bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Authors: PERKINS KENNETH A. , BENOWITZ NEAL , HENNINGFIELD JACK , NEWHOUSE PAUL , POMERLEAU OVIDE , SWAN GARY
Published: March 2003

The proceedings of the inaugural scientific meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) are summarized. The primary objective of the meeting was to foster the exchange of information on the effects of nicotine and tobacco use, as well as factors which influence their use, drawing from biological, behavioral and social sciences. Much of this research can be viewed as a tale of “two” drugs–nicotine as a key to an important public health problem, and nicotine as a classical tool of physiological and pharmacological research. A historical overview of research on “both” drugs is provided first. Public policy alternatives for reducing the prevalence of tobacco use have been derived in part from basic and clinical research results and are briefly outlined. Evidence for genetic determinants on nicotine use and effects is presented using data from twin studies and from molecular genetic research with humans and animals. Consistent with this research, there is evidence of individual differences in pharmacokinetics and effects of nicotine, which could account for differences in smoking behavior and nicotine dependence. Finally, recent developments in the therapeutic uses of nicotine and novel nicotinic agonists with schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome and ulcerative colitis are presented. Overall, the research presented at the meeting demonstrated the vast diversity of areas of study involving nicotine and tobacco, as well as the rich opportunities for cross‐communication among researchers from different disciplines.
The future of smoking cessation therapy in the United States
Authors: HUGHES JOHN R.
Published: March 2003

Six trends that are likely to influence the future content, format, delivery and reach of smoking cessation therapy in the United States are discussed: (1) changing characteristics of smokers (e.g. more likely to be poor, have psychiatric co‐morbidity and be more nicotine dependent), (2) health care reform demands for cost‐effectiveness, (3) development of guidelines/algorithms that recommend stepped‐care approaches, (4) continued emphasis on smoking as a form of drug dependence requiring intensive pharmacological and behavior therapy for some smokers, (5) interest in harm‐reduction strategies for smokers unable or unwilling to qua (and 6) smoking cessation therapies become reimbursable on par with other drug dependencies.
Gender differences in the risk of alcohol dependence: United States, 1992
Authors: DAWSON DEBORAH
Published: March 2003

Data from a representative sample of US adults revealed that 24% of male life‐time drinkers and 15% of female life‐time drinkers met the DSM‐IV criteria for life‐time alcohol dependence, i.e. dependence during the year preceding interview or in any 12‐month period prior to that year. The median interval from first drink to onset of dependence was 3.6 years for men and 3.0 years for women. After using survival techniques to adjust for potential gender differences in the exposure to risk of developing alcohol dependence, the cumulative conditional probability of having experienced onset of dependence was 35.1 % for men and 24.6% for women. The conditional probability of onset of dependence was equal for men and women in the first year after initiation of drinking, about 30% higher for men in the period 1‐4 years after the first drink, and about 45% higher for men thereafter. After using proportional hazards models to adjust for the effects of age cohort, race and ethnicity, family history of alcoholism and age at first drink, these period‐specific risk ratios remained virtually unchanged. Including a measure of average daily ethanol intake during periods of heaviest consumption rendered most of the gender differences statistically insignificant, revealing a slight excess risk of female dependence within the first year after initiation of drinking among the heaviest drinkers and leaving an excess male risk of dependence mostly among individuals with average daily intakes of less than one ounce of ethanol. The results suggest that different frequencies of binge drinking might help to account for these remaining gender differences and that men's and women's relative risks of developing alcohol dependence may vary as a function of life cycle stage, with men's excess risk greatest in the college/young adult years.
The New Zealand rugby injury and performance project: alcohol use patterns within a cohort of rugby players
Authors: QUARRIE K. L. , FEEHAN M. , WALLER A. E. , COOKE K. R. , WILLIAMS S. , McGEE R.
Published: March 2003

Although heavy drinking has traditionally been associated with rugby, the drinking patterns of New Zealand rugby players have not been examined. Three hundred and forty‐eight rugby players (257 males and 91 females), completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at the beginning of the 1993 rugby season. The mean AUDIT scores were 11.2 (SD = 5.1) for the males and 8.7 (4.1) for the females: a cut‐off of 8.0 has been recommended by the developers of the instrument for identifying alcohol use disorders. The consumption of large quantities of alcohol, and a high frequency of heavy drinking sessions were the norm for this group. Sixty‐one per cent of males and 38% of females consumed six or more drinks in a session at least weekly: typically, men drank 10 or more drinks in a session and women 5‐6 drinks. The patterns of drinking exhibited by the cohort give cause for concern regarding the health risks associated with suck behaviour.
Health status at entry to methadone maintenance treatment using the SF‐36 health survey questionnaire
Authors: RYAN CHRISTINA F. , WHITE JASON M.
Published: March 2003

