American Indians have among the highest prevalence rates for both substance use and obesity, yet there is a dearth of studies that have examined this relationship. We examined a subsample of American Indian adolescents (n=623), using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We examined the association between body mass index…

Indiana University's Schools of Social Work, Nursing and Medicine formed a consortium to advance education for Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). Trainees participated in SBIRT training and completed data collection before, immediately after, and 30 days after a face-to-face training. The study explored participants'…

The misuse of prescription stimulants (MPS), risky drinking, and drunkorexia are current public health concerns. The present study assessed the prevalence of MPS and drunkorexia using an online survey. Specifically, we examined alcohol consumption, the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol…

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a model program in the medical context, but it may be missing a large portion of the population with low access to healthcare services. Young adults have the lowest rates of insurance, low healthcare service utilization, and high rates of substance use. Theory driven Screening and…

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…

The literature exploring commonalities between four-year and community college student alcohol use is relatively scarce. A possible reason for this discrepancy is the heavy focus on alcohol issues at university colleges. Coll (1999) presented one of the first brief assessments comparing community and four-year colleges on alcohol use and related…

Religion plays a significant role in human life, yet its potential to influence health and health-related conditions is not well studied. This article cites several studies that examine the correlation between religiosity and substance abuse. This article also suggests that more systematic researches are needed to validate the correlation of…

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…

Examined the effect of a program for positive self-esteem development on alcohol related attitudes for selected fifth grade students (N=84), via the pre- and posttest design. Analysis supported the hypothesis that the development of a positive self-esteem decreased the potential for alcohol and drug use. (Author/ABL)

Surveyed 12,000 university students from every state to determine drinking patterns. Significant differences in drinking patterns for all demographic groups were apparent. There were no differences in consumption and no differences in drinking-related problems when looking at age, type of school, and school size. Other findings are discussed. (RJM)

Used locus of control assessments to monitor specific aspect of adolescent chemical dependency treatment program. Used song lyric analysis activities to note short-term modifications in experimental group's (N=10) perceived locus of control. No improvements were noted in matched control group's locus of control. Findings suggest that addictions…

Explores the role of the college student peer counselor as a complement to the student affairs support services in the area of alcohol and substance abuse. The author discusses a viable student peer counseling model which integrates readily available assistance from college student affairs services and the skills of a trained student peer…

Illustrates associations between substance abuse and leisure experiences. Presents rationale for leisure interventions for adolescents designed to remediate this social and behavioral problem. Suggests leisure education and counseling for inclusion in prevention or intervention strategies for substance abuse. Provides recommendations for…

Surveyed eleventh-grade students (n=262) to compare two measures of parental drinking problems. Students who were distressed or discomforted by their parents' drinking did not differ from other youth on measured outcomes. Students who said their parents had been treated for alcohol and drug problems differed on several variables, including…

This article reports on a survey of 115 schools of education and training for health professionals, inquiring into the recognition of substance abuse and substance abuse in pregnancy as a curriculum concern. Although most schools reported that substance abuse falls within their curricula, some respondents requested continuing education on the…