Substance use & misuse
-
Substance use & misuse · Jan 2016
Sociodemographic Characteristics and Health Status of Lifetime Abstainers, Ex-Drinkers, Bingers, and Nonbingers Among Baby Boomers and Older Adults.
Health risks associated with abstention from alcohol drinking in previous studies may have been exaggerated because the pool of abstainers in many studies included both lifetime abstainers and ex-drinkers, including sick-quitters. ⋯ Diabetes screening/monitoring and stroke prevention/care are recommended for both age groups of abstainers and exdrinkers.
-
Substance use & misuse · Jan 2016
Alcohol Expectancies Mediate the Relationship Between Age of First Intoxication and Drinking Outcomes in College Binge Drinkers.
While prior research has shown that age of first intoxication (AI) is associated with negative alcohol outcomes, limited research has examined factors accounting for this relationship. Alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol, may explain such associations as both positive and negative expectancies have been shown to be key predictors of drinking outcomes. ⋯ These findings are consistent with expectancy theory and previous research suggesting that more experienced drinkers hold stronger drinking-related beliefs, be it positive or negative, and these expectancies ultimately explain variability in alcohol use and problems. Our findings further support that expectancies play an important role in the initiation of drinking behavior.