This study investigated the high risk drinking practices of unaffiliated college students who are not involved in formal athletics, fraternities, or sororities. Using a qualitative research design, the investigators interviewed students at a northeast public college in fall 2010 to learn about unaffiliated students' drinking experiences and…

Drug abuse, or substance abuse, is a substantial public health problem in the United States, particularly among high school students. The purpose of this article was to review school-based programs implemented in high schools for substance abuse prevention and to suggest recommendations for future interventions. Included were English language…

Objectives: Resident physicians report insufficient experience caring for patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Resident training in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) has been recommended. We describe the development of a standardized patient (SP) assessment to measure SBIRT skills, resident perceptions of…

This study reports on a study of college students at a state supported university regarding the use of designated drivers associated with illicit drug use, especially marijuana use. The purpose of the study was to examine whether college students report that they drive under the influence of illicit drugs, if they use the strategy of designating a…

Use of prescription stimulants after college has not been well researched. In an online survey, current upperclassmen undergraduates (N = 96) and recent alumni (N = 337) reported licit and illicit use of prescription stimulants, perceptions of peer use, self-diagnosis of attention disorder, and plans for continued use. Post-graduate rate of use…

Prescription drug misuse is a major health problem, particularly among teens. A key step in curbing misuse is the development of effective prescription drug prevention messages. This paper explores the elements of prescription drug misuse prevention messages that resonate with teens using data from focus groups with seventh and eighth grade…

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and sexual behaviors are consistently reported by high school students in the United States and can contribute to reduced quality of life. Empirical research finds that many assets may act as a protective factor for adolescent risk behaviors. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the…

The Healthy People 2010 guidelines identify substance abuse as a major public health problem in need of effective interventions for diverse populations including racial and ethnic minorities. However, the literature with regard to substance abuse in the African American community is rather scant. This article discusses the need for a research…

The current study explored the relationships between parenting practices and adolescent drug use. Suburban middle school students (N = 2129) completed surveys that included measures of perceived parental monitoring, discipline and setting an anti-drug message as well as measures of drug-related knowledge, attitudes and peer norms. Results…

To explore the extent of awareness among practitioners of the importance of fidelity of implementation and the factors that inhibit or encourage it, interviews were conducted with nine individuals in each of the following groups: 1) researchers who have developed and evaluated prevention curricula; 3) school administrators; 4) teachers; and 5)…

Describes and tests the Stay Alive from Education (SAFE) program, a one-hour behavior modification program that informs students of the dangers associated with driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and not wearing seat belts. Quantitative data seem to suggest that students may change their driving behaviors due to the influence of…

In this study, drug use data were collected from 3,587 female arrestees surveyed through Houston's Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program. Chi-square statistics indicated females arrested for prostitution were significantly more likely to test positive for cocaine than the non-prostitutes. Implications for drug treatment and public health…

Survey of residence hall staff (RHS) reports estimates of student substance abuse and related problems, level of knowledge about these drugs, frequency of problems experienced and interventions employed, and the degree of confidence in utilizing specific intervention skills. Results indicate that RHS see their role as a combination of counselor…

Survey examines gender differences in sexual practices and beliefs about condom use among rural injecting drug users admitted to treatment programs. Results indicate that Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome knowledge was extremely limited for both males and females in this sample, suggesting that basic HIV/AIDS…

Faculty at an urban university were surveyed to explore the rates of confronting peers and college students with alcohol/other drug problems, the types of interventions made, and the reasons for not confronting impaired others. Results indicate that more faculty knew of a colleague who had a current substance problem than had actually confronted…