Early Release of Selected Estimates Based on Data From the 2022 National Health Interview Survey 

In this release, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Early Release Program provides estimates for 20 key health indicators based on data from the 2022 NHIS. These estimates are being published prior to final data editing and final weighting to provide access to the most recent information from NHIS (Schiller & Norris, n.d.).

Percentages (and 95% confidence intervals) of selected key health indicators for adults aged 18 and over, by quarter and year (Schiller & Norris, n.d.):

United States, 2022

                     Disability Status:     9.1

        Regularly had feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety:  12.5

Regularly had feelings of depression: 5.0

Counseled by a mental health professional in the past 12 months: 12.6

Did not get needed mental health care  due to cost in the past 12 months:    4.0

Did not take medication as prescribed to save money in the past 12 months: 6.6

Counseled by a mental health professional in the past 12 months: 12.6

 References

Schiller, J., & Norris, T. (n.d.). 2-27.8) Regularly had feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety 5 12.3 (11.1-13.6) 13.0 (12.1-13.9) 12.6 (11.5-13.8) 12.2 (11.4-13.0) 12.5 (11.9-13.2) Regularly had feelings of depression 6 5. 26. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/earlyrelease202304.pdf

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History and Ethical Principles

 History and Ethical Principles

Research with human subjects has a long and often troubled history. Some of the most egregious examples of unethical research include (Hicks, 2020): 

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: In this study, which ran from 1932 to 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service withheld treatment from African American men with syphilis, even after penicillin became a widely available treatment. The men were not told the true nature of the study, and many of them died from syphilis or its complications. 

The Nazi human experimentation program: During World War II, Nazi doctors and scientists conducted horrific experiments on concentration camp prisoners. These experiments included injecting prisoners with diseases, irradiating them, and performing surgery without anesthesia. Many of the prisoners died or were permanently injured as a result of these experiments. 

The Willowbrook Study: This study, which ran from 1963 to 1974, involved intentionally infecting mentally disabled children with hepatitis in order to study the course of the disease. The children were not told about the study, and their parents were not given informed consent. 

 These abuses led to the development of ethical guidelines for research with human subjects. The most important of these guidelines are (Hicks 2020): 

Informed consent: Research subjects must give their informed consent before participating in a study. This means that they must be told the purpose of the study, the risks and benefits of participating, and their right to withdraw from the study at any time. 

Risk-benefit analysis: The risks of participating in a study must be outweighed by the potential benefits. 

Respect for persons: Research subjects must be treated with respect and dignity. 

Justice: Research subjects must be selected fairly and equitably. 

 These guidelines are designed to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects in research. They have helped to prevent many abuses, but there are still cases of unethical research that occur. It is important to be aware of these abuses and to work to prevent them from happening again. 

The Nuremberg Code was developed in the wake of the Second World War to prevent future abuses of human subjects in research. It outlines ten points for conducting ethical research, including the importance of informed consent, the avoidance of unnecessary suffering, and the fair selection of subjects (Hicks 2020).

The Declaration of Helsinki is a code of research ethics developed by the World Medical Association. It is based on the Nuremberg Code and the physician's code of ethics known as the Declaration of Geneva (Hicks 2020).

The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research was created in the United States in response to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The Commission issued the Belmont Report in 1979, which outlines three key ethical principles for conducting research with human subjects: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice (Hicks 2020).

The Belmont Report informed the development of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 46), which is the primary set of regulations governing research with human subjects in the United States (Hicks 2020).

The Belmont Report and the HHS regulations are based on the principle that all research with human subjects must be conducted in an ethical manner. This means that researchers must respect the autonomy of their subjects, avoid causing them unnecessary harm, and fairly select them for participation in research (Hicks 2020).

The Belmont Report and the HHS regulations are applicable to all research with human subjects, including research in the social and behavioral sciences, education, and the humanities (Hicks 2020).

References

 Hicks, L. (2020). CITI - Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative. Citiprogram.org; CITI         Program. https://www.citiprogram.org/members/index.cfm?pageID=665&ce=1#view 

The Importance of Controlled Research Trials in Abnormal Psychology

 The Importance of Controlled Research Trials in Abnormal Psychology

Researchers in abnormal psychology are often interested in learning which treatments work for specific disorders. One way to do this is to conduct controlled research trials. In a controlled research trial, participants are randomly assigned to two or more groups. One group receives the treatment being studied, while the other group(s) receive a placebo or no treatment. The placebo is a fake treatment that looks and feels like the real treatment, but it does not contain any active ingredients. This type of study design helps to ensure that any differences between the groups are due to the treatment and not to other factors, such as the participants' expectations or the natural course of the disorder.

There are two main types of controlled research trials:

1. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for testing the effectiveness of treatments. In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. This helps to ensure that the groups are as similar as possible, except for the treatment they receive.
2. Case-control studies compare people who have a disorder (the cases) to people who do not have the disorder (the controls). The researchers then look for differences between the two groups, such as differences in their exposure to a particular treatment.

Key features of an experimental design.

 

Key features of an experimental design.

• Correlational research can only show that there is an association between two variables, but it cannot tell us whether one variable causes the other.
• Experimental research is used to draw conclusions about causality. In an experiment, the researcher manipulates one variable (the independent variable) and then measures the effect of that manipulation on another variable (the dependent variable).
• To control for other factors that could affect the dependent variable, participants are randomly assigned to different groups.
• One group typically receives the treatment (the experimental condition), while the other group does not (the control condition).
• After the experiment is completed, the data from the two groups are compared to see if there is a difference between them.