This study used the SF‐36 general health questionnaire to measure the health status of heroin users at entry to a public methadone maintenance programme. Their results were compared to those from the general population and from three clinical groups: patients with minor medical, major medical and psychiatric problems. One hundred consecutive clients were interviewed in the first week on the programme using the SF‐36 health questionnaire. Data were also gathered on their drug use, use of medical services and HIV risk behaviour. The results showed that heroin users at entry to the methadone maintenance programme had significantly worse physical and psychological health than the general population. Their scores were most similar to the psychiatrically depressed patients, although they had worse physical health than this comparison group. The greater the amount of heroin used by clients before entering the programme, the more pain they reported. Alcohol and marijuana use were associated with better social and physical health. The relationship between general health status and amount or frequency of drug use is not a clear one. Heroin users experience severe emotional and physical problems at the time of entering methadone maintenance treatment.
Drug use in the high intensity drug trafficking area of the US Southwest border
Authors: HARRISON LANA D. , KENNEDY NANCY J.
Published: March 2003

This paper examines the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use in the Southwest border region of the United States. Based on the seriousness of drug trafficking in the area, the Southwest border has been designated a “High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.” Yet there is little quantitative data on the nature and magnitude of drug use in the Southwest border region. This paper examines the prevalence of drug use in the area by extracting data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. The data show that drug use rates in the Southwest border area are very similar to those found throughout the remainder of the United States. Hispanics, who constitute about 41% of the Southwest border population, have lower prevalence rates for most classes of drugs than non‐Hispanics. The border Hispanics exhibit even lower prevalence rates than Hispanics in the remainder of the United States. However, many of these differences are attributable to the lower levels of drug use among women, and youth and older adults. As these demographic subgroups become increasingly acculturated, their drug use could come to more closely resemble that of their peers in the remainder of the United States.
The income‐generating behaviour of injecting drug‐users in Oslo
Authors: BRETTEVILLE‐JENSEN ANNE LINE , SUTTON MATTHEW
Published: March 2003

Drug users’income‐generating behaviours, such as prostitution, acquisitive crime and small‐scale dealing, have a major influence on the harm caused w the non‐using population. Using data on the drug use and income sources of 900 drug‐injectors in Oslo, this paper has two aims: to present data on Oslo income‐generating behaviours and compare these with those in the Netherlands and Scotland; and to explore conceptual issues in the comparison of self‐reported dealing income with other sources. Eighty‐three per cent of respondents reported income from social benefit, and 43% had sold drugs in the last month. Half the females reported income from prostitution. The income‐generation differences found in the comparisons section do not seem to reflect variations in drug and other social policies, but may relate to differences in the profitability of dealing. Using self‐reported dealing income to compare the contributions of different income sources may be misleading, however, since it does not reflect financial profit or the value of dealers’drug consumption. Adjusted figures show that theft accounts for 23% of total drugs expenditure, while the corresponding figures for dealing and prostitution are 42% and 21%, respectively.
Psychological morbidity and route of administration among amphetamine users in Sydney, Australia
Authors: HALL WAYNE , HANDO JULIE , DARKE SHANE , ROSS JOANNE
Published: March 2003

A sample of 301 amphetamine users were interviewed about their experiences of psychological symptoms prior to, and subsequent to, their initiation of amphetamine use. Psychological morbidity was common, with 44% scoring greater than a conservative cut‐off of 8 on the General Health Questionnaire. The most commonly reported symptoms subsequent to the onset of amphetamine use were depression (79%), anxiety (76%), paranoia (52%), hallucinations (46%) and violent behaviour (44%). All these symptoms increased in prevalence after the onset of amphetamine use. Route and frequency of amphetamine administration were significant independent predictors of overall psychological morbidity, while route of administration was related to the experience of hallucinations, violent behaviour and paranoia. The avoidance of injection as a route of administration and the use of amphetamines less than weekly are recommended as steps that users can take to reduce the psychological sequelae of amphetamine use.
On the importance of peer influence for adolescent drug use: commonly neglected considerations
Authors: BAUMAN KARL E. , ENNETT SUSAN T.
Published: March 2003

Peer influence is generally believed to be a major cause of adolescent drug behavior. This paper reviews research findings on friend selection and projection to suggest that the magnitude of friend influence may be overestimated. This paper also observes that, although adolescent drug use is assumed to begin in response to peer group influence, peer groups have rarely been measured in studies of drug behavior. Social network analysis is identified as a promising method for measuring peer groups. The implications of this review for research and programs are considered.
Alcohol consumption and community hospital admissions in the United States: a dynamic regression analysis, 1950–1992
Authors: MULLER ANDREAS
Published: March 2003

