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PURPOSE: Ethnic minority faculty members are vastly underrepresented in academia. Yet, the presence of these individuals in academic institutions is crucial, particularly because their professional endeavors often target issues of health disparities. One promising way to attract and retain ethnic minority faculty is to provide them with formal mentorship. This report describes a culturally centered mentorship program, the Southwest Addictions Research Group (SARG, 2003-2007), at the University of New Mexico (UNM) that trained a cadre of minority researchers dedicated to reducing health disparities associated with substance abuse. METHOD: The SARG was based at UNM's School of Medicine's Institute for Public Health, in partnership with the UNM's Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions. The program consisted of regular research meetings, collaboration with the Community Advisory Board, monthly symposia with renowned professionals, pilot projects, and conference support. The authors collected data on mentee research productivity as outcomes and conducted separate mentee and mentor focus-group interviews to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the SARG program. RESULTS: The SARG yielded positive outcomes as evidenced by mentee increase in grant submissions, publications, and professional presentations. Focus-group qualitative data highlighted program and institutional barriers as well as successes that surfaced during the program. Based on this evaluation, a Culturally Centered Mentorship Model (CCMM) emerged. CONCLUSIONS: The CCMM can help counter institutional challenges by valuing culture, community service, and community-based participatory research to support the recruitment and advancement of ethnic minority faculty members in academia.

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Patients in substance abuse treatment frequently smoke cigarettes and often die of tobacco-related causes. Substance abuse treatment programs too often ignore tobacco use. Many patients have expressed interest in stopping smoking, although they may be ambivalent about smoking cessation during substance abuse treatment. This article provides a review of tobacco cessation literature and successful methods of intervention. Research supports two key findings: (a) smoking cessation during substance abuse treatment does not impair outcome of the presenting substance abuse problem and (b) smoking cessation may actually enhance outcome success. We will discuss how to incorporate smoking cessation.

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This study describes overdose experiences of heroin users, both the overdoses they themselves experienced, as well as those that they witnessed. A structured interview was performed with 101 current heroin users in Albuquerque, New Mexico from January 7, 2002 to February 26, 2002. Heroin-related overdoses were found to be common in this sample of heroin users. Three or more persons were reported to be present during 80 of the 95 most recently witnessed overdoses. An ambulance was called in only 42 of the 95 witnessed overdoses. Seventy-five percent of the respondents who witnessed an overdose stated concern over police involvement was an important reason for delay or absence of a 911 call for help. One hundred of the 101 respondents reported willingness, if trained, to use rescue breathing and to inject naloxone to aid an overdose victim. New methods need to be found to reduce heroin overdose death. Scientific studies are needed on the efficacy of take-home naloxone.

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This article summarizes the proceedings of a roundtable discussion at the 2005 annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Santa Barbara, California. The chair was William R. Miller. The presentations were as follows: (1) Screening and Brief Intervention for Alcohol Problems, by Allen Zweben; (2) Three Intervention Models and Their Impact on Medical Records, by Denise Ernst; (3) Pharmacotherapies for Managing Alcohol Dependence in Health Care Settings, by Roger D. Weiss; (4) The Trauma Center as an Opportunity, by Carol R. Schermer; (5) Motivational Interviewing by Telephone and Telemedicine, by Catherine Baca; (6) Health Care as a Context for Treating Drug Abuse and Dependence, by Wilson M. Compton; and (7) Interventions for Heavy Drinking in Health Care settings: Barriers and Strategies, by Mark L. Willenbring.

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BACKGROUND: This paper reviews the relevant literature related to the distribution of take-home naloxone. METHODS: A Medline search was conducted on articles published between January 1990 and June 2004 to identify scientific literature relevant to this subject. Those publications were reviewed, and from them other literature was identified and reviewed. RESULTS: The prevalence, pathophysiology and circumstances of heroin overdose, and also bystander response are included in this review. Naloxone peer distribution has been instituted to varying degrees in the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. CONCLUSION: At this point the evidence supporting naloxone distribution is primarily anecdotal, although promising. Although the distribution of naloxone holds promise for further reducing heroin overdose mortality, problems remain. Naloxone alone may be insufficient in some cases to revive the victim, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), especially rescue breathing, may also be needed. A second dose of naloxone might be necessary. Complications following resuscitation from overdose may infrequently need in-hospital care. Mortality from injecting without anyone else present will be unaffected by take-home naloxone. Take-home naloxone should be studied in a rigorous scientific manner.

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