Alcohol Abuse Prevention Research Articles

Understanding Complex Interactions Key to Preventing Alcohol Abuse

Understanding Complex Interactions Key to Preventing Alcohol Abuse

An Evaluation of College Online Alcohol-Policy Information: 2007 Compared With 2002

To receive federal funds, colleges and universities are required to provide information to students about their alcohol policies as part of their alcohol-abuse prevention efforts. This study investigated whether and how the availability and completeness of alcohol-policy information on college Web sites changed between 2002 and 2007. The Web sites of the top 52 national universities listed in the 2002 rankings of U.S. News and World Report, which were reviewed for alcohol-policy information in 2002, were reviewed again in 2007 using the same Web search methodology. Much more information regarding college alcohol policies was available on the Web sites of the 52 universities in 2007 than in 2002. Substantial increases were seen in the areas of (1) rules, restrictions, requirements; and (2) consequences for infractions, especially for student groups. In addition, information on university Web sites regarding their alcohol policies was easier to access in 2007 than in 2002. These findings indicate that colleges have made online alcohol-policy information more available and accessible to their students and other interested parties, including parents. This may reflect a greater engagement of colleges and universities in the issue of drinking on campus in general.

An interactive distance education model based on motivation for alcohol abuse prevention

We created an interactive learning environment about alcohol, with learning objects incorporating 3-D computer graphics and other telemedicine tools. These were used to explain aspects of alcohol use. The environment included interactive tele-education (the Cyber Tutor) and a collaborative learning network. We also used posters to complement the information transmitted by video. We examined group dynamics involving contests, games and theatrical performances for alcohol learning. To reinforce the information transmitted by telemedicine, 20 group sessions were held in São Paulo, one per week, each lasting one hour. The were 20 students directly involved and about 250 in the audience. The students drew up short theatre scenes, with basic information on the topic. The audience were then challenged to respond whether the subject of the scene was a myth or a truth about alcohol or alcoholism. The creation of a theatrical game required the involvement of student-actors to build the characters and support from telemedicine tools (the virtual human, posters and videos) to provide additional information. This method of presenting knowledge on alcohol can involve other students by use of the same telemedicine tools, including group discussion lists on the web. Thus it appears feasible to create an educational model based on interactive games using computer graphics and the Internet. This has the potential to increase the motivation of young people.

Empirical Risk Factors for Delinquency and Best Treatments: Where do we go from here?

Youth development and prevention of violence are two sides of the same public policy issue. A great deal of theoretical and empirical effort has focused on identification of risk factors for delinquency and development of interventions for general risks. Recent calls for changes in public policy are evaluated here--and challenged--in light of new comprehensive, longitudinal empirical data on urban violent delinquency. Treatments such as prenatal care, home visitation, prevention of bullying, prevention of alcohol and/or drug abuse, promotion of alternative thinking, mentoring, life skills training, rewards for graduation and employment, functional family therapy, and multidimensional foster care are effective because they prevent or ameliorate risks for delinquency occurring during development. At present, the best treatments yield 10 to 40% reductions in delinquent recidivism. Better controlled application of developmentally appropriate treatments in higher doses, with narrow targeting of the highest-risk youth based on actuarial testing--rather than less accurate clinical judgment--should result in higher effectiveness. Such a focused approach in a geographical area with high homicide rates should be cost-effective. A prediction of cost-benefit outcomes for a carefully constructed example of a large-scale program is presented.

