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Categories News Tags Behavioral Health, BHARC, Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Senior Associates at Bizzell Co-author NIDA Report on Improving Adolescent Health

Senior Associates at Bizzell Co-author NIDA Report on Improving Adolescent Health

According to numerous reports, it takes roughly 17 years [1] for research findings to find their way into routine clinical practice, depriving adults, and children of timely and effective therapeutic care. The improvement of adolescent health ultimately depends on access to timely research and scientific findings from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to better educate health care professionals, policymakers, adolescents, and their families. The “National Institute of Drug Abuse: Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge to Improve Adolescent Health” report spotlights NIDA’s vigorous efforts to accomplish the dissemination of evidence-based information achieved through varying approaches to diverse and targeted audiences; more specifically on substance use disorders (SUD) in the adolescent population.

The NIDA Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative contract, held by Bizzell US, is overseen by co-authors Dr. Todd Mandell and Kenyatta Crenshaw. Within the report, the co-authors share evidence-based educational resources and materials developed to reduce the persistent gap between the publication of research findings on the treatment of SUDs and best practices for implementation and adoption in clinical practice. Dr. Mandell and Ms. Crenshaw also address the Mentor Facilitated Training Program (MFT), which is part of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative contract. An overview of the MFT program is provided in the article, demonstrating how trainees in the field of substance use are encouraged to expand their depth of knowledge by the 1) identification of gaps in substance abuse training; and 2) dissemination of NIDA-sponsored, evidence-based resources/tools to their peers. The study was published in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North American Volume 32, Issue 1, January 2023.

“I would like to congratulate Dr. Mandell and Ms. Crenshaw, and the other contributing authors, on the publication of the report, the recommendations are another imperative step to ensuring that the dissemination and access to critical data and tools is widely accessible to the public health community” said Anton C. Bizzell, MD, Chairman & CEO of Bizzell.

[1] Morris ZS, Wooding S, Grant J. The answer is 17 years, what is the question: understanding time lags in translational research. J R Soc Med 2011;104(12): 510–20. Accessed December 14, 2021.

About Bizzell US

Established in 2010, Bizzell US is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone-certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell US develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation, and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm, headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland, with staff and offices in various regions around the country, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex, real-world challenges. Learn more at www.BizzellUS.com

Categories BHARC, Insights Tags Behavioral Health, BHARC, COVID-19, Social Media

Social Media Use and Well-being: What We Do and Don’t Know

Social Media Use and Well-being: What We Do and Don’t Know

November 15, 2022 (New Carrollton, MD) Nearly 60 percent of the world’s population, and 81% of the US population, are active social media users. As social media use becomes more pervasive, there is a growing interest in the role social media plays in wellness and mental health. Does social media help or hinder mental health? The answer is not that simple. Social media can be an easy, accessible way for people to establish social connections and networks. These can be important contributors to well-being and mental health. Yet some studies indicate social media use also may have a negative effect on mental health and well-being, although these effects vary by age, race, and other demographics. Recent research suggests that how social media is used can have a greater impact on mental health than how often or how long social media is used.

The November 2022 Behavioral Health Spotlight focuses on social media use and well-being. “Social Media Use and Well-being: What We Do and Don’t Know” was written by Nancy Bateman, MSW, a Senior Public Health Advisor for Behavioral Health Services at Bizzell. It discusses current findings on social media use and well-being, meaningful uses of social media data in the mental health/well-being space, and recommendations for future research. The BHARC Behavioral Health Spotlight, published by the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) and funded by Bizzell, is a thought leadership series highlighting various behavioral health topics that impact communities across the United States and abroad.