The annual time‐series analysis examines the impact of changes in per capita alcohol consumption (NIAAA, AIDS) an changes in community hospital admission rates (AHA) in the United States from 1950 to 1992 (n = 43). Increases in per capita alcohol consumption were expected to increase hospital admission rates contemporaneously and several years thereafter following an exponential risk function. Distributed lag models based on differenced data controlling for changes in: (I) per capita cigarette consumption; (2) private hospital insurance coverage; (3) the drinking age population; (4) per capita disposable personal income; and (5) health care regulatory interventions show a contemporaneous effect of per capita alcohol consumption on hospital admission rates. The time‐series analyses imply that between 22–26% of US community hospital admissions are alcohol related. A comparable analysis indicates that per capita alcohol and tobacco expenditures contribute to approximately 28% of US community hospital admissions. The absence of statistically significant lagged effects is inconsistent with an exponentially declining risk function. However, the contemporaneous effects of per capita alcohol and tobacco consumption suggest that a reduction in smoking and drinking will produce quick reductions in morbidity and hospitalizations.
Longitudinal neuropsychological evaluation of HIV‐infected intravenous drug users
Authors: BONO GIORGIO , MAURI MARCO , SINFORIANI ELENA , BARBARINI GIORGIO , MINOLI LORENZO , FEA MAURIZIO
Published: March 2003

The present study aimed to describe the cognitive status of a group of HIV‐positive asymptomatic intravenous drug users (IVDU) and changes which occurred over a 12‐month follow‐up period. Forty‐two HIV positive IVDU were selected and matched for age, sex, educational level and pattern of drug abuse with 39 seronegative IVDU controls. Baseline and follow‐up evaluation included neuropsychological tests exploring attention, language, memory, logic and visuomotor abilities, biological markers and clinical parameters. About one‐third of both seropositive and seronegative subjects showed at baseline slight cognitive deficits, ‘which did not change during the follow‐up period.
Moderating drinking by correspondence: an evaluation of a new method of intervention
Authors: SITHARTHAN THIAGARAJAN , KAVANAGH DAVID J. , SAYER GEOFFREY
Published: March 2003

Recognizing the need to offer alternative methods of brief interventions, this study developed correspondence treatments for low‐dependent problem drinkers and evaluated their impact. One hundred and twenty‐one problem drinkers were recruited by media advertisements and were randomly allocated to a full cognitive‐behavioural treatment programme (CBT) or to a minimal intervention condition (MI) that gave information regarding alcohol misuse and instructions to record drinking. As predicted, CBT was more effective than MI in reducing alcohol consumption over the 4‐month controlled trial period. CBT produced a 50% fall in consumption, bringing the average intake of subjects within recommended maximum levels. Treatment gains at 6 months were well maintained to 12 months. High levels of consumer satisfaction, a high representation of women and a substantial participation from isolated rural areas attested to the feasibility of the correspondence programme as an alternative treatment. However, some drinking occasions still involved high intake for a significant subgroup of subjects, and this issue will be addressed in future programmes. The results supported the use of correspondence delivery as a means of promoting early engagement and equity of access between city and country areas.
Perceived workplace harassment experiences and problem drinking among physicians: broadening the stress/alienation paradigm
Authors: RICHMAN JUDITH A. , FLAHERTY JOSEPH A. , ROSPENDA KATHLEEN M.
Published: March 2003

Sociologists who embrace the stress or alienation paradigms generally focus on explaining problem drinking in low status occupations. By contrast, this paper argues that a broadened conceptualization of stress and alienation which incorporates abusive work relationships has utility for explaining male and female drinking outcomes in both high and low status occupations. We provide empirical data on the relationship between perceived abusive experiences and drinking outcomes in a cohort of male and female physicians in their internship year of training. The data show that perceived sexual harassment, discriminatory treatment and psychological humiliation relate to various drinking outcomes in men and women, controlling for drinking prior to the internship year. While females were more likely to report experiencing abuse, these perceived experiences had deleterious effects on drinking outcomes for both genders. Personal vulnerability (narcissism) brought into the training environment somewhat influenced the later reporting of abusive experiences by males but not by females. Regression analyses showed that, for both males and females, work‐place abusive experiences in interaction with personality vulnerability best explained drinking outcomes. The implications of these results far the design of future alcohol‐related work‐place studies are discussed.
Overdose among heroin users in Sydney, Australia: I. Prevalence and correlates of non‐fatal overdose
Authors: DARKE SHANE , ROSS JOANNE , HALL WAYNE
Published: March 2003