Acamprosate and naltrexone treatment effects on ethanol and sucrose seeking and intake in ethanol-dependent and nondependent rats

Two pharmacotherapies are approved for treating alcohol craving (acamprosate and naltrexone), but both have shown mixed findings in animals and humans. The present experiments utilized a "reinforcer blocking" approach (i.e., rats were able to consume ethanol during treatment) to better understand the efficacy of these treatments for ethanol seeking and drinking using ethanol-dependent and nondependent rats. In "nondependent" experiments, drugs (acamprosate 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg; naltrexone 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg) were administered over 3-week periods prior to operant sessions with a low response requirement to gain access to reinforcers for 20 min. For "dependent" experiments, rats were made dependent in vapor/inhalation chambers. Acamprosate and naltrexone had similar effects on intake in nondependent and dependent rats; neither drug was selective for ethanol over sucrose drinking. In nondependent animals, naltrexone was more efficacious at more doses than acamprosate, and acamprosate's effects were limited to a dose that also had adverse effects on body weight. Both pharmacotherapies showed more selectivity when examining reinforcer seeking. In nondependent rats, acamprosate and naltrexone had response-attenuating effects in ethanol, but not sucrose, groups. In dependent animals, acamprosate had selective effects limited to a decrease in sucrose seeking. Naltrexone, however, selectively decreased ethanol-seeking in nondependent rats. The naltrexone-induced decreases in seeking suggested a change in incentive motivation which was selective for ethanol in nondependent rats. The "nondependent" paradigm may model early stages of "problem drinking" in humans, and the findings suggest that naltrexone could be a good intervention for this level of alcohol abuse and relapse prevention.

Alcohol abuse prevention in young people: An economic simulation

Alcohol abuse prevention in young people: An economic simulation

Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk Behavior among College Students: Understanding Gender and Ethnic Differences

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to assess the role of gender and ethnicity in the relationship between alcohol use and risky sexual behavior. Method: Sexually active college students (n = 425) reported on alcohol expectancies, perceived risk of HIV, and drinking and sexual behavior in the context of a larger health behavior survey. Results: Approximately one-third of participants reported binge drinking 3 or more times in the past two weeks. African-American women reported less drinking and less positive alcohol expectancies than other women. Older men engaged more often than younger men in binge drinking and reported more sexual partners in the past year. Younger age and greater perceived risk for HIV were positively associated with condom use for both women and men. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings suggest that alcohol abuse and HIV prevention efforts among young adults need to consider gender, ethnicity, and age.

Reliability and Validity of the Alcohol Consequences Expectations Scale

To examine the reliability and validity of a new measure of alcohol outcome expectations for college students, the Alcohol Consequences Expectations Scale (ACES). College students (N=169) completed the ACES and several other measures. Results support the existence of 5 internally consistent subscales. Additionally, the ACES is associated with conceptually similar measures and self-reported drinking behavior. This study supports the reliability of the ACES and its subscales and provides preliminary evidence of construct and criterion-related validity. Pending further investigation, this scale may be used to inform the development of alcohol abuse prevention programs on college campuses.

A trajetória de um serviço público em álcool e outras drogas no município de Vitória: o caso do CPTT

The aim of this case study is to analyze the Center for Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Addiction (CPTT)/Psychosocial Care Center in Drugs and Alcohol (CAPS ad), and to reflect about the implementation process of the local addiction recovery policy for drug users and alcoholics. A document research was performed using as sources the CPTTs mid-year/annual and/or management reports and articles about the service. Data were analyzed using a priori and a posteriori content analysis. The CPTT, a health service of the government of the city of Vitória, was created in 1992 as a psychosocial service. The services provided by the CPTT include individual care, daily group activities and reception and follow-up groups. Today, the situation in the CPTT is characterized by precarious employment relations for most of the professionals working there. The trajectory of the implementation of the CPTT in the city of Vitória expresses two contradictory features: on one hand the advances made in the implementation of the public policy for prevention and treatment of drug and alcohol abuse, and on the other hand the challenge posed by the lack of a human resources policy capable of putting in effect the advances proposed by the policy.

Patterns of Alcohol Use and Attitudes Toward Drinking Among Chinese and Korean American College Students

ABSTRACT This study examined the alcohol consumption patterns and cultural attitudes toward drinking among Chinese and Korean American college students in California. Data were collected from a total of 294 participants comprising 127 Chinese and 167 Korean college students. Some of the major findings revealed that distinct ethnic and gender differences existed in the use of alcohol and attitudes toward drinking. Korean students in the study generally drank more frequently and consumed greater amounts of alcohol than their Chinese counterparts. Female participants were likely to drink less frequently and in smaller quantities than their male counterparts regardless of ethnicity. Korean students were more likely to view drinking as a socially acceptable practice and a means of facilitating social interactions than their Chinese counterparts. Culturally appropriate campus-wide strategies were presented for prevention and intervention of alcohol abuse on college campuses.

