Cynthia L Arfken
Biographic Data
| ID | 212450 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Cynthia L Arfken |
| GIVEN NAMES | Cynthia L |
| FAMILY NAME | Arfken |
| SIGNATURE | ARFKEN C L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Wayne State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8167-6955 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 31 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1994 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Post-discharge use of opioids, psychostimulants, and treatment medications following residential opioid discontinuation with NET DeviceTM monotherapy
The randomized groups did not differ on outcomes. However, participants who self-administered active NET Device stimulation >24 hours reported significantly fewer post-discharge days of opioid or psychostimulant use than those who self-administered active <24 hours or sham, but these findings need to be replicated.Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04916600
A randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the NET DeviceTM for reducing withdrawal symptom severity during opioid discontinuation
ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04916600
Perceived health, adversity, and posttraumatic stress disorder in Syrian and Iraqi refugees
BACKGROUND: Exposure to armed conflict and fleeing country of origin for refugees has been associated with poorer psychological health. METHODS: Within the first month following their arrival in the United States, 152 Syrian and Iraqi refugees were screened in a primary care setting for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression and rated their perceived health, and perceived level of adversity of violence, armed conflict/fligh…
Palestinian Muslim College Students’ Attitudes to Mental Health Treatment
This study examined the association between the degree of religiosity, combined with cultural beliefs, social stigmas, and attitudes towards mental-health treatment in two groups, who, despite having similar cultural and religious affiliation, have experienced different socio-political contexts: Palestinian Muslim college students living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Israel. The study was guided by Tanhan and Young's (2021) conc…
US national treatment admissions with opioids and benzodiazepines
Carfentanil-Associated Mortality in Wayne County, Michigan, 2015–2017
Objectives. To identify opioids associated with a spike in opioid-related mortality in Wayne County, Michigan, from July 2016 through February 2017. Methods. We reviewed records from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office of 645 people who died because of accidental nonmedically prescribed opioid overdoses from July 2015 through July 2017. We analyzed basic demographics, locations of death, and all opioid toxicology results. Decedents who die…
Prevalence of Possible Mental Disorders in Syrian Refugees Resettling in the United States Screened at Primary Care
Acculturation and post-migration psychological symptoms among Iraqi refugees
Refugees frequently experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression, which impede their acculturation in the new host country where they are resettling. There are few longitudinal studies investigating predictors of mental health and acculturation during the early postmigration period. We conducted a longitudinal study of 298 Iraqi refugees, assessing them upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year after migration. Premigration trauma was ass…
Training for Direct Support Staff at Group Homes for People with Chronic Mental Illness
Potentially traumatic events and mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees
This study examined mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees, most of whom were Christian. Exposure to potentially traumatic events was hypothesized to predict more symptoms of depression and traumatic stress. Moreover, youth reports of supportive relationships with parents and positive feelings about school were examined in relation to mental health problems. These promotive factors were expected to mitigate the hypothesized assoc…
Pilot Study of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking Among US Muslim College Students
Exploratory Comparative Study on the Diffusion of Synthetic Cannabinoids and Synthetic Cathinones
The use of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones in southeastern Michigan was explored using Roger's Diffusion of Innovation theory. A mixed methods approach after specific synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone compounds were scheduled was used that included analysis of treatment admissions for two years, surveys of 15 substance abuse treatment providers, and qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of 24 participants. The participant system…
Intervention to Reduce Inpatient Psychiatric Admission in a Metropolitan City
Immigrant Arab Americans and Alcohol Use
Binge Drinking Among Arab/Chaldeans
Focus groups were conducted with young Arab/Chaldeans (N = 82) from different ethno-religious groups (Chaldeans, Orthodox Christians, and Muslims) to explore the potential risk and the protective factors associated with the high level of binge (or episodic heavy) drinking among Arab/Chaldeans reported by general population surveys. Most of the participants were aware of and knowledgeable about the problem in their community. Themes identified as …
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Reported Criminal Justice Referral at Treatment Admission
In the U.S. and elsewhere, the criminal justice system is a frequent referral source for substance abuse treatment admission. To expand and improve pathways to treatment, outreach efforts need additional information about different demographic groups. Locally, clinicians observed racial and ethnic differences between minority groups in self-identifying criminal justice as the referral sources for admission. To test this clinical observation, repo…
Alcohol Use Among Arab Americans
Clinical characteristics and treatment readiness of male and female problem gamblers calling a state gambling helpline
Helplines for problem gamblers play a critical role in a systems approach but more information is needed on the people who call. Men and women problem gamblers differ in the consequences of their gambling, and these differences likely affect motivation to change gambling behaviors. This study examined gender differences in gambling consequences and readiness to change gambling behaviors among callers to the State of Michigan Problem Gambling Help…
Alcohol Use Among U.S. Muslim College Students
Drinking behavior among Muslim college students in the United States is unknown. To obtain estimates and examine risk factors, the authors conducted secondary data analysis of the public access database from the 2001 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. Two variables were associated with drinking-religious activities, which were protective against drinking, and parental approval of drinking, which was a risk factor for drinking.…
Acculturation and Polysubstance Abuse in Arab-American Treatment Clients
Acculturation to U.S. culture by Latinos and Asian Americans has been associated with increased prevalence of substance abuse. However, little is known about the association between acculturation and substance use among Arab Americans, or more specifically, among Arab-American treatment clients. In 156 Arab-American male treatment clients, we found that higher levels of U.S. acculturation were positively associated with increased prevalence of po…
Pathways for Arab Americans to Substance Abuse Treatment in Southeastern Michigan
Immigrant ethnic groups in the United States are underrepresented in substance abuse treatment. To investigate possible reasons for underrepresentation of Arab Americans, we conducted two qualitative studies. The first study revealed that the process of treatment seeking may discourage Arab Americans not proficient in English, and that treatment-eligibility assessors believed that clients of all demographic groups self-report their ethnicity and …
Beyond Gender Responsivity
As the debate regarding gender responsive strategies continues, there is little attention to differences that exist within gender. Attention to within gender differences is of particular importance in community contexts where many women involved in the criminal justice (CJ) system are located and receiving treatment with non-CJ involved women. Using a national data set we found 43.6% of the CJ women had 4 or more areas of need compared with 16.5%…
Psychosocial factors and treatment adherence in paediatric HIV/Aids
A social ecological model provides a promising framework for understanding the individual, family, and societal factors contributing to non-adherence to treatment of paediatric HIV. This study explored which factors relevant to this model are associated with caregivers' adherence and child health outcomes. A cross-sectional design was utilized to assess relationships among current individual, familial, extra-familial factors, caregiver adherence,…
Perceived Impact by Administrators of Psychiatric Emergency Services after Changes in a State’s Mental Health System
Measuring adherence to treatment of paediatric HIV/Aids
Parent, child, physician report and pill counts were used to measure adherence in paediatric HIV. Relationships to viral load were assessed. Pill counts were considered invalid. Adherence measures did not correlate with one another. Physicians reported lower adherence than parents, but parent and physician report correlated with viral load. The clinical and research utility of the various measures are discussed
The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community
OBJECTIVES. Fear of falling has been recognized as a potentially debilitating consequence of falling in elderly persons. However, the prevalence and the correlates of this fear are unknown. METHODS. Prevalence of fear of falling was calculated from the 1-year follow-up of an age- and gender-stratified random sample of community-dwelling elderly persons. Cross-sectional associations of fear of falling with quality of life, frailty, and falling wer…
Neighbors for a smoke free north side
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated a community organization approach that emphasized involvement of audiences in program planning and implementation in promoting nonsmoking among African American residents of low-income neighborhoods. METHODS: The quasi-experimental design involved a 24-month intervention in 3 low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods in St. Louis. Intervention neighborhoods were compared with comparable, untreated n…
Obesity in Inner‐city African Americans
These results corroborate US national data that obesity is a public health problem in this population and that obese inner-city African Americans perceive themselves as overweight and are trying to lose weight, especially as degree of obesity increases. It also appears that smoking is not being used as a weight loss strategy and that the obese, as a group, are receiving some medical advice on low-fat diets. This information is critical for design…
Intervention to Reduce Inpatient Psychiatric Admission in a Metropolitan City
Perceived Impact by Administrators of Psychiatric Emergency Services after Changes in a State’s Mental Health System
Visual Acuity, Visual Disabilities and Falling in the Elderly
Poor vision has been suggested as a risk factor for falling in the elderly. We analyzed the findings from a cohort of community-dwelling elderly (N = 875) to determine the relative risks for impaired visual acuity and various visual disabilities with falling, recurrent falling, and serious injurious falls. The prevalences of impaired visual acuity and four visual disabilities were low. None of the vision variables examined predicted time to first…
The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community
OBJECTIVES. Fear of falling has been recognized as a potentially debilitating consequence of falling in elderly persons. However, the prevalence and the correlates of this fear are unknown. METHODS. Prevalence of fear of falling was calculated from the 1-year follow-up of an age- and gender-stratified random sample of community-dwelling elderly persons. Cross-sectional associations of fear of falling with quality of life, frailty, and falling wer…
Obesity in Inner‐city African Americans
These results corroborate US national data that obesity is a public health problem in this population and that obese inner-city African Americans perceive themselves as overweight and are trying to lose weight, especially as degree of obesity increases. It also appears that smoking is not being used as a weight loss strategy and that the obese, as a group, are receiving some medical advice on low-fat diets. This information is critical for design…
Neighbors for a smoke free north side
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated a community organization approach that emphasized involvement of audiences in program planning and implementation in promoting nonsmoking among African American residents of low-income neighborhoods. METHODS: The quasi-experimental design involved a 24-month intervention in 3 low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods in St. Louis. Intervention neighborhoods were compared with comparable, untreated n…
Interaction Effects of Treatment Setting and Client Characteristics on Retention and Completion
Client-treatment matching assumes treatment outcome will be improved if characteristics of clients are matched to specific elements of treatment. Few empirical studies, however, have examined matching across different types of treatment settings. The present research examined differences in demographics and substance-related problems in populations admitted to three substance abuse treatment settings--outpatient (n = 1132), intensive outpatient (…
Women are Less Likely to be Admitted to Substance Abuse Treatment Within 30 Days of Assessment
The information gathered in a centralized intake unit (CIU) allows payers and administrators to examine if there are access issues for their population. For this study, the authors examined whether there were gender differences in the rate at which people are admitted to treatment within 30 days of assessment. Of the 5,004 individuals seeking publicly-funded substance abuse treatment in Detroit for the years 1996-97, 50.3% of those assessed at th…
Measuring adherence to treatment of paediatric HIV/Aids
Parent, child, physician report and pill counts were used to measure adherence in paediatric HIV. Relationships to viral load were assessed. Pill counts were considered invalid. Adherence measures did not correlate with one another. Physicians reported lower adherence than parents, but parent and physician report correlated with viral load. The clinical and research utility of the various measures are discussed
Beyond Gender Responsivity
As the debate regarding gender responsive strategies continues, there is little attention to differences that exist within gender. Attention to within gender differences is of particular importance in community contexts where many women involved in the criminal justice (CJ) system are located and receiving treatment with non-CJ involved women. Using a national data set we found 43.6% of the CJ women had 4 or more areas of need compared with 16.5%…
Psychosocial factors and treatment adherence in paediatric HIV/Aids
A social ecological model provides a promising framework for understanding the individual, family, and societal factors contributing to non-adherence to treatment of paediatric HIV. This study explored which factors relevant to this model are associated with caregivers' adherence and child health outcomes. A cross-sectional design was utilized to assess relationships among current individual, familial, extra-familial factors, caregiver adherence,…
Perceived Impact by Administrators of Psychiatric Emergency Services after Changes in a State’s Mental Health System
Acculturation and Polysubstance Abuse in Arab-American Treatment Clients
Acculturation to U.S. culture by Latinos and Asian Americans has been associated with increased prevalence of substance abuse. However, little is known about the association between acculturation and substance use among Arab Americans, or more specifically, among Arab-American treatment clients. In 156 Arab-American male treatment clients, we found that higher levels of U.S. acculturation were positively associated with increased prevalence of po…
Pathways for Arab Americans to Substance Abuse Treatment in Southeastern Michigan
Immigrant ethnic groups in the United States are underrepresented in substance abuse treatment. To investigate possible reasons for underrepresentation of Arab Americans, we conducted two qualitative studies. The first study revealed that the process of treatment seeking may discourage Arab Americans not proficient in English, and that treatment-eligibility assessors believed that clients of all demographic groups self-report their ethnicity and …
Alcohol Use Among U.S. Muslim College Students
Drinking behavior among Muslim college students in the United States is unknown. To obtain estimates and examine risk factors, the authors conducted secondary data analysis of the public access database from the 2001 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. Two variables were associated with drinking-religious activities, which were protective against drinking, and parental approval of drinking, which was a risk factor for drinking.…
Alcohol Use Among Arab Americans
Clinical characteristics and treatment readiness of male and female problem gamblers calling a state gambling helpline
Helplines for problem gamblers play a critical role in a systems approach but more information is needed on the people who call. Men and women problem gamblers differ in the consequences of their gambling, and these differences likely affect motivation to change gambling behaviors. This study examined gender differences in gambling consequences and readiness to change gambling behaviors among callers to the State of Michigan Problem Gambling Help…
Binge Drinking Among Arab/Chaldeans
Focus groups were conducted with young Arab/Chaldeans (N = 82) from different ethno-religious groups (Chaldeans, Orthodox Christians, and Muslims) to explore the potential risk and the protective factors associated with the high level of binge (or episodic heavy) drinking among Arab/Chaldeans reported by general population surveys. Most of the participants were aware of and knowledgeable about the problem in their community. Themes identified as …
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Reported Criminal Justice Referral at Treatment Admission
In the U.S. and elsewhere, the criminal justice system is a frequent referral source for substance abuse treatment admission. To expand and improve pathways to treatment, outreach efforts need additional information about different demographic groups. Locally, clinicians observed racial and ethnic differences between minority groups in self-identifying criminal justice as the referral sources for admission. To test this clinical observation, repo…
Immigrant Arab Americans and Alcohol Use
Exploratory Comparative Study on the Diffusion of Synthetic Cannabinoids and Synthetic Cathinones
The use of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones in southeastern Michigan was explored using Roger's Diffusion of Innovation theory. A mixed methods approach after specific synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone compounds were scheduled was used that included analysis of treatment admissions for two years, surveys of 15 substance abuse treatment providers, and qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of 24 participants. The participant system…
Intervention to Reduce Inpatient Psychiatric Admission in a Metropolitan City
Pilot Study of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking Among US Muslim College Students
Potentially traumatic events and mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees
This study examined mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees, most of whom were Christian. Exposure to potentially traumatic events was hypothesized to predict more symptoms of depression and traumatic stress. Moreover, youth reports of supportive relationships with parents and positive feelings about school were examined in relation to mental health problems. These promotive factors were expected to mitigate the hypothesized assoc…
Training for Direct Support Staff at Group Homes for People with Chronic Mental Illness
Prevalence of Possible Mental Disorders in Syrian Refugees Resettling in the United States Screened at Primary Care
Acculturation and post-migration psychological symptoms among Iraqi refugees
Refugees frequently experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression, which impede their acculturation in the new host country where they are resettling. There are few longitudinal studies investigating predictors of mental health and acculturation during the early postmigration period. We conducted a longitudinal study of 298 Iraqi refugees, assessing them upon arrival to the U.S. and 1 year after migration. Premigration trauma was ass…
Medicine (29 works) · Psychiatry (20 works) · Psychology (20 works) · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes (10 works) · Clinical Psychology (9 works) · Mental health (8 works) · Migration, Health and Trauma (8 works) · Poison control (8 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research (7 works)