A sample of 329 heroin users were interviewed regarding their personal experience of non‐fatal heroin overdose. Experience of overdose was widespread, with two‐thirds of subjects (68%) reporting having overdosed. The median number of life‐time overdoses was three, with males and females equally likely to have overdosed. The majority (62%) of most recent heroin overdoses occurred in conjunction with the consumption of other central nervous system depressants (alcohol, benzodiazepines and other opioids). Logistic regression analyses indicated three independent factors associated with having overdosed: longer heroin using careers, greater heroin dependence and higher levels of alcohol consumption. Implications for the reduction in the prevalence and frequency of overdose are discussed.
Mortality due to acute adverse drug reactions: opiates and cocaine in Barcelona, 1989–93
Authors: TORRALBA L. , BRUGAL M. T. , VILLALBÍ J. R. , TORTOSA M. T. , TORIBIO A. , VALVERDE J. L.
Published: March 2003

Drug‐related deaths have become a major source of premature mortality. This paper presents an analysis of deaths due to acute adverse drug reactions caused by opiates or cocaine in the city of Barcelona over a 5‐year period during which figures were stable. Annual mortality rates due to adverse drug reactions of city residents for the 1989‐93 period were estimated to be 15.3 per 100 000 people in the 15‐49‐year age group. Mortality rates for men (25.0) are consistently higher than mortality rates for women (5.8). Mortality rates by age group show different patterns by gender. Males in the 25‐29‐year group have the highest mortality rate (62.8), almost doubling the rates for the 20‐24 (36.1) and 30‐34 (33.3)‐year groups. The highest differential in age‐specific mortality by gender is seen in the 35–39‐year age group, where mortality rates for men (21.5) are eight times higher than for women (2.6 per 100 000). The distribution by place of residence, stratifying data across city neighbourhoods and municipal districts displays wide differences between districts in the mean annual rates, ranking between 77.3 and 8.3 per 100 000, a nine‐fold magnitude. Differences are even steeper when we break down data by neighbourhood. Although all areas with high adverse drug reactions mortality are areas of low socio‐economic level, a more complex association between deprivation and drug use must exist, as other areas with similarly low socio‐economic indicators do not suffer from such high mortality. A cross‐tabulation of place of residence and district of death shows that for most adverse drug reaction deaths, death takes place in the district of residence but patterns related to districts who attract drug‐related deaths and districts who export them may be observed. These results provide new insights into the epidemiology of substance abuse in Barcelona, where it follows patterns that may be similar to those of other major urban areas in Spain, but also in other Southern European countries.
The association between having children, family size and smoking cessation in adults
Authors: JARVIS M. J.
Published: March 2003

This study aimed to examine the relationship between rates of smoking cessation in adults and whether or not they have dependent children at home. Previous work has suggested that among women, particularly poor women, caring for young children might work against giving up smoking, while the relationship between having children and giving up smoking in men is largely unexplored. The analysis employed data from 3 years (1988, 1990 and 1992) of the General Household Survey, and assessed rates of self‐reported smoking cessation among adult ever‐smokers of cigarettes aged 16–49 years. After adjustment for a wide range of potential confounding variables, adults with dependent children were more likely to have given up smoking than those without. Among women there was a linear increase in the odds of cessation with each additional child. Using the combined data from the 3 years, and by comparison with those with no children, the adjusted odds of cessation were 1.42 (95% CI 1.21–1.67) in women with one dependent child, 1.77 (1.50–2.09) in those with two and 2.19 (1.74–2.74) in those with three or more. The effect was marginally present in men, with an increase in the odds of cessation of about 25% in those with two or more dependent children. (Estimated odds from the combined data 1.30 (1.09–1.50) for men with two dependent children and 1.23 (0.97–1.51) for those with three or more.) The association of increased rates of smoking cessation with number of dependent children did not vary with level of deprivation. It is concluded that having children is associated with smoking cessation in parents, whether poor or affluent. Health education campaigns targeted at families with children could aim to amplify this effect.
HIV infection in females dependent on drugs
Authors: WAI BRIAN HO KONG , SINGH SUARN , VARMA S. L.
Published: March 2003

One hundred and seventy‐one drug‐dependent females in a drug rehabilitation centre were studied to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection among them. Twenty‐four (14%) were positive on the Western Blot test. The presence of HIV infection was significantly correlated with syphilis (p < 0.03) and age (p < 0.001); 83% of those who were HIV positive were intravenous drug users. The need for harm reduction programmes to prevent spread of HIV infection among injecting drug users is stressed.
Alcohol and sexual victimization: a longitudinal study of Norwegian girls
Authors: PEDERSEN WILLY , SKRONDAL ANDERS
Published: March 2003

