(1) Summary: Many studies have evaluated the association between traditional media exposure and the presence of body dissatisfaction and body image disorders. The last decade has borne witness to the rise of social media, predominantly used by teenagers and young adults. This study’s main objective was to investigate the association between how often one compares their physical appearance to that of the people they follow on social media, and one’s body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. (2) Method: A sample composed of 1331 subjects aged 15 to 35 (mean age = 24.2), including 1138 subjects recruited from the general population and 193 patients suffering from eating disorders, completed an online questionnaire assessing social media use (followed accounts, selfies posted, image comparison frequency). This questionnaire incorporated two items originating from the Eating Disorder Inventory Scale (Body Dissatisfaction: EDI-BD and Drive for Thinness: EDI-DT). (3) Results: We found an association between the frequency of comparing one’s own physical appearance to that of people followed on social media and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Interestingly, the level of education was a confounding factor in this relationship, while BMI was not. (4) Discussion: The widespread use of social media in teenagers and young adults could increase body dissatisfaction as well as their drive for thinness, therefore rendering them more vulnerable to eating disorders. We should consequently take this social evolution into account, including it in general population prevention programs and in patients’ specific treatment plans.
Background: Few qualitative studies have explored the impact of group-based psychoeducation programs from the perspective of patients with bipolar disorder, and no studies to date have examined the effects of such programs on patients’ personal recovery. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a group therapeutic education program on the personal recovery of people with bipolar disorder and its determinants.Methods: Three professionals conducted semistructured interviews with 16 patients who participated in 9 weekly sessions of four separate bipolar therapeutic education programs. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively by two of the professionals using the thematic analysis method.Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews: the elements of therapeutic education, the experience of therapeutic education and the changes facilitated by therapeutic education. The changes reported by the participants included the evolution of the patient’s relationship with the disorder, improvement in the patient’s knowledge of the disorder, improvement in disorder management throughout daily life in general, and development of psycho-social skills and social relationships.Conclusions: This study provides support for the beneficial impact of group therapeutic education programs on the personal recovery of people with bipolar disorder. These programs improve all dimensions of recovery according to the CHIME model, with connectedness, hope and empowerment being the main dimensions impacted. Our results indicate that therapeutic group education programs can be beneficial for people with bipolar disorder at any point during their experience of the disorder, with the potential exception of periods of thymic decompensation.
5 October 2023 in International Journal of Drug Policy
Immunoassay (IA) is currently used at Nantes University Hospital to perform urine drug screening in the inpatient addiction unit. Given its numerous limitations, we aimed to assess the overall benefit of the Liquid-Chromatography-High-Resolution-Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS), and to identify the profiles of patients for whom its use provided a clinical benefit. All adult patients admitted to this unit between January and September 2023 were systematically included. A part of the urine sample routinely collected on admission was retained for subsequent analysis by LC-HRMS. For each active molecule, the analytical performance of LC-HRMS compared with IA was evaluated by biologists. Then unit's physicians assessed for each patient whether the new data provided by LC-HRMS would have had an impact on their management. A multivariate analysis was carried out to identify the profiles of these patients. 154 patients were included with 293 non-prescribed molecules and 434 prescribed drugs. For 2/3 of all molecules, LC-HRMS performed better than IA. Most of these molecules were not detectable by IA but some were not detected even though they belonged to the panel of detectable substances. Physicians considered that the new results provided by LC-HRMS would have had an impact on the management of 1/4 of patients. A history of opiate abuse/dependence was associated with a clinical benefit of LC-HRMS in the multivariate analysis. These results confirm the benefit of LC-HRMS for urine drug screening in inpatient addiction units for patients with multiple substance use, especially those with a history of opioid use.
EMONO (equimolar oxygen-nitrous oxide mixture) is widely used in dentistry to achieve sedation for dental care. In addition, pure nonmedical nitrous oxide (N2O) has become a very popular psychoactive substance among health students. Thus, for dental students, the perception of a same substance, N2O, which can either be used as medicine in the form of EMONO in their daily practice, or consumed illegally for recreational purposes in the form of pure nonmedical N2O, is of concern. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of N2O (EMONO and pure nonmedical N2O) use among French dental students. A cross-sectional multicentre study was carried out in six French dental schools. A self-administered questionnaire was offered to 2nd to 6th-year odontology students about their position with regard to N2O and its potential use. The prevalence of N2O use among the 1124 responding students was 50.4%, with heterogeneity according to dental school. 84% of the students who used N2O did so at least once for recreational purpose, while 16% used it only in the context of care and/or training. Students with recreational N2O use were more likely to use other substances than students with care/training use. Nearly three-quarters of the students sought and experienced euphoria and laughter. Nearly half the students in our study reported having used N2O recreationally, most of them regularly, a much higher prevalence than among nonhealthcare students. The issue of the correct use of EMONO is particularly important at a time of increasing detour from medical to recreational use. As future healthcare professionals with easy access to this substance, dental students should be well versed in the use and abuse of nitrous oxide in dentistry.