Relationships between use of dietary supplements,caffeine and sensation seeking among college students

Abstract

Objective: Caffeine and dietary supplement (DS) use by college students is not well-documented. Given reported associations between energy drink consumption and sensation seeking, we used the Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSS-V) to assess relationships between sensation-seeking, caffeine, and DS use. Participants: Data from 1,248 college students from five US institutions were collected from 2009 to 2011. Methods: Linear regression was used to examine relationships between scores on the SSS-V and caffeine and DS use, demographic, and lifestyle characteristics. Results: Male sex, nonHispanic race-ethnicity, higher family income, tobacco use, consuming caffeinated beverages, more than 400?mg caffeine per day, and energy drinks with alcohol at least 50% of the time, were significantly associated with higher total SSS-V scores (P?<?0.001). Those using protein DSs had higher total, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility SSS-V scores (Ps?<?0.001). Conclusions: Results demonstrate a positive correlation between sensation-seeking attitudes and habitual caffeine, energy drink, and DS consumption.     

The age-varying effects of adolescent stress on impulsivity and sensation seeking

Adolescence is defined in part by heightened exposure and sensitivity to stressors. In a longitudinal cohort of youth at risk for substance use problems, we examined the age-varying relationship between stress exposure and traits that are central to the dual systems model. The positive associations between stress exposure, impulsivity, sensation seeking varied as function of age. Specifically, the influence of stress exposure on impulsivity strengthened during early adolescence and remained stable into early adulthood, while the influence of stress exposure on sensation seeking strengthened from early- to mid-adolescence and weakened thereafter. These findings suggest that the maturational imbalance between the capacity to regulate impulsive tendencies and sensation seeking may be exaggerated for youth who are exposed to a high number of stressors.     

Comparing American college and noncollege young adults on e-cigarette use patterns including polysubstance use and reasons for using e-cigarettes

Abstract

Objective: Existing literature on young adults’ e-cigarette and polysubstance use focused on college students. This study examined the differences between college and noncollege groups on prevalence and patterns of e-cigarette and other substance use using data from a national survey. Participants: Adults aged 18–24 from the 2013–2014 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (n?=?6,608). Methods: Independent sample t-tests and Chi-square tests were conducted to examine group differences. Results: Noncollege young adults had higher prevalence of cigarette, e-cigarette, and marijuana use; college students had higher prevalence of alcohol use. Among current e-cigarette users, college students had higher prevalence of polysubstance use of alcohol and marijuana. College students used e-cigarettes for socializing purposes more. Conclusions: Differences in prevalence and patterns of e-cigarette and other substance use between college and noncollege groups exist. Future interventions should target the social context of college life and reach out to noncollege young adults in workplaces.     

Problematic internet use and sensation seeking: Differences between teens who live at home and in residential care

In the current study a first attempt was made to explore the differences between normative teens and teens at risk in residential care, with regard to their patterns of internet use, problematic internet use (PIU), and the association with sensation seeking. One hundred teens in residential care and 99 teens who reside at home, took part in the study. The findings show that teens in residential care devote less time to surfing the web every day, have lower levels of PIU in the four dimensions examined (diminished impulse control, loneliness/depression, distraction, and social comfort), and are more inclined to seek sensations than teens who live at home. In addition, a negative correlation was found between sensation seeking and PIU.     

Sexual activity and risk taking in young heterosexual men: The relevance of sexual arousability,mood, and sensation seeking

In this research we explored three aspects of personality relevant to sexual activity and sexual risk taking in heterosexual men. Men with low inhibition of sexual arousal in the face of risk (low SIS2) reported more partners with whom they use no condoms and more lifetime “one night stands.” Men who experience increased sexual interest in states of depression (MSQ) reported more partners in the past year and more one night stands. The disinhibition subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale was predictive of whether sexual intercourse had occurred in the past 6 months, and also of the number of sexual partners in the past year. A measure of an intention to practice safer sex was strongly related to measures of sexual arousability and inhibition (SIS/SES). We discuss some clear similarities and also some interesting differences with a parallel study of gay men. Individual differences in sexual excitation and inhibition proneness and the relation between mood and sexuality are clearly relevant to high‐risk sexual behavior and should be taken into consideration when designing behavioral interventions.     

A qualitative study of smoking cessation experiences and perceptions among homeless young adults

Up to 70% of homeless youth smoke, but there is little information available on their smoking cessation experiences and perceptions to guide cessation intervention efforts. This study examined reasons for quitting smoking, previous experiences quitting smoking, and preferences for smoking cessation programs among homeless young adults. Four focus groups (N?=?27) were conducted in centers serving homeless 18–25 year olds in Los Angeles. Sessions were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by a systematic procedure for qualitative analysis to identify key themes on the topics of interest. The short-term health-related consequences of smoking and high cost of cigarettes were the main reasons participants indicated for quitting or wanting to quit. In terms of barriers to quitting, exposure to peers who smoke and smoking to cope with the daily stressors of homelessness were the two most salient themes. Suggested features of a smoking cessation program for homeless youth included having a group-based component to provide support, offering incentives to attend, and using “scare tactics” as a tool to increase motivation to quit. To increase acceptability and uptake, smoking cessation programs for homeless youth need to focus on the short-term consequences of smoking and harness of the power of peer influences.     

