Faculty Book Release

An Interview with Dr. Brian Kelley, Ph.D. in Experimental Biological Psychology, about his book,

SUBSTANCE ABUSE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACH (KENDALL-HUNT, 2021)

Q: What is the book about?

A: The book Substance Abuse Across the Lifespan: A Biopsychosocial Approach (Kendall-Hunt, 2021) is current and comprehensive in its discussion of substance abuse and presents complex concepts through case studies and real-world applications while being mindful of and sensitive to important differences across culture, race, gender, geography, and age. At the forefront of this approach is a focus on biblical integration across the science, treatment, and prevention of substance abuse. The book has been classroom-tested at numerous colleges/universities, and feedback from students, professors, and those with lived experience were used to create a disarming and genuine presentation of the material in a passionate and non-judgmental tone. As the name implies, the book focuses on how substance abuse is an interdisciplinary area of study, treatment, and prevention as well as uniquely influenced by lifespan, thus helping learners appreciate that substance abuse is not static/acute but dynamic/enduring and heavily influenced by complex and cooperating biopsychosocial variables. Numerous professionals in the field and those with lived experience provided commentaries for the book, thus helping to elevate contemporary issues and address ongoing controversies in the field. Breaking up complex and difficult topics throughout the book with case studies and expert commentaries really helps students stay engaged and connect the science to their own lived experience. Furthermore, pedagogically, important summary information is placed in lists, tables, and charts, enhancing understanding and accessibility. Each chapter starts with a summary and specific learning objects and ends with a conclusion along with keywords, a case study list, practice questions as well as an ethical reflective question, three discussion questions, and one activity (all with expectations for grading).

Q: Why did you write the book?

A: During my postdoctoral studies at the Medical University of South Carolina (Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology), I participated in research projects as diverse as HIV-related dementia complex, developing/testing novel pharmacotherapies for alcoholism and tobacco dependence, to examining adult subjects with prenatal cocaine exposure. The trajectory of my work in the field has taken me from bench to bedside to the community prevention efforts with a focus on high-impact programs/interventions. I wanted to ground my work on what can be done to improve the lives of people struggling with substance abuse. This has long been a topic of interest to me, having grown up in Washington, D.C., at the height of our nation’s substance abuse problem. Ostensibly, my topic is not purely academic but evolved from seeing firsthand the immediate and long-term impact of drugs on friends, schools, and the community. The goal was to write a book that authentically and accurately presents information in a more conversational tone, instead of presenting it like lengthy instructions for assembling furniture like so many other science textbooks, at worst, or like a long-annotated bibliography, at best. I hope the culmination of these experiences — in book format — translates into an authentic and impactful approach to addressing one of our nation’s most profound problems: substance abuse.

Q: How big is the problem addressed in the book?

A: Substance use and abuse is a public health epidemic affecting our families, friends, neighbors, schools, communities, counties, states, and collectively, our world. Although the costs of cancer and diabetes are at recordbreaking numbers, $157 billion dollars and $131.7 billion dollars respectively, the cost of substance abuse far surpasses both diseases combined at about $600 billion dollars annually. Substance abuse also accounts for over 30% of the homeless individuals in America, and approximately 66% of the federal prison inmates suffer from a substance use disorder. Over 3 million individuals aged 12 and over used an illicit drug for the first time within the past 12 months, at a rate of approximately 8,000 new users a day. Drug abuse problems are not limited to just the United States. An estimated 210 million people globally use drugs each year, and about 200,000 die from such use. Illicit drug use is one of the top 20 health risk factors globally — keep in mind that many people across the globe have limited access to clean drinking water, nutritious food, employment, or any kind of healthcare. Substance or chemical use disorders are associated with an increased risk of HIV/AIDS, cancer, accidental injury, hepatitis, tuberculosis, suicide, overdose deaths, and cardiovascular diseases.