Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test Research Articles

Problem alcohol and tobacco use in head and neck cancer patients at diagnosis: associations with health-related quality of life.

PurposeProblem alcohol and tobacco use in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) frequently co-occur and each are associated with poor outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to identify the prevalence of these co-occurring behaviors and associations with HNC-specific HRQOL within the first year of diagnosis in a large sample of patients with HNC.MethodsCross-sectional study examined prevalence of co-occurring problem alcohol and tobacco use at diagnosis in a large sample of patients with HNC (N = 1327). Problem alcohol use was assessed using the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST); patients were classified as current/previous/never smokers based on self-reported tobacco use. HNC-specific HRQOL was assessed using the Head and Neck Cancer Inventory (HNCI), measured at diagnosis and 3 and 12 months postdiagnosis.ResultsThree hundred twenty-five of 1327 (24.5%) scored 3 + on the SMAST at diagnosis, suggesting problem alcohol use and nearly 30% (28.4%) were current smokers. Of those with problem alcohol use, 173 (53.2%) were also current smokers. In total, 173 of 1327 (13.0%) exhibited both behaviors at diagnosis. Covariate-adjusted mean HNCI scores suggest that patients classified as both problem drinkers and current smokers have lower HRQOL scores during the first year postdiagnosis in multiple HNC-specific domains.ConclusionHNC patients should be screened for alcohol and tobacco use at diagnosis. Multimodal behavioral health interventions may provide one avenue for improved access and outcomes, particularly for patients at distance, and deserve further study in HNC.

0562 Associations of Insomnia Symptoms and Unhealthy Alcohol Use with Post-Operative Healthcare Utilization in Veterans Undergoing Decompressive Laminectomy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Abstract Introduction Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) affects 11-39% of adults and contributes to significant pain and disability. Decompressive laminectomy (DL) is a common surgical intervention for LSS but many with medical and psychosocial comorbidities may not improve. Insomnia and unhealthy alcohol use, for example, are common among people living with chronic pain and may affect key laminectomy outcomes, such as healthcare utilization rates. We examined associations of self-reported rates of post-DL healthcare utilization in Veterans with insomnia symptoms and alcohol use. Methods We analyzed data from a multi-site prospective cohort study of Veterans with LSS undergoing DL. Participants (N=200) self-reported prior 12-month alcohol use behavior (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test; SMAST) and prior two-week insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index; ISI) prior to surgery; 12-months of post DL healthcare office visits, ER visits, hospitalizations, and mental health visits were reported over the telephone monthly. Negative binomial regression models via incident rate ratios (IRR) compared healthcare utilization rates between individuals reporting alcohol-related problems only (SMAST >2), insomnia symptoms only (ISI ≥ 8), and both to those reporting neither. Results Approximately 52% of participants reported insomnia symptoms, 75% unhealthy alcohol use, and 39% both. Rates of office, ER, and hospital visits were descriptively highest in those reporting insomnia only; mental health visits were highest in those with both insomnia and unhealthy alcohol use. Those with insomnia only had more ER (IRR=2.39, p=.04) and mental health visits (IRR=4.32, p=.03) than those with neither insomnia nor unhealthy alcohol use; individuals with both insomnia and unhealthy alcohol use also had more mental health visits (IRR=4.22, p=.01). Adjusting for covariates rendered IRRs attenuated and statistically nonsignificant, but magnitudes remained high. Conclusion Most Veterans with LSS reported insomnia symptoms and/or unhealthy alcohol use. Those with insomnia symptoms reported the highest rates of healthcare utilization, including higher rates of ER and mental health visits. Insomnia symptoms may contribute to post-operative healthcare utilization, lending support for assessment and intervention of sleep-related problems pre-laminectomy. Support (If Any) This material is based on work supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, grant # RX000798. Dr. Tighe is supported by Career Development/Capacity Building Award Number IK2 RX003393 from the United States (U.S.) Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation R&D (Rehab RD) Service. Dr. Bachrach is supported by a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) Career Development Award (CDA 20-057).