In a study of sexual victimization and alcohol consumption, a population sample of Norwegian adolescents from the Oslo area was followed‐up through five data collections over a 6‐year time span. By means of generalized structural equation modelling, alcohol‐related predictors and consequences of sexual assaults were investigated; 17% of the girls reported that they had been sexually assaulted at some time: 7% in childhood, 6% in early adolescence (13–16 years) and 4% in late adolescence (17–19 years). Only 1% of the boys reported having been sexually victimized. Female childhood sex victims reported increased alcohol consumption from their mid‐teens, with dramatic increase in alcohol‐related problems (using DSM‐III‐R criteria) at the end of their teens. However, the analyses showed that alcohol consumption was not influenced by childhood sexual abuse when parental use of tobacco and alcohol and normative standards imparted to their children were taken into consideration as confounding variables. There was, on the other hand, a strong effect on alcohol problems. Thus, the victims of childhood sexual abuse seem to be at high risk for alcohol abuse and dependency. Further, early alcohol debut and high alcohol consumption combined with permissive parental norms increased the risk of sexual assault in early adolescence. The girls who were assaulted in early adolescence also reported a high number of sexual partners and early intercourse debut. There was no increase in subsequent alcohol consumption after assaults in this group. Late adolescent victims did not report increased alcohol consumption either prior to or after the assault.
Alcohol outlet policies and practices concerning sales to underage people
Authors: WOLFSON MARK , TOOMEY TRACI L. , MURRAY DAVID M. , FORSTER JEAN L. , SHORT BRIAN J. , WAGENAAR ALEXANDER C.
Published: March 2003

Little is known about the relationship between alcohol outlet policies and practices in the United States and the likelihood that outlets will sell alcoholic beverages to persons under the legal drinking age. This study assessed the prevalence of such outlet‐level policies and practices, and analyzed the relationships between outlet variables and outlets' actual propensity to sell alcoholic beverages to youth. The sample consisted of all outlets licensed for off‐premise and a 40% random sample of outlets licensed for on‐premise sale of alcoholic beverages in 15 small to medium‐sized communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin (USA). Data on outlet characteristics, policies and practices were collected by a telephone survey of the owner or manager of each outlet. In addition, alcohol purchase attempts were conducted at each outlet by youthful‐appearing study confederates. Generally, policies and practices that may reduce the likelihood of sales to youth were reported by a minority of outlets. Purchase success was found to be associated with a number of outlet characteristics, policies and practices. The implications of these findings for policy and future research are discussed.
The development of patient profiles for Minnesota's treatment outcomes monitoring system
Authors: Harrison Patricia A. , Beebe Timothy J. , Fulkerson Jayne A. , Torgerud Cathleen R.
Published: March 2003

Minnesota's treatment outcomes monitoring system is a cooperative effort between the State alcohol and drug abuse agency and 366 licensed treatment providers. A minimum dataset is required on all treatment admissions to provide a state‐wide system profile. In addition, data are being collected on a sample of 30 patients from each program to measure patient characteristics and severity of problems, patient perceptions of needed assistance, actual nature and amount of services received, patient satisfaction and patient functioning 6 months following discharge from treatment. The dimensions measured include alcohol and other drug use, physical health, psychological well‐being, employment and financial status, family and social relationships and criminality. The aggregated data will be analysed to determine what types of services are associated with more favorable outcomes for different types of patients. The findings will be used to develop standards for treatment placement and service delivery based on individual patient profiles. This report provides an overview of the plan and an illustration of how patient profiles can be developed for purposes of treatment service matching and outcomes monitoring.
How to have a high success rate in treatment: advice for evaluators of alcoholism programs
Authors: MILLER WILLIAM R. , SANCHEZ‐CRAIG MARTHA
Published: March 2003

Two seasoned alcohol treatment researchers offer tongue‐in‐cheek advice to novice program evaluators faced with increasing pressure to show high success rates. Based on published examples, they advise: (1) choose only good prognosis cases to evaluate; (2) keep follow‐up periods as short as possible; (3) avoid control and comparison groups; (4) choose measures carefully; (5) focus only on alcohol outcomes; (6) use liberal definitions of success; (7) rely solely upon self‐report and (8) always declare victory regardless of findings.
Explaining abstinence rates following treatment for alcohol abuse: a quantitative synthesis of patient, research design and treatment effects
Authors: MONAHAN SUSANNE C. , FINNEY JOHN W.
Published: March 2003

We examined the relationships of treatment, patient and research design characteristics to treatment outcome (i.e. abstinence rates) in a sample of 150 treatment conditions drawn from 100 alcohol treatment outcome studies published between 1980 and 1992. Treatment characteristics were related to abstinence rates: more intensive treatments had higher abstinence rates than less intensive treatments, whereas treatments with an expressed goal other than abstinence had lower abstinence rates than treatments with an abstinence goal. When the public vs. private ownership status of the treatment facility was taken into account, the presence of behavioral elements in the treatment condition also was related to higher abstinence rates. Because of inconsistent reporting in primary studies, we assessed the effects of only one patient pre‐treatment characteristic; treatment conditions with a higher proportion of socially stable patients had better outcomes. Research design characteristics were also related to abstinence rates. Treatment conditions with shorter follow‐ups and treatments drawn from studies that did not use criteria to exclude more impaired subjects had better outcomes. We discuss possible reasons why our findings regarding the effects of treatment intensity and the use of exclusionary criteria differ from those in previous reviews.
Cultural orientation and adolescents' alcohol use in Zimbabwe
Authors: EIDE ARNE H. , ACUDA S. W.
Published: March 2003

