Colleen Anne Dell | |
---|---|
Nationality | Canadian |
Occupation(s) | Public sociologist, animal-assisted intervention practitioner, and academic |
Awards | Women of Distinction Award, Research, Science and Technology category, YWCA Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem |
Academic background | |
Education | B.A., Sociology M.A., Sociology Ph.D., Sociology |
Alma mater | University of Winnipeg University of Manitoba Carleton University |
Academic work | |
Institutions | University of Saskatchewan |
Website | https://colleendell.com |
Colleen Anne Dell is a Canadian public sociologist,animal-assisted intervention practitioner,and academic. She is a Professor and Centennial Enhancement Chair in One Health &Wellness in the Department of Sociology and Associate in the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan. She is most known for her research on criminal justice,mental health,substance abuse,and Indigenous peoples’health. [1]
Dell’s current program of research applies a community-based and patient-oriented participatory approach with both humans and animals. [2] Dell's research focuses on how helpful the human-animal bond can be to promote wellness among individuals,communities,and animals. She pays particular attention to the One Health concept of "zooeyia"—how interaction with companion animals can benefit the health of people. Her team’s research in the field has received media recognition, [3] and has been featured by CNN, [4] People Magazine,Canadian Press,NPR,Medscape,and The New York Times. [5]
Since 2019,she has been associated with the Strategic Development Group for Multispecies Dementia International Research Network. [6]
Dell graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Winnipeg in 1992. She then enrolled at the University of Manitoba,and received her Master’s degree in Sociology in 1996. She earned her Doctoral degree in the Department of Sociology at Carleton University in 2001. [1]
Dell began her academic career in 1998,as a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University. In 2001,she was briefly appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology,before becoming an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University. She was promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in 2006,and became an Adjunct Professor in 2007. These positions were held jointly with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (formerly Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse),where she is serving as Senior Research Associate and has been in various other roles since 2001. Her tenure at the University of Saskatchewan started in 2007,with her appointment as the Research Chair in Substance Abuse. She served there as Associate Professor of Sociology till 2012. Along with this appointment,she also held a Joint Appointment in the School of Public Health till 2015. From 2016 till 2021,she was appointed as the Centennial Enhancement Chair in One Health &Wellness. Currently,she has been serving as an Associate Faculty Member in the School of Public Health,and as Professor of Sociology at University of Saskatchewan. In 2021,she was reappointed as the Centennial Enhancement Chair in One Health &Wellness. [1]
Dell’s research is primarily focused on the human-animal bond and "zooeyia",with particular attention to exploring the impact of therapy dogs visiting in various settings,such as prisons and hospitals. She has published over 85 articles,25 book chapters and 57 reports on topics related to animal-assisted interventions,addictions,criminalization,health,healing and wellness,mental health,Indigenous wellbeing,and knowledge mobilization. [7] [8]
In 2022,NPR News featured Dell’s work on the integration of therapy dogs as a way to echo Indigenous holistic approaches to health. [9] Other research by Dell and her team suggests that culture-based interventions integrated into addictions treatment for Indigenous people can help improve client functioning in all areas of wellness. [10] Alongside the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation,in 2015 Dell co-led the development of the Native Wellness Assessment, [11] a measurement tool to demonstrate the efficacy of cultural interventions from a foundation of Indigenous evidence. [12]
In a 2008 study,Dell and her team determined the association between the beliefs of a group of adult,male prisoners in Iran about the transmission of HIV and their high-risk practices while in prison. The team found that educational harm reduction initiatives that are intended to promote the effectiveness of strategies designed to reduce the risk of HIV transmission may also decrease prisoners' high-risk behaviors. [13] In 2010 she wrote about harm reduction policies for Indigenous peoples in Canada,and integrated these understandings into the therapy dog field with Indigenous opioid agonist therapy program patients. She co-published this work with program staff,a patient,and a therapy dog. [14] She also led a study in understanding the role of Service Dogs in the health of Veterans diagnosed with PTSD and a Substance Use Disorder. [15]
Dell's study on the stigma faced by Indigenous women with substance use health concerns was translated into a workshop and accompanying song and video,titled From Stilettos to Moccasins. [16] More recently,the findings of her team’s therapy dog emergency department controlled trial were translated into an animated plain language short video. [17] As co-founder and facilitator with Darlene Chalmers of the PAWSitive Support prison program,they have undertaken evaluations of the impact of therapy dogs in federal correctional institutions and shared them in an Animal Memories magazine. [18] This and other gathered knowledge has been developed into an online therapy dog handler education course,released in 2022. [19] Her team’s study with service dogs have also been translated into an online education course for trainers,released 2022. [20]
In 2011 Dell co-edited a Special Edition Substance Use &Misuse journal on volatile substance misuse. [21]
Substance abuse,also known as drug abuse,is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health,medical,and criminal justice contexts. In some cases,criminal or anti-social behavior occurs when the person is under the influence of a drug,and long-term personality changes in individuals may also occur. In addition to possible physical,social,and psychological harm,the use of some drugs may also lead to criminal penalties,although these vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.
Harm reduction,or harm minimization,refers to a range of intentional practices and public health policies designed to lessen the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with various human behaviors,both legal and illegal. Harm reduction is used to decrease negative consequences of recreational drug use and sexual activity without requiring abstinence,recognizing that those unable or unwilling to stop can still make positive change to protect themselves and others.
Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol,prescription drugs,and street drugs such as cannabis,cocaine,heroin or amphetamines. The general intent is to enable the patient to confront substance dependence,if present,and stop substance misuse to avoid the psychological,legal,financial,social,and physical consequences that can be caused.Citation needed
Psychedelic therapy refers to the proposed use of psychedelic drugs,such as psilocybin,MDMA,LSD,and ayahuasca,to treat mental disorders. As of 2021,psychedelic drugs are controlled substances in most countries and psychedelic therapy is not legally available outside clinical trials,with some exceptions.
A therapy dog is a dog that is trained to provide affection,comfort and support to people,often in settings such as hospitals,retirement homes,nursing homes,schools,libraries,hospices,or disaster areas. In contrast to assistance dogs,which are trained to assist specific patients with their day-to-day physical needs,therapy dogs are trained to interact with all kinds of people,not just their handlers.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substance use disorder characterized by cravings for opioids,continued use despite physical and/or psychological deterioration,increased tolerance with use,and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing opioids. Opioid withdrawal symptoms include nausea,muscle aches,diarrhea,trouble sleeping,agitation,and a low mood. Addiction and dependence are important components of opioid use disorder.
Substance dependence,also known as drug dependence,is a biopsychological situation whereby an individual's functionality is dependent on the necessitated re-consumption of a psychoactive substance because of an adaptive state that has developed within the individual from psychoactive substance consumption that results in the experience of withdrawal and that necessitates the re-consumption of the drug. A drug addiction,a distinct concept from substance dependence,is defined as compulsive,out-of-control drug use,despite negative consequences. An addictive drug is a drug which is both rewarding and reinforcing. ΔFosB,a gene transcription factor,is now known to be a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions,but not dependence.
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling approach developed in part by clinical psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick. It is a directive,client-centered counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. Compared with non-directive counseling,it is more focused and goal-directed,and departs from traditional Rogerian client-centered therapy through this use of direction,in which therapists attempt to influence clients to consider making changes,rather than engaging in non-directive therapeutic exploration. The examination and resolution of ambivalence is a central purpose,and the counselor is intentionally directive in pursuing this goal. MI is most centrally defined not by technique but by its spirit as a facilitative style for interpersonal relationship.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an approach to psychotherapy that uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) methods in conjunction with mindfulness meditative practices and similar psychological strategies. The origins to its conception and creation can be traced back to the traditional approaches from East Asian formative and functional medicine,philosophy and spirituality,birthed from the basic underlying tenets from classical Taoist,Buddhist and Traditional Chinese medical texts,doctrine and teachings.
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an alternative or complementary type of therapy that includes the use of animals in a treatment. The goal of this animal-assisted intervention is to improve a patient's social,emotional,or cognitive functioning. Studies have documented some positive effects of the therapy on subjective self-rating scales and on objective physiological measures such as blood pressure and hormone levels.