A fully predictive model for aeolian sand transport, part 3: Verification and application of model for natural beaches

This paper presents extensive research results on the verification of a new transport equation for dry and moist sand at field sites and is a continuation of earlier work (Van Rijn and Strypsteen, 2020). A new trap-type instrument (LVRS-sampler) for measuring the sand transport rate of sliding, rolling and saltating particles was designed and used at many natural beach sites in Belgium and The Netherlands. A short mast equipped with three mini wind cup meters was used to measure the velocity distribution in the lowest 1 m of the boundary layer flow. Many new data sets (81 data) of aeolian sand transport for dry and moist beach surface conditions were obtained using the new equipment and used for verification of the new prediction method. Older field data (48 data points) from the literature were also used for verification. The score of the predicted sand transport based on the new VR-method is 87% within a factor of 2 of measured values for dry sand and 91% for moist sand. The modified Bagnold-transport equation was also used for verification of the available field data with scores of 79% and 67%. As a practical example, the new VR-sand transport equation was applied to calculate the annual aeolian sand transport on a Dutch beach site using wind velocity and rainfall data from a local weather station including rain fall effects (moist sand) and conversion of inland wind velocities to beach velocities (upscaling of results).

Impact assessment of terrain specifics on wind energy production over semi-complex terrains

Estimated energy production for a wind farm depends on the wind shear who is influenced by both the roughness factor and terrain specifics. Tall towers measurements allow accurate determination of the velocity profile around the mast. Away from the point of measurements the reliability of the extrapolated data depends on complexity of the terrain and the extrapolation technique applied, as the error may exceeded 30 %. In terms of this, the use of one high mast to predict the energy potential is inaccurate. However, installing more than two tall masts is expensive. Therefore, a novel approach is used to analyse the wind potential for semi-complex terrains - one tall and one short (reference) masts. The novelty in the study here is that the short mast collects wind data for high and low terrain points. The data collected shows that the complex character of the terrain significantly increases the thickness of the surface boundary layer making the data obtained with 20 m masts quite unreliable. However, the 20 m mast data provides useful information for boundary layer that is used for refinement of the tall tower wind shear. Thus, the use of high and short masts improves the estimated energy production.

Problem alcohol use among rural head and neck cancer patients at diagnosis: Associations with health-related quality of life.

Problem alcohol use in persons with head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with poor outcomes, including survival. Some evidence suggests that individuals living in rural areas may be at greater risk of problem alcohol use. The present exploratory cross-sectional study sought to examine problem alcohol use at diagnosis in a sample of HNC patients by rural versus urban status. Self-reported problem alcohol use as measured by the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST) was examined in rural and urban HNC patients at diagnosis (N=454). Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to examine correlates of problem alcohol use. Subgroup analyses examined HNC-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by problem drinking status at diagnosis and 3- and 12-month postdiagnosis in rural patients. Multivariable linear regression analysis controlling for age, cancer site, cancer stage, depressive symptoms at diagnosis, and tobacco use at diagnosis indicated that rural residence was significantly associated with SMAST scores at diagnosis such that rural patients were more likely to report higher scores (ß=0.095, sr2 =0.010, p=0.04). Covariate-adjusted subgroup analyses suggest that rural patients with self-reported problem alcohol use may exhibit deficits in HNC-specific HRQOL at diagnosis and 3- and 12-month postdiagnosis. HNC patients should be screened for problem alcohol use at diagnosis and counseled regarding the deleterious effects of continued drinking during treatment and beyond. Because access to treatment and referral options may be lacking in rural areas, additional ways of connecting rural patients to specialty care should be explored.

