerts) to acquire information, of blogging software to create our own RSS and atom feeds, and of editorial policies to ensure focused content, before highlighting the impact blogging has had on our internal and external profiles. We will also discuss how networking assisted us in marketing our new product nationally and internationally, and how this increased the size and reach of our networks - even into the cultural sector. We will analyse the impact on our own workload, and, more significantly, the uptake of blogging within our sector - via seminars to independent health information professionals and through articles to European substance misuse specialists. The main focus of the paper is to explore the key learning points - both positive and negative - which could be applied to any professional sector - information, health, social care and beyond

Perceived Effects of Menopause Among Women Master Swimmers

This study assessed female master swimmers’ perceptions of the influence of menopause on their swimming. Using a cross-sectional design, 183 women completed an internet-based survey. Measures related to menopause status, physical activity levels, perceived effect of menopause on swimming and attitudes to swimming and menopause. Perimenopausal women reported the least physical activity and the greatest reduction in intensity of swimming training due to menopause, relative to other menopause groups. A quarter of women reported that the intensity of their swimming had reduced due to menopause. Additionally, a quarter reported that menopausal symptoms, particularly weight gain and sleeplessness, negatively affected their swimming. A third said that their confidence for competing at swimming had reduced due to menopause and that their swimming improved once menopause stopped. These findings suggest that menopause may have some detrimental effects on female master swimmers

Survey of knowledge of legal highs (novel psychoactive substances) amongst London pharmacists

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine pharmacists’ knowledge of legal highs (novel psychoactive substances (NPS)). Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was handed out at two London pharmacist continuing education events in mid-2014. These events update pharmacists about developments of interest/relevance to the profession and to improve their practice. A total of 54 forms were returned; a response rate of 26 percent. Findings – Most pharmacists had poor knowledge of NPS and many considered that NPS were not important to their work, with few having had to advise customers in this area. Despite this, the majority thought that they had insufficient information about NPS. There was a negative correlation between the age of the pharmacist and knowledge of NPS. Research limitations/implications – The sample is a self-selected one drawn from registered pharmacists working in community pharmacies in northwest London, and thus does not include hospital pharmacies. Self-selection means that respondents may only reflect those who are interested in the NPS phenomenon and not the wider pharmacy community. The geographical area covered may not be representative of London as a whole, or indeed other parts of the UK or other EU countries. Practical implications – It is clear that pharmacists do not know much about NPS but would like to know more. This information might improve their practice. Social implications – Pharmacists, easier to see than general practitioners, could be a useful source of information for NPS misusers. Originality/value – There have been no previous attempts to gauge the level of knowledge by pharmacists of legal highs/NPS in the UK or elsewhere to our knowledge

Trends in mortality from novel psychoactive substances as “legal highs”: gender differences in manner of death and implications for risk differences for women

Introduction: This study aimed to examine drug-related deaths in the UK in which novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are an implicated substance, and to focus on female deaths in comparison with male deaths. While male overdoses dominate epidemiological statistics, there is an increase in female drug-related deaths and a narrowing of the gap between gender mortality rates which is to date unexplained. Method: This study analyzed data from the National Programme for Substance Abuse Deaths (NPSAD) database that records drug-related deaths in the UK from coronial records. A dataset was constructed using parameters to capture all drug-related cases during the period 2007–2017 when NPS were legal and highly available in the UK, in order to capture deaths recorded among both regular and occasional drug users, and to include all cases recorded during that period regardless of NPS status in order to make comparisons. The final dataset comprised 10,159 cases, with 456 NPS-related deaths. Data for NPS and non-NPS were compared, and comparisons were made between cohorts by gender. The dataset also includes coronial narrative notes which allowed a qualitative analysis of NPS female deaths to add contextual explanation. Results: The proportion of male NPS deaths is significantly higher than that for female NPS deaths but does not reflect the generalized difference between male and female drug-related mortality of this period studied. Demographic and outcome data by gender difference were significant for all drug-related deaths, but not for NPS-only deaths, indicating a greater homogeneity among NPS deaths by gender. Older women using NPS were more likely to have methadone or diazepam as another drug implicated and have established histories of drug misuse. Conclusion: Where NPS have been used, differences in drug death profiles are less likely to be accounted for by gender than other demographic or behavioral differences more typically found in opiate deaths. The social and health problems of older women may be key characteristics that differentiate female deaths from male deaths. These findings also support evidence of increasing uptake of NPS among older established drug users that adds further risk to polydrug use

