Gambling addiction in India: A survey of Indian psychiatrists

We surveyed 121 Indian psychiatrists to explore their understanding of gambling addiction, their exposure to patients with gambling addiction in their day to day clinical practice, and their perception about the feasibility of getting involved in managing these patients. 80.9% of psychiatrists who responded said they had seen patients with gambling addiction in their clinical practice. However, only 19.1% reported ever having received any teaching or training in the management of gambling addicts. 90.2% of psychiatrists said it was feasible for them to be involved in the management of gambling addiction, and 80.7% of those who responded specifically said they would like to receive training in the treatment of gambling disorders. At an operational level, much more needs to be done to improve training of psychiatrists in India as regards identification, assessment and treatment of gambling addicts. And strategy-wise, gambling addiction needs to be given a more prominent place in clinical, policy and academic discourse within the landscape of mainstream Indian psychiatry.Keywords: Gambling addiction; Primary care; Psychiatrists; Managemen

Gambling addiction in primary care: a survey of general practitioners in Solihull

We set out to study GPs’ understanding of gambling addiction, their experiences of, and confidence in, managing these patients in primary care, their perceived role and feasibility, their views on funding gambling treatment services, etc. To this end, we carried out a postal questionnaire survey of all GPs (N=136) in Solihull, England. Ninety eight (98) of the 136 (72%) GPs returned completed questionnaires. Three-quarters of GPs had seen gambling addicts in their practice but none had ever received any training in the management of gambling addiction. The large majority of GPs acknowledged that gambling addiction was an important public health problem with significant potential adverse impacts. 90.8% of GPs expressed lack of confidence in managing these patients but most were keen to do more to help, and receive training. Although they saw this disorder being within their remit, they highlighted that potential resource implications ought to be addressed if gambling addicts are to be successfully managed in primary care. Much more needs to be done to improve the identification and treatment of gambling addicts in primary care settings. Most GPs saw the care of these patients as within their remit, were willing to get involved and were receptive to more training. We hope our findings will inform the development and implementation of any future training program for GPs.Keywords: Gambling addiction; Primary care; General practitioners; Managemen

Gambling in India:past, present and future

Gambling has been a popular pastime in ancient and colonial India, and continues to be in modern India. Problem gambling is an important public health issue because of its prevalence, increased risk to certain vulnerable groups and its numerous adverse consequences to the gambler, his/her family and the wider society. In this paper, we present an overview of gambling in ancient and modern India, and also suggest a public health approach aimed at reducing gambling-related harm and associated problems

The prevalence, patterns, and correlates of gambling behaviours in men: An exploratory study from Goa, India.

BACKGROUND: There is a significant evidence gap on gambling in India, where gambling is viewed predominantly through the legal lens. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of gambling. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the follow-up assessment in a cohort (n = 1514 men) from India. The following data were collected using a structured questionnaire: socio-demographic information, gambling, interpersonal violence, tobacco use, alcohol use disorders (AUD), common mental disorders, and suicidality. Logistic regression models were used to examine the correlates of gambling. RESULTS: 658 participants (45.4%) reported gambling in the past year, and lottery was the most frequent form of gambling (67.8%). Current gambling was correlated with rural residence (OR 1.42, CI 1.05-1.93, p = 0.02), work-related problems (OR 1.42, CI 1.03-1.96, p = 0.03), interpersonal violence (OR 3.45, CI 1.22-9.75, p = 0.02), tobacco use (OR 1.59, CI 1.16-2.19, p = 0.004), and AUD (OR 2.14, CI 1.35-3.41, p = 0.001). 724 (49.9%) participants reported gambling at least once in their lifetime. Lifetime gambling was correlated with work-related problems (OR 1.57, CI 1.14-2.17, p = 0.006), interpersonal violence (OR 4.03, CI 1.32-12.30 p = 0.02), tobacco use (OR 1.60, CI 1.16-2.20, p = 0.004), and AUD (OR 2.12, CI 1.33-3.40, p = 0.002). Age was significantly associated with playing lottery more frequently (OR 3.24, CI 1.34-7.84, p = 0.009) and tobacco use was significantly associated with playing matka more frequently (OR 1.69, CI 1.08-2.64, p = 0.02). DISCUSSION: The high prevalence of gambling and its association with social problems and risk factors for non-communicable diseases warrants further epidemiological research

