Substance use & misuse
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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.
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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.
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Substance use & misuse · May 2015
Historical ArticleAlcohol and Femininity in Sweden c. 1830-1922: An Investigation of the Emergence of Separate Drinking Standards for Men and Women.
This paper discusses changing views about gender and drinking in Sweden c. 1830-1922. The author posits that the emergence of bourgeois morals in the 19th century were associated with a decline in the tolerance for female alcohol consumption, and also shows how the values, norms, and activities of the temperance movement interconnected with religion and notions of purity. ⋯ The study was financed by the Swedish Research Council, 2009-2012. Study limitations are also noted.
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Substance use & misuse · Apr 2015
Gender differences in treatment retention among individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders.
A significant number of individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders do not engage, stay, and/or complete residential treatment. Although prior research indicates that women and men differ in their substance abuse treatment experiences, our knowledge of individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders as well as those attending private residential treatment is limited. ⋯ This study found that women with co-occurring disorders were more likely to stay longer in treatment when compared to men. The findings indicate the factors influencing length of stay differ for each gender, and include: type of substance used prior to admission; Addiction Severity Index Composite scores; and Readiness to Change/URICA scores. Age at admission was a factor for men only. CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: These findings can be incorporated to develop and initiate program interventions to minimize early attrition and increase overall retention in private residential treatment for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
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Substance use & misuse · Apr 2015
The Effect of Neighborhood Context on the Relationship Between Substance Misuse and Weapons Aggression in Urban Adolescents Seeking ED Care.
Frameworks for studying the ecology of human behavior suggest that multiple levels of the environment influence behavior and that these levels interact. Applied to studies of weapons aggression, this suggests proximal risk factor (e.g., substance use) effects may differ across neighborhoods. ⋯ The relationship between marijuana misuse and weapons aggression differed across neighborhoods with generally less association in more disadvantaged neighborhoods, while high-risk alcohol use showed a consistently high association with weapons aggression that did not vary across neighborhoods. The results aid in understanding the contributions of alcohol and marijuana use to the etiology of weapon-related aggression among urban youth, but further study in the general population is required.