In other words, experimental research is a more rigorous way to study cause and effect than correlational research. It is important to note, however, that even experiments cannot always prove causation with 100% certainty. There is always the possibility of other factors that could be causing the observed effect.

Here are some additional points about experimental research:

• The independent variable is the variable that the researcher manipulates. It is also called the treatment variable.
• The dependent variable is the variable that the researcher measures. It is also called the outcome variable.
• The control group is the group of participants that do not receive the treatment. This group is used to compare to the experimental group to see if there is a difference between the

Random assignment is used to ensure that the two groups are as similar as possible. This helps to reduce the likelihood that any differences between the groups are due to factors other than the treatment. Experimental research can be used to study a wide variety of phenomena, including the effects of medications, educational interventions, and environmental factors.

References

 Hooley, J. M., Nock, M. K., & Butcher, J. N. (2019).     AbnormalPsychology(18thed.).Pearson              Education(US).https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135191033

 Hallucinogens and Psychedelics

Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that can alter a person's perception of reality. They can cause people to see, hear, smell, taste, or feel things that are not there. Hallucinogens can also cause changes in mood, thought, and behavior.

Some common hallucinogens include:

• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
• Psilocybin (found in mushrooms)
• Mescaline (found in the peyote cactus)
• PCP (phencyclidine)
• DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine)
  

Hallucinogens can be taken in a variety of ways, including swallowing them, smoking them, or injecting them. The effects of hallucinogens can vary depending on the drug, the dose, and the person taking it.

The effects of hallucinogens can be mild or severe. Mild effects may include:

• 
  Changes in perception, such as seeing things that are not there
• Changes in mood, such as feeling happy, sad, or scared
• Changes in thought, such as having strange ideas or thoughts
• Changes in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn or talkative

Severe effects of hallucinogens may include:

• Panic attacks
• Hallucinations that are disturbing or frightening
• Psychosis
• Persisting perception disorder (HPPD)
•  which is a condition in which people continue to experience hallucinations after they have stopped taking the drug

Hallucinogens can be dangerous, and they can have serious side effects. People who take hallucinogens are at risk of accidents, injuries, and violence. They may also experience long-term psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis.

If you or someone you know has used hallucinogens and is experiencing problems, there is help available. Please reach out to a mental health professional or call the National Drug Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

References

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2019). Foundations of Addictions Counseling (4th ed.).PearsonEducation(US).https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135169858 

The Opioid Epidemic

       The Opioid Epidemic

The opioid epidemic is a serious public health crisis in the United States. Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription painkillers, heroin, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. They work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, which can lead to a feeling of euphoria and pain relief. Opioid addiction is a chronic disease that can be difficult to treat. People who are addicted to opioids may experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop using the drug, and they may also develop a tolerance to the drug, meaning that they need to take more and more of it to achieve the same effect. The opioid epidemic has been caused by a number of factors, including the overprescription of opioid painkillers, the availability of heroin, and the use of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The overprescription of opioid painkillers began in the early 1990s when pharmaceutical companies marketed these drugs as safe and effective for the treatment of chronic pain. As a result, the number of opioid prescriptions in the United States increased dramatically.

Heroin is a cheaper and more potent alternative to prescription painkillers. It is also more easily available, as it can be produced illegally. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are even more potent than heroin. They are often added to heroin or other drugs without the user's knowledge, which can lead to overdose and death. The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on the United States. In 2017, there were over 70,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States, and the majority of these deaths involved opioids.

There are a number of things that can be done to address the opioid epidemic. 

• Reducing the overprescription of opioid painkillers
• Increasing access to treatment for opioid addiction
• Educating the public about the dangers of opioids
• Cracking down on the illegal sale of opioids

The opioid epidemic is a complex problem, but it is one that can be solved. By working together, we can save lives and prevent future tragedies.

If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid addiction, there is help available. Please reach out to a treatment provider or call the National Drug Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Resources

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2019). Foundations of Addictions Counseling (4th ed.).Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135169858

 

 The Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system. It is the most widely used drug in the world, with over 70% of people in the United States over the age of 18 reporting alcohol consumption within the previous 12 months (Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, 2019).

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. Its effects are usually felt within 20 minutes. The amount of alcohol that is absorbed depends on a number of factors, including the amount of alcohol consumed, the food in the stomach, and the person's body weight. Alcohol affects the brain by slowing down the activity of neurons. This can lead to a number of changes in mood, behavior, and physical functioning.

 Some of the short-term effects of alcohol include: 

• 
  Relaxation
• Euphoria
• Reduced inhibitions
• Increased sociability
• Slurred speech
• Poor coordination
• Reduced reaction time
• Drowsiness
• Blackouts

Alcohol can also have long-term effects on the brain. Heavy drinking over time can damage brain cells and lead to a number of conditions, including:

• 
  Alcohol dependence
• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
• Dementia
• Stroke
  
• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Cancer

Alcohol can also be addictive. People who are addicted to alcohol may experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking. These symptoms can include anxiety, tremors, nausea, and vomiting.

If you are concerned about your drinking, it is important to talk to a doctor or a therapist. They can help you assess your drinking and develop a plan to reduce or stop drinking.

 Here are some tips for reducing your drinking:

• Set limits on how much you drink.
• Drink slowly and evenly.
• Eat before you drink.
• Avoid drinking on an empty stomach.
• Drink non-alcoholic beverages in between alcoholic drinks.
• Take breaks from drinking.
• Have a plan for how you will get home safely if you are drinking.

References 

 Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2019). Foundations of Addictions Counseling (4th ed.).  Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135169858