The United States has a serious substance misuse problem. Substance misuse is the use of alcohol or drugs in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the user or to those around them. Alcohol and drug misuse and related substance use disorders affect millions of Americans and impose enormous costs on our society. In 2015, 66.7 million people in the United States reported binge drinking in the past month and 27.1 million people were current users of illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs. The accumulated costs to the individual, the family, and the community are staggering and arise as a consequence of many direct and indirect effects, including compromised physical and mental health, increased spread of infectious disease, loss of productivity, reduced quality of life, increased crime and violence, increased motor vehicle crashes, abuse and neglect of children, and health care costs.The most devastating consequences are seen in the tens of thousands of lives that are lost each year as a result of substance misuse. Alcohol misuse contributes to 88,000 deaths in the United States each year; 1 in 10 deaths among working adults are due to alcohol misuse. In addition, in 2014 there were 47,055 drug overdose deaths including 28,647 people who died from a drug overdose involving some type of opioid, including prescription pain relievers and heroin--more than in any previous year on record.7

Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Office of the Surgeon General

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Addiction & Recovery

Independently published

The opioid misuse and overdose crisis touches everyone in the United States. In 2016, we lost more than 115 Americans to opioid overdose deaths each day, devastating families and communities across the country. Preliminary numbers in 2017 show that this number continues to increase with more than 131 opioid overdose deaths each day. The effects of the opioid crisis are cumulative and costly for our society—an estimated $504 billion a year in 2015—placing burdens on families, workplaces, the health care system, states, and communities.Addressing the opioid crisis is a priority for this Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is leading the public health-based approach to understanding the problem and taking action to fight it. HHS is tackling this crisis through our comprehensive five-point strategy focused on improving access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services; promoting use of overdose reversing drugs; strengthening our understanding of the epidemic through better public health surveillance; providing support for cutting-edge research on pain and addiction; and advancing better practices for pain management. Our efforts are collaborative—with all federal agencies and state and local partners working together to equip health care providers, communities, policymakers, law enforcement, and others with the information and tools they need to stem this growing epidemic.

Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Mental Health

As a nation, we have only begun to come to terms with the reality and impact of mental illnesses on the health and well being of the American people. This groundbreaking publication makes clear that the tragic and devastating effects of mental illnesses touch people of all ages, colors, and cultures. And though Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General informed us that there are effective treatments available for most disorders, Americans do not share equally in the best that science has to offer. Through the process of conducting his comprehensive scientific review for this Supplement, and with recognition that mental illnesses are real, disabling conditions affecting all populations regardless of race or ethnicity, the Surgeon General has determined that disparities in mental health services exist for racial and ethnic minorities, and thus, mental illnesses exact a greater toll on their overall health and productivity.Diversity is inherent to the American way of life, and so is equal opportunity. Ensuring that all Americans have equal access to high quality health care, including mental health care, is a primary goal of the Department of Health and Human Services. By identifying the many barriers to quality care faced by racial and ethnic minorities, this Supplement provides an important road map for Federal, State, and local leaders to follow in eliminating disparities in the availability, accessibility, and utilization of mental health services.An exemplary feature of this Supplement is its consideration of the relevance of history and culture to our understanding of mental health, mental illness, and disparities in services. In particular, the national prevention agenda can be informed by understanding how the strengths of different groups' cultural and historical experiences might be drawn upon to help prevent the emergence of mental health problems or reduce the effects of mental illness when it strikes. This Supplement takes a promising first step in this direction.One of the profound responsibilities of any government is to provide for its most vulnerable citizens. It is now incumbent upon the public health community to set in motion a plan for eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in mental health. To achieve this goal, we must first better understand the roles of culture, race, and ethnicity, and overcome obstacles that would keep anyone with mental health problems from seeking or receiving effective treatment. We must also endeavor to reduce variability in diagnostic and treatment procedures by encouraging the consistent use of evidence-based, state-of-the-art medications and psychotherapies throughout the mental health system. At the same time, research must continue to aid clinicians in understanding how to appropriately tailor interventions to the needs of the individual based on factors such as age, gender, race, culture, or ethnicity.

Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General

Center for Mental Health Services

National Institute of Mental Health

This is the 2014 update to the 2004 version.
Information in this edition reflects lessons learned from American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and represents state-of-the-art principles and practices of forward trauma surgery. This publication is not a first aid manual and is intended for physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice medics and corpsmen involved in providing emergency medical and trauma care near the battle space. This publication expertly addresses the appropriate medical management of blast wounds, burns, multiple penetrating injuries, as well as other battle and non-battle injuries.
Specific chapters cover the following topics:
<ul>
<li>Weapons Effects and War Wounds-Treat the wound, not the weapon, explosive injuries, and ballistics injuries including 5.56mm and 7.62mm.</li>
<li>Mass Casualty and Triage-Triage categories and decision making and emergency treatment area setup.</li>
<li>Airway/Breathing-Initial airway management, ventilation, intubation, difficult airways, and surgical crichothyrotomy.</li>
<li>Hemorrhage Control-Bleeding control, tourniquets, pressure points, dressings, bandages, hemostatic agents, and controlled hypotension.</li>
<li>Shock, Resuscitation, and Vascular Access-Treatment of hypovolemic shock, vascular access, subclavian vein access, internal jugular venipuncture, saphenous vein cut downs, and intraosseous infusion.</li>
<li>Anesthesia-Indications, rapid sequence intubation, indications and dosing recommendations for narcotics and muscle relaxants.</li>
<li>Soft Tissue and Open Joint Injuries-Pre-surgical care, surgical wound management, and wound care.</li>
<li>Infections-Diagnosis of a wound infection, common microorganisms causing battlefield infections, recommendations to prevent infections associated with combat related injuries, antimicrobial agent selection including preferred agents and alternate agents with appropriate administration and dosing guidelines.</li>
<li>Critical Care-Shock resuscitation, fluid and electrolyte management, treatment of acute coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure, unstable angina, and other acute medical conditions.</li>
<li>Damage Control Surgery-Pre-hospital and emergency resuscitation and critical care.</li>
<li>Face and Neck Injuries-Immediate management of face and neck injuries and facial bone fractures.</li>
<li>Ocular Injuries-Immediate treatment, treatment of chemical injuries, corneal abrasions, and foreign bodies.</li>
<li>Thoracic Injuries-Tension pneumothorax, hemothorax, open pneumothorax (sucking chest wound), flail chest, chest tube placement, and emergency thoracotomy.</li>
<li>Gynecologic Trauma and Emergencies-Emergency delivery and emergency Cesarean section and neonatal resuscitation.</li>
<li>Extremity Fractures-Wound management</li>
<li>Burns-Point of injury care, primary survey, estimation of fluid resuscitation needs, burn resuscitation, burn and wound care.</li>
<li>Environmental Injuries-Trench foot and frostbite, field and medical facility treatment, hypothermia treatment, heat injury and heat stroke, altitude illness and acute mountain sickness, high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema,</li>
<li>Radiological Injuries-Treatment of injuries and illnesses from conventional nuclear weapons and radiological dispersal devices (dirty bombs.)</li>
<li>Biological Warfare Agents-Hemorrhagic fever, Hanta, Ebola, Lassa, Rift Valley, botulinum, ricin, anthrax, plague, cholera, and tularemia treatment.</li>
<li>Chemical Injuries-Treatment of nerve agents, vesicants, and choking agents.</li>
<li>Pediatric Care-Fluid, caloric, and protein requirements for children, normal vital signs, pediatric resuscitation equipment and supplies, commonly used drugs and dosages, surgical management</li>
<li>Battlefield Transfusions</li>
<li>Emergency Whole Blood Collection</li>
<li>Product Manufacturers</li>
</ul>

Emergency War Surgery 2014

Medical Books

Medicine

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

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