Read the report: Social Media Use and Well-being: What We Do and Don’t Know

About BHARC

The Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) is an ever-growing and trusted source for current behavioral health program development and research findings, examples of evidence-informed and promising practices, and emerging behavioral health policy and interventions. The BHARC Advisory Council consists of experts in substance use, mental health, clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare standards and quality. For more information, visit: BHARC.org

About Bizzell US

Bizzell US (Bizzell) is a strategy, consulting, and technology firm that designs innovative solutions to help build healthy, secure, and sustainable communities in our nation and around the world. Bizzell leverages the combined experience of our diverse subject matter experts to develop data-driven, research-informed answers to the world’s most complex challenges—ensuring our clients achieve their vision and goals. For more information, visit: BizzellUS.com

Categories Insights Tags Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Behavioral Health, BHARC, Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Dr. David Sleet, Senior Associate at Bizzell Co-authors Article on Alcohol Harms in Young Adults in The Lancet

A new analysis from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Seattle, suggests that for young adults aged 15-39, there are no health benefits to drinking alcohol, only harms. The harms they are most likely to experience are injuries.

The study, published in The Lancet July 16, 2022, (doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00847-9), used data from the Global Burden of Diseases, a project based at the University of Washington in Seattle that tracks health trends worldwide and produces comprehensive data on the causes of illness and death in the world.

Both males and females under age 40 risked health loss from alcohol use, even when consuming small amounts of alcohol. But for those older than 40, consuming small amounts of alcohol (such as 1-2 glasses of wine daily) can provide some health benefits, yet health risks vary by age and region.

David Sleet, Ph.D., one of the co-authors of the article and a Senior Associate for Injury Prevention at Bizzell US (Bizzell), noted that “We need stronger interventions tailored towards younger individuals to reduce the substantial global health loss, particularly from injuries, attributable to alcohol use.”

The study’s authors call for alcohol consumption guidelines to be revised to emphasize that health risks of alcohol use differ by age, stressing that the level of alcohol consumption recommended by many existing guidelines is too high for young people. They also call for policies targeting males under age 40, who are most likely to use alcohol harmfully.

The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“I would like to congratulate Dr. Sleet and the other contributing authors on the publication of the report in The Lancet. As alcohol sales have soared during the pandemic, the long-term health risks of heavy drinking including brain and liver damage, heart disease, digestive disease, and mental health disorders have increased. I urge all Americans to fight the deadly epidemic of alcohol use and abuse, particularly among adolescents and young adults” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President & CEO of Bizzell.

To date, the publication has received national media attention, with USA Today, and The Guardian covering the report.

To read the reviews, please see below:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/07/15/alcohol-health-risks-under-40/10067144002/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/14/alcohol-is-never-good-for-people-under-40-global-study-finds

About BHARC
The Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) is an authoritative source for behavioral health information, insights, technical assistance, training, and innovative tools. BHARC is a mechanism to share evidence-based behavioral health interventions and best practices. The BHARC Advisory Council consists of experts in substance use, mental health, clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare standards and quality. Learn more about the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center at BHARC.org.

About Bizzell
Established in 2010, Bizzell US is U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone-certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell US develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the country including California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges. Learn more at BizzellUS.com.

ARTICLE REFERENCE:
GBD 2020 Alcohol Collaborators. Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020.

Lancet   2022 Jul 16;400(10347):185-235. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00847-9. PMID: 35843246 PMCID: PMC9289789

Categories BHARC Tags Behavioral Health, BHARC, Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Utilizing Behavioral Therapy to Address Stimulant Use Disorder

Utilizing Behavioral Therapy to Address Stimulant Use Disorder

Bizzell US, in partnership with The University of Vermont’s Center on Rural Addiction has produced an interactive educational video for clinicians and practitioners highlighting Contingency Management options for addressing stimulant use disorders.

With rural stimulant overdoses now higher than in urban counties (6.7 vs 4.8 per 100,000.)[1], a renewed focus on combating addiction within these remote communities has taken on a new sense of urgency. “This video adds an important, well studied tool for addressing stimulant use disorder,” said Dr. Todd Mandell of Bizzell US who specializes in substance use and mental health and who was the lead producer of the educational video.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, 40% of all overdose deaths were attributed to stimulate use. Until recently there have not been medical treatment alternatives for practitioners treating patients with stimulant use disorder which makes the use of Contingency Management even more urgent.

The video highlights the history of the development of Contingency Management and stresses the key components of a successful program.

To view the educational video please visit: http://uvmcm.modernepic.net

[1] Hedegaard H, Spencer MR. Urban–rural differences in drug overdose death rates, 1999–2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 403. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:102891

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