Prevalence and Predictors of Harmful Alcohol use in a Sub-urban Community in North-Central Nigeria

Alcohol is a commonly used beverage with adverse health and socio-economic consequences when consumed in excessive amounts. This study determined the prevalence and predictors of hazardous alcohol use in a sub-urban community in Plateau state, Nigeria. Consenting adults aged 18 years and above were selected using multi stage sampling technique. They completed a semi–structured interviewer administered questionnaire adapted from Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test–Geriatric Version (SMAST-G) and the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) tools. Majority 154 (55) of the 280 respondents were males and about half were farmers. About 150 (53.6) of respondents had ever consumed alcohol as at the time of data collection and112 (77.4) of them were currently using alcohol. Harmful use was prevalent in 93 (83) of current users. Being male, belonging to age group 38-45years, and being a civil servant or a business person positively predicted harmful use of alcohol while consuming burukutu, was a negative predictor of harmful use. Control efforts need to target these groups to reduce the negative health and socio-economic consequences of alcohol use in the community.

Alcoholism amongst geriatric patients attending general practice clinic of a Teaching Hospital in Benin City, Nigeria.

Alcoholism or alcohol use disorder (AUD) is common among the elderly, though under-recognised and underreported. This under-reporting is especially so in Africa, including Nigeria where there is near absence of study on the subject matter. This study aims to determine the prevalence of alcoholism amongst geriatric patients at the general practice clinic (GPC) of a teaching hospital and to assess some associated socio-demographic factors. The study was cross-sectional and descriptive, conducted at the GPC of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Four hundred and twenty-two geriatric outpatients completed the geriatric version of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test and a socio-demographic data collection sheet. Cross-tabulation of categorical variables was performed by means of IBM SPSS statistics for windows version 19.0, with the level of significance set at P <0.05. The prevalence of AUD was 10.2%; the prevalence amongst males and females was 18.1% and 5.3%, respectively. AUD was present in 14.4%, 6.84% and 4.55% of those who had marital conflict, chronic pain and difficulty with walking, respectively. Sex, age group, financial difficulty, chronic pain and difficulty with walking were significantly associated with AUD. The prevalence of AUD amongst geriatric patients is relatively high. The deleterious effects of alcoholism may be worse in the elderly due to changes that occur with aging and their likelihood to be on medications that may interact adversely with alcohol.

The Monitoring Mast of the WWII German W/T Station Be-2

A first visit on the site of the WWII German W/T station at Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts (Brittany-FR), cover name Be-2, indicated sometime as either B 2 or B2, on 21st December 2009 allowed the identification of many components and to evaluate their preservation state. The secret Interpretation Report NO. G.590 of the No. 80 Wing RAF of 6th October 1942, dedicated to Be-2, mentioned a cable trench and a short mast may be for calibration purposes, not identified during the first visit, motivated the further visits on 13th - 14th May 2017 for searching their possible vestiges. This article presents the vestiges discovered, the feature of the mast and the reconstruction of Be-2.

Uživanje alkohola med starostniki v domačem okolju: rezultati presejalnega testa SMAST-G

Uvod: Dosedanje raziskave kažejo, da je tvegano ali škodljivo uživanje alkohola med starostniki prisotno v obsegu med 5 % in 23 % te populacije. Z raziskavo smo želeli preučiti pojavnost uživanja alkohola v starosti v povezavi z demografskimi dejavniki, socialno vključenostjo in samooceno zdravja. Metode: Uporabljen je bil standardizirani vprašalnik Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test – Geriatric version (SMAST-G). Nenaključno so bili vključeni starostniki nad 65 let, živeči v domačem okolju, ki so razumeli besedilo. Podatke smo obdelali z opisno statistiko in testom hi-kvadrat. Rezultati: Ugotovili smo, da je med starostniki 30,0 % takšnih, ki imajo možne težave z alkoholom. Statistična značilnost večjega uživanja alkohola se je pokazala pri nižji izobrazbi (x2 = 12,255, p = 0,007) ter pri moškem spolu (x2 = 14,641, p &lt; 0,001). Ugotovili smo statistično povezanost uživanja alkohola s samooceno zdravja (x2 = 12,085, p = 0,017) ter s posameznimi spremenljivkami socialne vključenosti, in sicer z oceno socialnih odnosov (x2 = 14,124, p&lt; 0,001) in z (ne)obstojem osebnih ciljev za prihodnost (x2 = 12,156, p = 0,016). Diskusija in zaključek: Uživanje alkohola se pri starostnikih povezuje s slabšo kakovostjo socialnih odnosov in nižjo samooceno zdravja. Raziskava kaže na potrebo po zvišanju znanja starostnikov o vplivih uživanja alkohola na zdravje, na potrebo po njihovi integraciji v socialno okolje ter po nadaljnjem raziskovanju problema uživanja alkohola v starosti.