Designing effective health education materials: experimental pre-testing of a theory-based brochure to increase knowledge

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of developing health education materials with a theoretical and empirical research basis. With a specific focus on increasing knowledge, the authors utilized well-researched principles in cognitive psychology to increase the message comprehension of an existing health education brochure. The brochure used was produced by a Dutch national campaign office for preventing alcohol abuse among undergraduate students. In two experimental studies, the original version of the brochure was compared with the theory-based modified version on measures of knowledge and psychosocial determinants of alcohol use among undergraduate university students. The results show significant differences in knowledge uptake between the two versions. In both experiments, the modified version elicited higher scores on knowledge uptake than the original version. These findings underscore the importance of theory in the design of health education brochures. Despite these positive findings, no differences in more proximal psychosocial determinants of behavior could be found. As a result, the authors conclude that principles in cognitive psychology should be complemented by determinant-specific theory-driven change methods if behavior change is to occur.

Evaluating a Health Education Website: The Case of AlcoholEdu

Building on the promise of interactive, multimedia education, this evaluation study examines an alcohol abuse prevention program, AlcoholEdu, delivered through an interactive Web-based format for the purpose of reducing the harm associated with student alcohol abuse. The study uses a clustered, randomly assigned post-test only evaluation design with 20,150 individuals to examine differences between individuals who have and have not yet received the educational program. Analyses examined the efficacy of the intervention among different groups of students: those who are members of Greek letter organizations, those referred because of judicial sanctions, or those entering their first year of study. Findings hint toward evidence that interactive health-related Web tools can contribute to preventing high-risk student health behaviors in the campus environment, with self-reported evidence suggesting implementation among first-year students to be the most promising.

Positive Functioning and Alcohol-Use Disorders From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

This research examined the longitudinal relationship between positive functioning and alcohol-use disorders from late adolescence into young adulthood. This study used prospective, longitudinal data from the Seattle Social Development Project on a contemporary sample of 808 young adult men and women interviewed multiple times since childhood. The analysis employed a longitudinal path analysis to examine the relationship between positive functioning and alcohol-use disorders across four time points between ages 15-18 and age 27. Positive functioning and alcohol-use disorders showed moderately strong continuity from adolescence through young adulthood. Positive functioning in adolescence predicts reduced likelihood of a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and dependence (as defined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) at age 21, and positive functioning at age 21 predicts reduced likelihood of alcohol abuse and dependence at age 24 in this sample. These findings remain even after controlling for continuity in positive functioning and alcohol-use disorders, associations between positive functioning and alcohol use in adolescence, and sociodemographic differences attributable to gender, race/ethnicity, and poverty. Positive functioning in adolescence and early adulthood can decrease the probability of developing alcohol-use disorders in young adulthood. The data from this study suggest that promoting positive development in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood should be a focus of programs seeking to prevent alcohol abuse and dependence. Providing continued support for the development of positive functioning through the transition from adolescence to adulthood could decrease the chance of the development of alcohol-use disorders in adulthood.

Estratégias de rastreamento e intervenções breves para problemas relacionados ao abuso de álcool entre bombeiros

Efeitos deletérios do abuso do álcool são amplamente conhecidos e descritos. A prevenção ao abuso de álcool é particularmente importante em categorias profissionais específicas, por exemplo, trabalhadores submetidos a situações de risco e estresse constantes, como bombeiros. A prevenção pode ser crucial para reduzir possíveis conseqüências do abuso de álcool nessas categorias profissionais. Neste trabalho, ilustramos o uso de uma abordagem em particular, o programa de Triagem e Intervenção Breve (TIB) para bombeiros de Juiz de Fora, MG. A TIB foi realizada em associação com outras avaliações, com um fluxo de intervenção aos bombeiros. Nossa proposta se mostrou factível e sistematizou o atendimento aos mesmos, de forma que permitiu uma integração deste tipo de procedimento com as atividades do setor de saúde. Sugerimos que a TIB, em se tratando de problemas relacionados ao abuso de álcool, se mostrou eficaz neste contexto.