A classroom survey was conducted in June 1994 among 3061 secondary school students in four provinces in Zimbabwe, with the main objective of measuring health behaviours, school performance and environmental and cultural factors as predictors for drug use. This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between cultural orientation and alcohol use. The survey instrument was based on previous studies undertaken in Zimbabwe and in Europe and adapted to the local situation. A two‐staged stratified random sampling strategy distinguished between four different socio‐cultural groups. Standardized instructions were given in classrooms by a trained research team. Respondents' mean ages were 14.9 years for boys and 15.1 years for girls, and 51.4% were boys. For a number of core questions, test‐retest reliability was shown to be satisfactory. A 14‐item scale focusing on language, mass media and music preferences was constructed to measure cultural orientation. Principal component analysis revealed two distinct factors with low interfactor correlation and acceptable scale reliability (alpha), one representing Western orientation and the other Zimbabwean or traditional cultural orientation. Zimbabwean orientation was found to be associated with lower alcohol use, whereas western orientation was associated with higher probability for alcohol use.
The effect of a moderate dose of alcohol on the traffic hazard perception profile of young drink‐drivers1
Authors: DEERY HAMISH A. , LOVE ANTHONY W.
Published: March 2003

Hazard perception latency has been identified as one source of individual differences in road accidents, but alcohol's effects on hazard perception has not been addressed thoroughly. Furthermore, individuals convicted of driving while impaired (DWI), in comparison with other drink‐drivers, have been found to possess a poor driving record, suggesting that they may also respond poorly to hazards. Therefore, this research studied young drivers across the spectrum of drink‐driving practices, from non drink‐drivers to DWI offenders. It examined alcohol's effects on their hazard perception profile, including aspects of both driving skill (hazard perception latency) and driving style (the perceived level of risk in hazards). Thirty‐two subjects aged 18‐25 years underwent two experimental conditions in a counterbalanced design: no alcohol and moderate alcohol. Alcohol was found to affect both driving skill and driving style. With a 0.05% BAC subjects took longer to detect hazards and responded to them in a more abrupt manner and these effects were particularly pronounced for DWI offenders. The results also supported a distinction between active hazards (hazards arising from the driver's own actions) and passive hazards (hazards arising from the actions of other road users). Irrespective of their drink‐driving practices, subjects perceived active hazards as less dangerous than passive hazards. Furthermore, compared with other drink‐drivers, DWI offenders perceived less risk during passive hazards (with a 0.05% BAC) and active hazards (when sober). It is suggested that these effects may underlie, at least in part, the increase in accident risk associated with impaired driving.
Smoking a cigarette has no effect on visual temporal order discrimination in regular smokers
Authors: BAKER P. JAMES , WALSH TOM
Published: March 2003

A temporal order discrimination task was performed by 20 regular smokers who were tested with and without a pre‐test cigarette in a repeated measures design following overnight abstinence. Subjects mere asked to discriminate the temporal order of the rapid sequential illumination of two lights positioned equidistant from a central fixation point. None of the measures of performance in this task were significantly affected by smoking.
Work‐site variation in managerial drinking
Authors: HOWLAND JONATHAN , MANGIONE THOMAS W. , KUHLTHAU KAREN , BELL NICOLE , HEEREN TIMOTHY , LEE MARIANNE , LEVINE SOL
Published: March 2003

The association between psychopathology and alcohol consumption was studied in a nation‐wide representative sample of inpatient alcoholics (n = 245) who were examined at intake and 15 months later. As regards baseline observations men and women with antisocial personality disorder or cognitive impairment had consumed more alcohol in the month prior to admission than those not so affected. In contrast, men with panic disorder drank less compared with those not so affected. The prognosis for men consuming more than the median amount of alcohol was worse than that of women. However, after controlling for psychiatric distress and alcohol consumption at baseline, the prognosis of women was worse. Women but not men who had stopped drinking had a higher degree of psychiatric distress at follow‐up compared with those still drinking at a low level. Regarding the prognostic significance of psychiatric disorders at baseline, among men panic disorder predicted continued drinking. Psychiatric distress and alcohol consumption at baseline interacted in the prediction of alcohol consumption at follow‐up. The study highlights the importance of a thorough assessment of psychopathology and course of drinking when evaluating the outcome of alcoholism treatment.
High sugar intake in a group of women on methadone maintenance in South Western Sydney, Australia
Authors: ZADOR D. , WALL P. M. LYONS , WEBSTER I.
Published: March 2003