Influence of aggressive media programs on student behaviour

We aimed to study the influence of aggressive content in media on student behaviour. The study sample consisted of students with disciplinary problems from three secondary schools in Kulai District, Johor, Malaysia. A total of 127 students (92 Males and 35 Females) participated in the study. A set of questionnaires, divided into parts A and B, was used to collect data. questions that have been stated to answer the questions. This questionnaire was adapted from the Attractive Media and The Effect on Audience Questionnaire developed by Heinichi, Molenda, Russel and Ely (1991). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 17.0 (SPSS). A pilot study was carried out initially. Main findings of our study were that: the influence of media programs with an aggressive content on students was moderate; and the effects on students' aggressive behaviour were also moderate. This study has important implications on the role of the media in re-evaluating the programs they broadcast for their aggressive content as such content can influence students toact aggressively

Pilot study of a social network intervention for heroin users in opiate substitution treatment: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Research indicates that 3% of people receiving opiate substitution treatment (OST) in the UK manage to achieve abstinence from all prescribed and illicit drugs within 3 years of commencing treatment, and there is concern that treatment services have become skilled at engaging people but not at helping them to enter a stage of recovery and drug abstinence. The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse recommends the involvement of families and wider social networks in supporting drug users' psychological treatment, and this pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the impact of a social network-focused intervention for patients receiving OST.Methods and design: In this two-site, early phase, randomized controlled trial, a total of 120 patients receiving OST will be recruited and randomized to receive one of three treatments: 1) Brief Social Behavior and Network Therapy (B-SBNT), 2) Personal Goal Setting (PGS) or 3) treatment as usual. Randomization will take place following baseline assessment. Participants allocated to receive B-SBNT or PGS will continue to receive the same treatment that is routinely provided by drug treatment services, plus four additional sessions of either intervention. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 3 and 12 months. The primary outcome will be assessment of illicit heroin use, measured by both urinary analysis and self-report. Secondary outcomes involve assessment of dependence, psychological symptoms, social satisfaction, motivation to change, quality of life and therapeutic engagement. Family members (n = 120) of patients involved in the trial will also be assessed to measure the level of symptoms, coping and the impact of the addiction problem on the family member at baseline, 3 and 12 months.Discussion: This study will provide experimental data regarding the feasibility and efficacy of implementing a social network intervention within routine drug treatment services in the UK National Health Service. The study will explore the impact of the intervention on both patients receiving drug treatment and their family members.Trial registration: Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN22608399. ISRCTN22608399 registration: 27/04/2012. Date of first randomisation: 14/08/2012. © 2013 Day et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Standard setting: Comparison of two methods

BACKGROUND: The outcome of assessments is determined by the standard-setting method used. There is a wide range of standard – setting methods and the two used most extensively in undergraduate medical education in the UK are the norm-reference and the criterion-reference methods. The aims of the study were to compare these two standard-setting methods for a multiple-choice question examination and to estimate the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the modified Angoff method. METHODS: The norm – reference method of standard -setting (mean minus 1 SD) was applied to the 'raw' scores of 78 4th-year medical students on a multiple-choice examination (MCQ). Two panels of raters also set the standard using the modified Angoff method for the same multiple-choice question paper on two occasions (6 months apart). We compared the pass/fail rates derived from the norm reference and the Angoff methods and also assessed the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the modified Angoff method. RESULTS: The pass rate with the norm-reference method was 85% (66/78) and that by the Angoff method was 100% (78 out of 78). The percentage agreement between Angoff method and norm-reference was 78% (95% CI 69% – 87%). The modified Angoff method had an inter-rater reliability of 0.81 – 0.82 and a test-retest reliability of 0.59–0.74. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in the outcomes of these two standard-setting methods, as shown by the difference in the proportion of candidates that passed and failed the assessment. The modified Angoff method was found to have good inter-rater reliability and moderate test-retest reliability

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome