Main description:

Designed for the general reader, this two-volume set provides authoritative and essential information pertaining to addictions and substance abuse in easy-to-understand language.

The seventh title in Salem's well-received Salem Health series, Salem Health: Addictions & Substance Abuse provides authoritative, essential information on complementary and alternative medicine in easy-to-understand language. The set was designed for general readers and offers a unique perspective on this growing and constantly changing field. Plus, the purchase of the printed set entitles a school or library to three years of complimentary online access to Addictions & Substance Abuse's content.

SCOPE AND COVERAGE
The set contains 400 alphabetically arranged essays on a variety of topics, including substances of abuse, treatment and addiction overviews, organisations and foundations dedicated to treatment and prevention, physiological and psychological issues and behaviours, trends and statistics, and social contexts and concerns related to substance abuse and treatment such as advertising and media influence, aging, ethnicity, and children and substance abuse.

The essays, written for non-specialists by medical professionals and medical writers, will appeal to science and premedical students, students of psychology and addictive behaviours, students of drug abuse epidemiology and public health issues, public library patrons, and librarians building collections in science, health, and medicine, or related fields.

ORGANISATION AND FORMAT
Essays are alphabetised and vary in length from one to five pages. Essays begin with ready-reference top matter that contains the topic category and definition. Substance abuse essays include the following sections: Causes, Risk Factors, Symptoms, Screening and Diagnosis, Treatment and Therapy, and Prevention. Essays covering associated organisations, programs, and treatment centres offer the following sections: Background, Dates established or founded, and Mission and Goals. Essays covering diagnosis, physiology, prevention, psychological issues, socials issues, treatment, and other topics related to behavioural addictions and substance abuse will include subsections chosen by the author as they suit the particular topic.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Appendices at the end of volume two supplement the set: a glossary provides hundreds of definitions of commonly used terms; a bibliography offers citations for published sources for additional research; and a time line details major developments in addictions and substance abuse. Other appendices include a list of web resources, addictions support groups, organisations and treatment centres, and a list of pharmaceutical treatments, categorised by brand name.