Nutritional assessment comprising dietary and anthropometric measurements was conducted in a group of 86 women attending a methadone maintenance clinic in South Western Sydney, Australia, Dietary data were obtained by two 24‐hour recall interviews using a standardized interview format. Nutrient intake was analysed using the NUTTAB data base of Australian foods (1992). Mean age of the sample was 29.8 (range 18‐46) years and mean body mass index was 22.7 (range 16.2‐43.4) kg/m2. The diet of the study group was characterized by a low energy intake of 6.48 MJ (95% CI 6.02‐6.94), a high sugars intake of 122 g (95% CI 112‐132), a high percentage of total energy (31%, 95% CI 29‐32) derived from sugars, and a low dietary fibre intake of 10. 7 g (95% CI 9. 7‐12.3). This eating pattern may contribute to the high prevalence of dental caries and chronic constipation observed in the group. The results also support anecdotal evidence of a craving for sweetness described by addicts. Despite the low energy intake, body mass indices of the group were no different from the normal population. It is possible that 2 days' intake was insufficient to accurately measure accustomed diet in this group of women. Alternatively, the low intake may be a consequence of their largely sedentary life‐styles.
The geography of availability and driving after drinking
Authors: GRUENEWALD PAUL J. , MILLAR ALEXANDER B. , TRENO REW J. , YANG ZHENGMAO , PONICKI WILLIAM R. , ROEPER PETER
Published: March 2003

This paper reports on an analysis of geographically based data from four communities conducted to evaluate relationships between measures of the physical availability of alcohol and rates of driving after drinking. From a review of the literature, it was expected that rates of driving after dnnking would be directly related to the availability of alcohol at on‐premise establishments. Based on theoretical arguments regarding the hfe activities which underlie drinking and driving it was expected that the effects of availability upon these outcomes would extend significantly beyond the local areas of outlets. Taking into account the geographic variations in environmental characteristics (road network density, traffic flow, population density), and socioeconomic (age, gender, race, marital status, income, employment) and drinking characteristics (rates of abstention, frequency and quantity of use) of resident populations, a spatial analysis of drinking driving and alcohol‐related crashes was conducted. The results of the analysis showed that physical availability was unrelated to self‐reports of driving after drinking and driving while intoxicated and significantly related to rates of single vehicle night‐time crashes. In the latter case, physical availability affected both local and adjacent area rates of crashing.
Sex under the influence of alcohol among Norwegian adolescents
Authors: TRÆN BENTE , KVALEM INGELA LUNDIN
Published: March 2003

The purpose of this paper is to study alcohol consumption among Norwegian adolescents at their most recent experience of sexual intercourse. The material comprises a stratified sample of 920 adolescents aged 16–20 years in a Norwegian county (52.3% of the girls and 41.4% of the boys had coital experience). Data were collected by means of questionnaires; 21.0% of the adolescents reported sex under influence of alcohol. A logistic regression analysis showed that the best predictors of sex under influence of alcohol were intercourse location, sexual enjoyment and sexual intercourse motivated by “Don't know, it just turned out that way”. Adolescents who had their most recent experience of intercourse away from home, who had problems enjoying sex and/or who said it just turned out that way, were more likely than others to have had sex under influence of alcohol. A multivanate logistic regression analysis showed that among adolescents who reported that the intercourse took place away from their homes, the odds ratio (OR) for sex under influence of alcohol increased by 8. 7. Those who had consumed alcohol before sex, more often than non‐drinkers, tended to enter into sexual intercourse motivated by factors external to their own person. This tendency was more pronounced among boys than girls.
Characteristics of women with alcohol and other drug problems: findings of an Australian national survey
Authors: Swift Wendy , Copeland Jan , Hall Wayne
Published: March 2003

Two hundred and sixty‐seven women were interviewed in a national survey examining the characteristics, treatment needs and treatment experiences of Australian women who had received treatment for their alcohol and other drug problems. More than half the women were mothers, of whom almost one‐third had surrendered custody of their children. Polydrug use was the norm among these women, who in general had substantial experience with the legal system. A sizeable proportion of women had experienced physical and psychological health problems such as hepatitis, eating disorders, self‐mutilation, suicide attempts and low self‐esteem. The majority of the sample had a life‐time history of physical or sexual violence. The implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations are provided for attracting and retaining women in appropriate services.
The social impact of Life Education: estimating drug use prevalence among Victorian primary school students and the statewide effect of the Life Education programme
Authors: Hawthorne Graeme
Published: March 2003