Evaluating a Health Education Website: The Case of AlcoholEdu

Building on the promise of interactive, multimedia education, this evaluation study examines an alcohol abuse prevention program, AlcoholEdu, delivered through an interactive Web-based format for the purpose of reducing the harm associated with student alcohol abuse. The study uses a clustered, randomly assigned post-test only evaluation design with 20,150 individuals to examine differences between individuals who have and have not yet received the educational program. Analyses examined the efficacy of the intervention among different groups of students: those who are members of Greek letter organizations, those referred because of judicial sanctions, or those entering their first year of study. Findings hint toward evidence that interactive health-related Web tools can contribute to preventing high-risk student health behaviors in the campus environment, with self-reported evidence suggesting implementation among first-year students to be the most promising.

Alcohol and Drug Consumption, Depressive Features, and Family Violence as Associated with Complaints to the Prosecutor's Office in Central Mexico

The article is aimed at reporting the characteristics of the population detected at State Prosecutors' Offices including the two such offices that existed in the city selected for the study, one located in a general hospital for the inspection of violence-related cases (n = 156); and the second in the facility where all detainees are taken when arrested (n = 129), and where victims can file a complaint (n = 186). A household survey undertaken among the population 18 to 65 years of age (n = 887) was used as a group of reference. Both studies were undertaken in Pachuca City, the capital of Hidalgo, located 100 km from Mexico City during the second half of 1996. Face-to-face questionnaires were used to obtain sociodemographic data, drug use and drinking patterns, depressive symptomatology, and family violence. Discriminant and logistic regression analysis were undertaken. The age group from 18 to 24 displayed the highest number of legal complaints and arrests (OR = 1.773). The likelihood for appearing at a State Prosecutor's Office was higher for those living in an atmosphere of threats and injuries within the family (OR = 19) and for those that reported alcohol consumption on the day of the event (OR = 14). Extremely high rates of family violence were obtained in this sample, increasing the likelihood of arriving at the Prosecutor's Office either because arrested or for being a victim. Results confirm the relationship between alcohol use, depression, and violence, reinforcing the need to prevent alcohol abuse, 1 especially among youth. 1The journal's style utilizes the category substance abuse as a diagnostic category. Substances are used or misused; living organisms are and can be abused. Editor's note.

Influences of Self-Monitoring and Goal-Setting on Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy and Drinking Behavior

Despite the centrality of self-regulation in the prevention and reduction of alcohol abuse, few studies have examined its potential in the context of college drinking. Using the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986), this pilot study investigated if and how college students' self-regulation, including self-monitoring and goal-setting, influences their drinking refusal self-efficacy (Young, Oei, & Crook, 1991) and drinking behavior. The results indicated that both self-monitoring and goal-setting increased self-efficacy, which in turn decreased the quantity of alcohol consumption. The influence of self-monitoring on both self-efficacy and behavior was less than that of goal-setting. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Alcohol use and extramarital sex among men in Cameroon