Drug injection is a method of introducing a drug into the bloodstream via a hollow hypodermic needle,which is pierced through the skin into the body. Intravenous therapy,a form of drug injection,is universally practiced in modernized medical care. As of 2004,there were 13.2 million people worldwide who self-administered injection drugs outside of medical supervision,of which 22% are from developed countries.
The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) describes itself as "the principal advisory body to Government on drug policy and plays a critical role in ensuring the voice of the community is heard in relation to drug related policies and strategies." The Council occupies a unique position by virtue of its role in enhancing the partnership between the government and the community. It has pivotal advisory,advocacy and representative functions,with a significant role to provide government Ministers with independent,expert advice on matters related to licit and illicit drugs.
Dual diagnosis is the condition of having a mental illness and a comorbid substance use disorder. There is considerable debate surrounding the appropriateness of using a single category for a heterogeneous group of individuals with complex needs and a varied range of problems. The concept can be used broadly,for example depression and alcohol use disorder,or it can be restricted to specify severe mental illness and substance use disorder,or a person who has a milder mental illness and a drug dependency,such as panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder and is dependent on opioids. Diagnosing a primary psychiatric illness in people who use substances is challenging as substance use disorder itself often induces psychiatric symptoms,thus making it necessary to differentiate between substance induced and pre-existing mental illness.
Substance use disorder (SUD) is the persistent use of drugs despite the substantial harm and adverse consequences to one's own self and others,as a result of their use. In perspective,the effects of the wrong use of substances that are capable of causing harm to the user or others,have been extensively described in different studies using a variety of terms such as substance use problems,problematic drugs or alcohol use,and substance use disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that "Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person's brain and behavior,leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs,alcohol,or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe,with addiction being the most severe form of SUD". Substance use disorders (SUD) are considered to be a serious mental illness that fluctuates with the age that symptoms first start appearing in an individual,the time during which it exists and the type of substance that is used. It is not uncommon for those who have SUD to also have other mental health disorders. Substance use disorders are characterized by an array of mental/emotional,physical,and behavioral problems such as chronic guilt;an inability to reduce or stop consuming the substance(s) despite repeated attempts;operating vehicles while intoxicated;and physiological withdrawal symptoms. Drug classes that are commonly involved in SUD include:alcohol (alcoholism);cannabis;opioids;stimulants such as nicotine,cocaine and amphetamines;benzodiazepines;barbiturates;and other substances.
Low-threshold treatment programs are harm reduction-based health care centers targeted towards people who use substances. "Low-threshold" programs are programs that make minimal demands on the patient,offering services without attempting to control their intake of drugs,and providing counselling only if requested. Low-threshold programs may be contrasted with "high-threshold" programs,which require the user to accept a certain level of control and which demand that the patient accept counselling and cease all drug use as a precondition of support.
Responsible drug use seeks to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks associated with psychoactive drug use. For illegal psychoactive drugs that are not diverted prescription controlled substances,some critics believe that illegal recreational drug use is inherently irresponsible,due to the unpredictable and unmonitored strength and purity of the drugs and the risks of addiction,infection,and other side effects.
Gerry Stimson is a British public health social scientist,emeritus professor at Imperial College London from 2004,and an honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from 2017. Stimson has over 220 scientific publications mainly on social and health aspects of illicit drug use,including HIV infection. He has sat on numerous editorial boards including AIDS,Addiction,and European Addiction Research,and with Tim Rhodes he was the co-editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Drug Policy from 2000 to 2016. He is one of the global leaders for research on and later advocacy for harm reduction.
Discrimination against drug addicts is a form of discrimination against people who suffer from a drug addiction.
The opioid epidemic,also referred to as the opioid crisis,is the rapid increase in the overuse,misuse/abuse,and overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs called opiates/opioids since the 1990s. It includes the significant medical,social,psychological,demographic and economic consequences of the medical,non-medical,and recreational abuse of these medications.
Screening,Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a model that encourages mental health and substance use screenings as a routine preventive service in healthcare.