Evaluations of drug education programmes focus on the effect on participating students. Although this is appropriate, where programmes are institutionalized the wider population impact should also be considered. This paper examines this argument and provides a practical methodology for examining programme impacts on populations. It illustrates this using the example of the Life Education (LE) programme ‐ a mature early intervention programme operating internationally ‐ on the Victorian (Australia) population of Year 6 schoolchildren. Data from a recent evaluation of Life Education in Victoria, Australia, were re‐analysed enabling estimation of adjusted attributable risk percentage (which provide an estimate of programme effect among those who are exposed to it), population prevalence estimates and population attributable risk percentage (which provide estimates of programme impacts on the entire population). In 1992 when the data were collected LE operated in 43% of all Victorian primary schools. The findings showed that within LE‐schools 43% of girls' and 35% of boys' recent smoking was attributable to participation in the LE‐programme. For drinking within LE‐schools, while there was no apparent effect on girls, the programme was associated with 40% of boys' recent drinking. When the data were extrapolated to the state‐wide smoking and drinking estimates, these showed that of all smoking among Year 6 schoolchildren, 25% of girls' and 19% of boys' smoking could be attributed to participation in Life Education, as could 22% of all boys' recent drinking. This re‐analysis showed there was no preventive effect associated with the programme, at either the school or the population level. The findings suggest that intervention programmes should be thoroughly evaluated prior to widespread implementation, and that such evaluations should include reference to the community‐wide impacts of such programmes.
Benzodiazepine types in high versus therapeutic dose dependence
Authors: Nez‐Cano Herminio Marti , Vela‐Bueno Antonio , Iceta Mariano De , Pomalima Rolando , Martinez‐Gras Isabel , Sobrino Maria Paz
Published: March 2003

Two types of benzodiazepine dependence have been described: high vs. therapeutic dose dependence. So far, no systematic research has been conducted regarding the frequency with which the various benzodiazepines are represented in one type or the other. In this study, 153 dependent patients using 14 different benzodiazepines were evaluated to assess the prevalence of their use among high vs. therapeutic dose dependants. Triazolam was the single drug most frequently used by high‐dose dependants, followed by Lorazepam. No significant differences were found among benzodiazepines regarding their use by therapeutic dose dependants. Our data shows that pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors appear to be related to the frequency with which the different benzodiazepines are used by high and therapeutic dose dependants.
The state's "sharp line between the sexes": women, alcohol and the law in the United States, 1850‐1980
Authors: Nicolaides Becky M.
Published: March 2003

Beginning in the 1850s, American case and statute law established alcohol policies that applied specifically to women, which aimed broadly to promote temperance among both sexes. These measures reflected the powerful hold of a middle‐class Victorian ideology that stigmatized female drinking, associated women with temperance, and kept women legally dependent in general. American laws on women and alcohol fell into two broad categories. The first was access laws, which restricted women's ability to purchase alcohol, patronize liquor outlets and work in the alcohol trade. These measures aimed to protect women from becoming drunkards, and depleted their legal power. The second group was domestic laws, including marriage, divorce and civil liability statutes. They aimed to protect women from drunken family members, especially husbands, and actually bestowed legal authority on women. Although both sets of laws promoted temperance, they did so both by expanding and contracting women's legal influence. These measures survived until the 1970s, when a series of court decisions overturned them on the basis of sex discrimination. The evolution of these laws shows how middle‐class attitudes about female drinking were codified into sex‐specific alcohol policy for most of the nation's history.
Educating young people about drugs: a systematic review
Authors: White David , Pitts Marian
Published: March 2003

Aims. To assess the effectiveness of interventions directed at the prevention or reduction of use of illicit substances by young people or those directed at reducing harm caused by continuing use. Design. A systematic review was conducted. Reports were identified through electronic and hand searching and contact with known workers in the area. Studies were included if they reported evaluations of interventions targeting illicit drug use and provided sufficient detail of the intervention and design of the evaluation to allow judgements to be made of their methodological soundness. Meta‐analyses were conducted combining the data of the methodologically sound studies. Participants and settings targeted by interventions. Evaluations of interventions were included if their targeted audience included young people aged between 8 and 25 years. Identified evaluations were delivered in a range of settings including: schools and colleges; community settings; the family; medical/therapeutic settings; mass media. Measurements. Data extracted from each report included details of design, content and theoretical orientation of intervention, setting of the intervention, target audience, methods, population size, subject refusal rates, rates of attrition, outcome measures, length of follow‐up and findings, including statistical power. Findings. The majority of studies identified were evaluations of interventions introduced in schools and targeting alcohol, tobacco and marijuana simultaneously. These studies were methodologically stronger than interventions targeting other drugs and implemented outside schools. Meta‐analyses showed that the impact of evaluated interventions was small with dissipation of programme gains over time. Interventions targeting hard to reach groups have not been evaluated adequately. Conclusions. Effort needs to be directed towards the development of improved evaluative solutions to the problems posed by these groups. There is still insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of the range of approaches to drugs education; more methodologically sound evaluations are required. There is also a need to target interventions to reflect the specific needs and experiences of recipients.