| Publication Abstract Display | | Type: Poster | | Title: Neurocognitive deficits are associated with risk of unemployment among methamphetamine dependent adults. | | Authors: Weber E, Blackstone KB, Iudicello JE, Morgan EE, Grant I, Moore DJ, Woods SP, and the TMARC Group | | Date: 02-15-2012 | | Abstract:Unemployment
rates
are
high
among
chronic
methamphetamine
(MA)
users
and
carry
a
significant
economic
burden,
yet
little
is
known
about
the
neurocognitive
and
psychiatric
predictors
of
employment
in
this
vulnerable
population.
The
present
study
examined
this
issue
in
63
participants
who
met
DSM-‐IV
criteria
for
MA
dependence
within
the
last
18
months
relative
to
47
comparison
subjects
without
histories
of
MA
use
disorders.
Participants
with
HIV
infection,
severe
neuropsychological
or
psychiatric
conditions
that
might
affect
cognition
(e.g.,
seizure
disorder,
schizophrenia),
or
a
positive
breathalyzer
or
urine
toxicology
screen
on
the
day
of
testing
were
excluded.
Enrolled
participants
completed
a
comprehensive
neurocognitive,
psychiatric
and
neuromedical
evaluation.
Consistent
with
previous
research,
a
logistic
regression
revealed
MA
dependence
as
a
significant
predictor
of
full-‐time
employment
status
(p=0.025;
odds
ratio=2.84),
even
when
including
demographic
and
neuropsychiatric
factors
on
which
the
groups
differed
(i.e.,
education,
ethnicity,
and
other
substance
dependence
diagnoses)
as
covariates.
Within
the
MA-‐dependent
sample,
a
follow-‐up
regression
indicated
that
employment
status
was
independently
predicted
by
global
neurocognitive
functioning
(p<0.05)
along
with
history
of
intravenous
MA
use
(p<
0.01)
in
a
model
that
also
included
hepatitis
C
infection
and
neuropsychiatric
factors
(e.g.,
MDD,
ASPD).
At
the
domain
level,
the
neurocognitive
effect
was
driven
by
tests
of
motor
coordination
and
working
memory
(ps<0.05).
These
findings
indicate
that
neurocognitive
deficits
play
a
significant
role
in
the
employment
status
of
MA-‐
dependent
individuals,
and
highlight
the
need
for
vocational
rehabilitation
and
supported
employment
programs
that
assess
and
address
cognitive
skills
in
this
population. |
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