Investigating the reliability of wind anemometers on floating tension-leg platforms

This article investigates the reliability of two different first-class cup anemometers and a two-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer when subjected to surge motion as normally experienced on tension-leg platforms. The experimental study was carried out using two small land-based test rigs. One of the test rigs consisted of a short mast installed on an oscillating base designed to reproduce the surge motion of a tension-leg platform. The second rig involved an identical mast installed on a fixed base and used as a reference mast. Results indicated that the two different cup anemometer models overestimated the one-minute mean wind speed when compared to the ultrasonic sensor. The overestimation increased when the sensors were subjected to surge motions, especially those having high surge frequencies. It was highest at low wind speeds and became significantly less at higher ones.

Factors associated with alcohol-related problems following moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

Postinjury alcohol use is a common problem within the traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Given the association between heavy drinking and the development of alcohol-related consequences, we attempted to understand the contribution of postinjury coping strategies and other risk factors to alcohol-related problems following moderate to severe TBI. Participants were enrolled in a longitudinal study and followed up to 15 years following TBI; only persons with moderate to severe TBI (N = 278) were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires assessing preinjury alcohol use, demographic variables, postinjury alcohol-related problems (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test; SMAST; Selzer, Vinokus, & Van Rooijan, 1975), and postinjury coping strategies (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; CISS; Endler & Parker, 1990). Only those who completed the SMAST were included in this investigation. The overall regression model, with time to follow commands, age at the time of TBI, education, time since injury, and task-oriented coping style, was statistically significant. After accounting for other factors, specific postinjury coping strategies were not associated with post-TBI alcohol-related problems. Time to follow commands, education, and time since injury independently explained a unique portion of the variance in SMAST score. A second multiple regression analysis was conducted for a subset of the sample that provided information about premorbid binge drinking (n = 95). The overall model was not significant, likely due to the reduced power to detect an effect, but premorbid binge drinking explained 4% of the variance in SMAST scores. Injury severity, education, and time since injury should be assessed, and at-risk patients should be informed of the consequences of alcohol use among those with TBI.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Peer Mentoring for Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Significant Others

Hanks RA, Rapport LJ, Wertheimer J, Koviak C. Randomized controlled trial of peer mentoring for individuals with traumatic brain injury and their significant others. ObjectivesTo examine the efficacy of a peer-mentoring program for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their significant others, and to determine the relationship of this mentoring program to 3 main outcomes: (1) emotional well-being; (2) post-TBI quality of life; and (3) community integration. DesignRandomized controlled trial. SettingMidwestern rehabilitation hospital. ParticipantsPersons with TBI (n=96) and significant others/caregivers (n=62). InterventionsPersons with TBI and friends/caregivers who knew the person prior to their injury were randomly assigned to a treatment (mentored) or no-treatment (no mentoring) control group immediately prior to discharge from the rehabilitation unit and were mentored for up to 2 years. Main Outcome MeasuresPeer Mentoring Questionnaire; Brief Symptom Inventory-18; Family Assessment Device; Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test; Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey; and Community Integration Measure. ResultsEighty-eight percent of individuals who were involved in the mentoring program reported positive experiences. t tests revealed that among persons with TBI, individuals who received mentoring had significantly better behavioral control and less chaos in the living environment (P=.04), lower alcohol use (P=.01), less emotion-focused (P=.04) and avoidance coping (P=.03), and good physical quality of life (P=.04) compared with those who did not receive mentoring. Among significant others, mentored individuals demonstrated greater community integration (P=.03) than the nonmentored control group. ConclusionsMentoring can be an effective way to benefit mood and healthy coping after TBI, and it can help to prevent maladaptive behaviors, such as substance abuse and behavioral dyscontrol, in the living situation.

