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 Substance misuse in older people is a
growing public health problem and is often overlooked.
Although alcohol is a very commonly used
substance, older people also smoke cigarettes, misuse prescribed
medications, buy over-the-counter medication and are increasingly
using illicit drugs. These substances impact on mental health, even
if the effects may seem less obvious than in younger
people.
Older people access many different care
pathways, including liaison psychiatry and old age psychiatry
services. 'Dual diagnosis’ (comorbid substance misuse and
psychiatric illness), rather than substance misuse alone, is the
commonest presentation within old age psychiatry services.
While the evidence base for the treatment of
substance misuse in older people is limited, evidence suggests that
older people engage better in treatment when compared with younger
people.
This module will cover the following
areas:
- terminology, classification and
diagnosis
- epidemiology, assessment and psychological
treatment of alcohol misuse (including a video case presentation)
- comorbid psychiatric illness and substance
misuse or ‘dual diagnosis’
- misuse of other substances e.g. prescribed
medications, over-the-counter drugs, opiates and nicotine
- treatment of substance misuse.
Start the module
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