BackgroundThe spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to be driven by unsafe sex, and identification of modifiable risk factors of the latter is needed for comprehensive HIV prevention programming in the region. Some previous studies suggest an association between alcohol abuse and unsafe sexual behaviour, such as multiple concurrent sexual partnerships and inconsistent condom use in sex with non-spousal non-cohabiting partners. However, most of these studies were conducted in developed countries and the few studies in Africa were conducted among well-defined social groups such as men attending beer halls or sexually transmitted infection clinics. We therefore examined the association between alcohol and extramarital sex (a sign of multiple concurrent sexual partnerships) among men in a population-based survey in Cameroon; a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa with a high rate of alcohol abuse and a generalised HIV epidemic.MethodsWe analyzed data from 2678 formally married or cohabiting men aged 15 to 59 years, who participated in the 2004 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey, using a multivariate regression model.ResultsA quarter of the men (25.8%) declared having taken alcohol before their last sexual intercourse and 21% indicated that the last sex was with a woman other than their wife or cohabiting partner. After controlling for possible confounding by other socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol use was significantly associated with having extramarital sex: adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.70, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.40 to 2.05. Older age (30–44 years: OR 3.06, 95%CI 2.16–4.27 and 45–59 years: OR 4.10, 95%CI 2.16–4.27), higher education (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.10–1.45), and wealth (OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.50–1.98) were also significantly associated with higher odds of having extramarital sex. The men were more likely to have used a condom in their last sex if it was extramarital (OR 10.50, 95%CI 8.10–13.66). Older age at first sex (16–19 years: OR 0.81, 95%CI 0.72–0.90 and > 19 years: OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.65–0.87) and being the head of a household (OR 0.17, 95%CI 0.14–0.22) significantly decreased the odds of having sex outside of marriage. Religion and place of residence (whether urban or rural) were not significantly associated with extramarital sex.ConclusionAlcohol use is associated with having multiple concurrent non-spousal sexual partnerships among married men in Cameroon. We cannot infer a causal relationship between alcohol abuse and unsafe sex from this cross-sectional study, as both alcohol use and unsafe sexual behaviour may have a common set of causal personal and social factors. However, given the consistency with results of studies in other settings and the biologic plausibility of the link between alcohol intake and unsafe sex, our findings underscore the need for integrating alcohol abuse and HIV prevention efforts in Cameroon and other African countries with similar social profiles.

Sexual assaults in Greenland: characteristics of police reported rapes and attempted rapes

Objectives. The aim of the study was to describe characteristics of reported sexual assaults against adolescents and adults in Greenland society.Study Design. A retrospective review of police files.Methods. Data about victims and alleged offenders were extracted from all available police files concerning reported rapes and attempted rapes in 2002 of persons 12 years and older in all of Greenland.Results. In total, 173 rapes and attempted rapes were reported to the police. Comprehensive data about 82 cases were analysed and showed that the vast majority of assaults occurred in private homes and often in the presence of other people. The offender was closely connected to the victim in 92% of the cases. Both victim and offender were severely intoxicated by alcohol in half of the cases.Conclusions. The incidence of police-reported sexual assaults is high compared with the incidence in other Nordic countries and the pattern of assaults differs from that in many other countries. The studied rape cases were characterized by close relationships between victims and offenders and by both being influenced by alcohol. This is explained by the structure of Greenland society, by people living in small and closed communities and by a relatively high prevalence of binge drinking. Prevention of sexual assaults demands prevention of excessive alcohol abuse. Access to medical and psychosocial counselling and support for all victims of sexual assaults is recommended. Mediation may be considered as a judicial choice in view of the prevalence of close connections between offender and victim.

Individual-level interventions to reduce college student drinking: A meta-analytic review

In light of increasing numbers of controlled studies evaluating alcohol abuse prevention interventions for college drinkers, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the current status of the literature. The meta-analysis includes 62 studies, published between 1985 to early 2007, with 13 750 participants and 98 intervention conditions. All studies were content coded for study descriptors, participant characteristics, and intervention components. We derived weighted mean effect sizes for alcohol interventions versus comparison conditions for consumption variables and alcohol-related problems, over four measurement intervals. Over follow-up intervals lasting up to 6 months, participants in risk reduction interventions drank significantly less relative to controls. Students receiving interventions also reported fewer alcohol-related problems over longer intervals. Moderator analyses suggest that individual, face-to-face interventions using motivational interviewing and personalized normative feedback predict greater reductions in alcohol-related problems. Implications for future research include attention to maintenance of effects, and developing more efficacious interventions for at-risk college drinkers.