Subdiagnostic Alcohol Use by Depressed Men and Women Seeking Outpatient Psychiatric Services: Consumption Patterns and Motivation to Reduce Drinking

This study examined alcohol use patterns among men and women with depression seeking outpatient psychiatric treatment, including factors associated with recent heavy episodic drinking and motivation to reduce alcohol consumption. The sample consisted of 1,183 patients aged 18 and over who completed a self-administered, computerized intake questionnaire and who scored ≥ 10 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Additional measures included current and past alcohol questions based on the Addiction Severity Index, heavy episodic drinking (≥ 5 drinks on 1 or more occasions in the past year), alcohol-related problems on the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST), and motivation to reduce drinking using the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). Among those who consumed any alcohol in the past year (73.9% of the sample), heavy episodic drinking in the past year was reported by 47.5% of men and 32.5% of women. In logistic regression, prior-year heavy episodic drinking was associated with younger age (p = 0.011), male gender (p = 0.001), and cigarette smoking (p = 0.002). Among patients reporting heavy episodic drinking, motivation to reduce alcohol consumption was associated with older age (p = 0.008), greater usual quantity of alcohol consumed (p < 0.001), and higher SMAST score (p < 0.001). In contrast to prior clinical studies, we examined subdiagnostic alcohol use and related problems among psychiatric outpatients with depression. Patients reporting greater drinking quantities and alcohol-related problems also express more motivation to reduce drinking, providing intervention opportunities for mental health providers that should not be overlooked.

Brief screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking during pregnancy: a systematic review

Although prenatal screening for problem drinking during pregnancy has been recommended, guidance on screening instruments is lacking. We investigated the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of brief alcohol screening questionnaires to identify problem drinking in pregnant women. Electronic databases from their inception to June 2008 were searched, as well as reference lists of eligible papers and related review papers. We sought cohort or cross-sectional studies that compared one or more brief alcohol screening questionnaire(s) with reference criteria obtained using structured interviews to detect 'at-risk' drinking, alcohol abuse or dependency in pregnant women receiving prenatal care. Five studies (6724 participants) were included. In total, seven instruments were evaluated: TWEAK (Tolerance, Worried, Eye-opener, Amnesia, Kut down), T-ACE [Take (number of drinks), Annoyed, Cut down, Eye-opener], CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilt, Eye-opener], NET (Normal drinker, Eye-opener, Tolerance), AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test), AUDIT-C (AUDIT-consumption) and SMAST (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test). Study quality was generally good, but lack of blinding was a common weakness. For risk drinking sensitivity was highest for T-ACE (69-88%), TWEAK (71-91%) and AUDIT-C (95%), with high specificity (71-89%, 73-83% and 85%, respectively). CAGE and SMAST performed poorly. Sensitivity of AUDIT-C at score >or=3 was high for past year alcohol dependence (100%) or alcohol use disorder (96%) with moderate specificity (71% each). For life-time alcohol dependency the AUDIT at score >or=8 performed poorly. T-ACE, TWEAK and AUDIT-C show promise for screening for risk drinking, and AUDIT-C may also be useful for identifying alcohol dependency or abuse. However, their performance as stand-alone tools is uncertain, and further evaluation of questionnaires for prenatal alcohol use is warranted.