Recreational ketamine-related deaths notified to the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths, England, 1997-2019

© 2021 The Authors. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).Background: Ketamine is a phencyclidine derivative with dissociative anaesthetic properties. Increasing numbers of individuals in England take ketamine recreationally. Information on deaths arising from such use in England is presented. Methods: Cases were extracted on 31 January 2020 from the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths database, based on text searches of the cause of death, coroner’s verdict and positive toxicology results for the terms ‘ketamine’ or ‘norketamine’. Findings: During 1997–2005, there were <5 deaths p.a. in which ketamine was implicated. Numbers increased until 2009 (21), plateauing until 2016; thereafter, deaths have risen to about 30 p.a. Decedents’ characteristics (N = 283): male 84.1%, mean age 31.2 (SD 10.0) years, employed 56.5%, drug use history 79.6% and living with others 60.3%. Ketamine was detected with other substances in most cases. Main (74.6%) underlying cause of death was accidental poisoning. Ketamine may have impaired judgement in other cases. Conclusions: Although controlled, recreational ketamine use and related fatalities continue to increase. Consumers need to be more aware of the potentially fatal risks they face.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

An exploratory study of information sources and key findings on UK cocaine-related deaths.

Cocaine-related deaths have increased since the early 1990s in Europe, including the UK. Being multi-factorial, they are difficult to define, detect and record. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction commissioned research to: describe trends reported to Special Mortality Registries and General Mortality Registers; provide demographic and drug-use characteristic information of cases; and establish how deaths are identified and classified. A questionnaire was developed and piloted amongst all European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Focal Point experts/Special Mortality Registries: 19 (63%) responded; nine countries provided aggregated data. UK General Mortality Registers use cause of death and toxicology to identify cocaine-related deaths. Categorisation is based on International Classification of Diseases codes. Special Mortality Registries use toxicology, autopsy, evidence and cause of death. The cocaine metabolites commonly screened for are: benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, cocaethylene and ecgonine. The 2000s saw a generally accelerating upward trend in cases, followed by a decline in 2009. The UK recorded 2700-2900 deaths during 1998-2012. UK Special Mortality Registry data (2005-2009) indicate: 25-44 year-olds account for 74% of deaths; mean age=34 (range 15-81) years; 84% male. Cocaine overdoses account for two-thirds of cases; cocaine alone being mentioned/implicated in 23% in the UK. Opioids are involved in most (58%) cocaine overdose cases

Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), gamma butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4 butanediol (1,4-BD; BDO) : a literature review with a focus on UK fatalities related to non-medical use

Misuse of gamma hydroxybutrate (GHB) and gamma butyrolactone (GBL) has increased greatly since the early 1990s, being implicated in a rising number of deaths. This paper reviews knowledge on GHB and derivatives, and explores the largest series of deaths associated with their non-medical use. Descriptive analyses of cases associated with GHB/GBL and 1,4 butanediol (1,4-BD) use extracted from the UK’s National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths database. From 1995 to September 2013, 159 GHB/GBL-associated fatalities were reported. Typical victims: White (92%), young (mean age 32 years); male (82%); with a drug misuse history (70%). Most deaths (79%) were accidental or related to drug use, the remainder (potential) suicides. GHB/GBL alone was implicated in 37%; alcohol 14%; other drugs 28%; other drugs and alcohol 15%. Its endogenous nature and rapid elimination limit toxicological detection. Post-mortem blood levels: mean 482 (range 0 - 6500; S.D. 758) mg/L. Results suggest significant caution is needed when ingesting GHB/GBL, particularly with alcohol, benzodiazepines, opiates, stimulants, and ketamine. More awareness is needed about risks associated with consumption.Peer reviewe