Using brief self-reports and clinician scales to screen for substance use disorders in psychotic patients

Aims: The aims of this study were to examine evidence for the concurrent validity of two self-report measures and two staff-report measures measuring alcohol and drug problems in seriously mentally ill people and to examine if psychotic patients under-report their alcohol and drug problems in an early intervention clinic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 48 patients (26 inpatients and 22 outpatients) from an early intervention clinic for psychosis. To examine the sensitivity and specificity, we compared both the staff-report measures Clinical Alcohol Use Scale (AUS) and Clinical Drug Use Scale (DUS) and the self-report measures Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (SMAST-13) and Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-20), with the current ICD-10 diagnostic criteria as the gold-standard for alcohol and drug problems. To examine whether the patients under-report their alcohol and drug problems, we also compared the self-report measures SMAST-13 and DAST-20 with the staff-report measures AUS and DUS and ICD-10 consensus substance abuse diagnoses. Results: The results show that the concurrent validity compared with ICD-10 diagnoses was moderate for both the staff-report measures AUS and DUS and for the self-report measures SMAST-13 and DAST-20. Three out of seven patients under-report alcohol problems and one patient out of seven under-report drug use problems according to consensus ICD-10 substance abuse diagnoses. Conclustions: We conclude that the SMAST-13 and DAST-20 in combination with the AUS and DUS, which are easy and quick to perform, are helpful in establishing a common understanding of the patient's alcohol and drug problems in an early intervention clinic.

Alcohol and trauma: The impact of acute and chronic alcohol abuse on injury severity and death in a trauma population

ABSTRACTStudy objectives Design Setting Participants Main results Conclusion Key words Abbreviations : AIS (Abbreviated Injury Scale); BAL (blood alcohol level); GDH (glutamate dehydrogenase); GGT(gamma-glutamyltransferase); HMC (Harborview Medical Centre); ISS (Injury Severity Score); MCV (mean corpuscularvolume); MV-occupants (motor vehicle occupants); SMAST (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test); WAM(weighed alcohol markers).: alcohol markers; biological; injury severity; lethality; screening tests; trauma: This study indicates that acute and chronic alcohol use, at least for some types of injury, hascontrasting effects on injury severity and mortality in men and women hospitalized for trauma. Futurestudies on alcohol and trauma should recognize this, and present sex-specific analyses.: The effect of alcohol use on injury severity and mortality was different between genders.Increasing use of alcohol in men showed a "protective" effect, while the opposite effect was observed inwomen. With the exception of injury severity in motor vehicle occupants and motorcyclists, the "protective"effect of alcohol was found for all types of trauma in men, whereas increasing alcohol use in womenwas associated with an increase in injury severity and mortality for penetrating injuries and for motorvehicle occupants and motorcyclists. Women with blunt injuries, however, showed the same "protective"effect from alcohol as observed in men. No differences was found between acute and chronic alcohol usewith respect to trauma morbidity and mortality.: 2195 men and 664 women 18 years or older, admitted with blunt or penetrating trauma.: Regional Level 1 trauma center in Seattle, Washington, USA.: A prospective cohort study.: To explore possible impact of acute and chronic alcohol abuse on injury severity andmortality in male and female trauma patients.

Screening for Alcohol Use and Misuse in Older Adults

The Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test--Geriatric Version (SMAST-G) is often used in outpatient settings to detect "at-risk" alcohol use, alcohol abuse, or alcoholism in older adults. As the number of older adults in the United States grows, those who develop problems of abuse and a dependence on alcohol will grow as well. The availability of accurate, easy-to-use screening tools to detect people in need of counseling can increase the number of older adults whose lives can be improved and even lengthened. To watch a free online video of a nurse administering the SMAST-G, go to http://links.lww.com/A271.

Screening for Alcohol Use and Misuse in Older Adults: Using the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test–Geriatric Version.

Madeline A. Naegle is a professor at the New York University College of Nursing, where she coordinates the psychiatric– mental health advanced practice nursing program, which includes a specialization in substance-related disorders. Contact author: [email protected]. How to Try This is a three-year project funded by a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing in collaboration with AJN. This initiative promotes the Hartford Institute's geriatric assessment and screening tools, Try This: Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults:www.hartfordign.org%2ftrythis. The series will include articles and corresponding videos, all of which will be available for free online at www.nursingcenter.com%2fAJNolderadults. Nancy A. Stotts, EdD, RN, FAAN ([email protected]), and Sherry A. Greenberg, MSN, GNP-BC ([email protected]), are coeditors of the print series. The articles and videos are to be used for educational purposes only. Routine use of Try This tools or approaches may require formal review and approval by your employer. Screening for Alcohol Use and Misuse in Older Adults: Erratum We inadvertently omitted the financial disclosure statement. This article should have included the following statement saying, "The authors of this article have no significant ties, financial or otherwise, to any company that might have an interest in the publication of this educational activity." This erratum is published in the March 2009 issue of AJN.

A survey of stress levels, self-perceived health and health-related behaviours of UK dental practitioners in 2005

To record stress levels and self-perceived health and health-related behaviours of dentists. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 1,000 BDA members in April 2005. Respondents were questioned about self-perceived general health, medicine and drug use, tobacco and alcohol use, self-perceived general well-being, sexual health, occupational health, physical activity and nutrition. There were also some questions about women's health. Results were compared to a BDA study of dental professionals' health and well-being carried out in 1996. A response rate of 55% was achieved (545 replies). Two-thirds (67%) of respondents considered themselves in very good or excellent health and 53% were happy and interested in life. Only 42% were free from pain and discomfort and 26% experienced levels of pain that prevented them from taking part in a few or some activities. The majority (86%) had very or fairly stressful lives but most (83%) were either very or somewhat satisfied with their lives. Nearly all respondents (90%) planned to take action to improve their health during the 12 months following the survey: popular actions planned included increasing exercise (58%) and losing weight (42%). Very few respondents used tobacco (4% daily and 4% occasionally) and most (59%) said that only a few of their friends smoked: 36% had no tobacco-using friends. Only 3% of respondents had never had alcohol. The Short Michigan alcohol screening test revealed that 6% of dentists had a drink problem and 9% had alcoholic tendencies. The most common factors contributing to stress at work were patient demands (75%), practice management/staff issues (56%), fear of complaints/litigation (54%) and non-clinical paperwork (54%). More than half (53%) of respondents were relatively inactive during the day but 57% took some form of physical exercise at least 3-4 times per week. Nearly half (49%) of respondents felt that their level of physical activity was very likely or somewhat likely to cause them health problems. In spite of the dramatic recent changes to dentistry, the differences between the results of this study and the results of the research carried out in 1996 are minimal. Claims that dentistry is a dangerously stressful occupation are not justified and dentists seem to be as well and happy as other professional groups. There is however, a slight increase in the use of alcohol. Stress management and personal and professional awareness training should be included in the undergraduate curriculum, so that threats to physical and mental well-being which might occur during a dentist's professional life may be avoided or addressed.

Computerized Screening for Alcohol and Drug Use Among Adults Seeking Outpatient Psychiatric Services

This study examined routine computerized screening for alcohol and drug use of men and women seeking outpatient psychiatric services (excluding chemical dependency treatment) and prevalence based on electronic medical records of consecutive admissions. The sample of 422 patients, ages 18-91, completed a self-administered questionnaire. Measures included 30-day, one-year, and lifetime substance use and alcohol-related problems. Seventy-five percent of patients completed electronic intakes during the study period. Prior-month alcohol use was reported by 90 men (70%) and 180 women (62%). Of these patients, heavy drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion) was reported by 37 men (41%) and 41 women (23%). Prior-month cannabis use was reported by 17 men (13%) and 32 women (11%). Computerized intake systems that include alcohol and drug screening can be integrated into outpatient psychiatric settings. Heavy drinking and use of nonprescribed drugs are commonly reported, which provides an important intervention opportunity.