The working alliance between homeless young adults and workers: A dyadic approach

The development of a strong working alliance between homeless young adults and their social workers is seen as a critical component in the recovery process. The purpose of this study was to examine the composition of the working alliance between homeless young adults and their social workers, and its association with self-determination, resilience and quality of life. A sample of 102 homeless young adults and 32 social workers from ten Dutch shelter facilities participated. Homeless young adults were interviewed twice: when entering the facility (baseline) and sixth months after baseline or when care ended earlier. Social workers were questioned about the working alliance at follow-up. Data were analyzed by using a one-with-many design. Results showed that homeless young adults who generally reported strong alliances with their social worker, do not have a social worker who generally reported strong alliances (generalized reciprocity). In addition, if a young adult reported to have an especially strong alliance with his worker, this worker did not necessarily reported to have a strong alliance in return (dyadic reciprocity). Homeless young adults who perceived a stronger working alliance with their social worker than other young adults, who were supported by the same social worker, improved more on self-determination than young adults who reported to have a weaker alliance. Our results indicate that the working alliance is important in achieving outcomes. A dialogical approach should be encouraged in which young adults feel valued and safe enough to express their expectations and to build a strong working alliance.     

DSM-5 substance use disorders among college-age young adults in the United States: Prevalence,remission and treatment

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence, remission, and treatment associated with DSM-5 substance use disorders (SUDs) among young adults based on college attendance. Participants: The population-based sample included 2,057 young adults aged 19–23 in college/school and 1,213 not currently attending college/school who participated from April 2012 through June 2013. Methods: Face-to-face interviews were conducted as part of a cross-sectional national survey. Results: The prevalence of any past-year DSM-5 SUD was 39.6% among young adults in college and 44.5% among those not attending college. Past-year tobacco use disorder and multiple DSM-5 SUDs were more prevalent among those not attending college. Among those with prior-to-past-year SUDs, abstinent remission was low among college (1.0%) and noncollege (1.9%) young adults. Conclusions: Approximately two in five U.S. college students had at least one past-year DSM-5 SUD. Sustained abstinent remission from SUDs is extremely rare (1–2%) and the majority of those with SUDs do not receive treatment.     

The association between triglyceride high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and benign prostate hyperplasia in non-diabetic patients:a cross-sectional study

Objectives: To assess the association between triglyceride (TG)/high density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio and benign prostate hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms (BPH/LUTS).

Methods: Four hundred patients who were admitted to the Urology Clinic between January and December 2014 with complaints of BPH/LUTS were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into two groups according to their International Prostate Symptom Score and prostate volume (PV). They were compared in terms of age, body mass index (BMI), PV, PSA, post micturional residual volume, uroflowmetry Q max value, fasting blood sugar, TG and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level and TG/HDL ratio.

Results: Although univariate analyses reveal that age, BMI, waist circumference (WC), FBS, TG, HDL-C level, and TG/HDL ratio were correlated with PV, only age [1.125 OR (1.088–1.164), p?=?.00001], BMI [1.119 OR (1.040–1.204), p?=?.003], TG [(1.043 OR (1.016–1.071), p?=?.002], HDL-C [(0.923 OR (0.860–0.990), p?=?.025], and TG/HDL ratio [(1.224 OR (1.130–1.315), p?=?.014] were statistically significant in multivariate analysis. The calculated area under the curve (AUC) for PV of 30?ml, 40?ml, and 50?ml was 0.668 (0.608–0.727), 0.617 (0.561–0.673), and 0.592 (0.530–0.654), respectively.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that the TG/HDL ratio correlates with enhancement in PV. Further studies are warranted to better evaluate this relationship.     

Collective caring: creating safety through interactions between young activist groups and young adults in Sweden

Existing research explores safety among young adults as a complex phenomenon in diverse social spaces. Nonetheless, it largely approaches perceptions of unsafety and safety strategies as discrete individual action. In this paper, we show how safety is created through the social interactions between young activist groups and their main target or audience, young adults. Our study aimed to explore how young adults created meanings and actions of safety within their activism. Grounded Theory method was use to collect and analyze qualitative interviews with young adults of ten social change groups located in two medium-size cities in Sweden. To interpret our findings, we drew upon interactionist concepts of shared definitions and joint action [Blumer, Herbert. 1966. “Sociological Implications of the thought of George Herbert Mead.” American Journal of Sociology 71 (5): 535–544]. Shared definitions challenged narrow notions of unsafety by identifying uniform categories and harmful stereotypes as the source of the problem, and thereby locating constraints upon the capacity of different groups of young adults to define situations as (un)safe. Joint action combined an immediate response of moving to where young adults were with an enduring response of being there for young adults. Combined, these constituted an overarching social process of collective caring, which we linked to Isabel Lorey’s [2015. State of Insecurity. London: Verso] concept of practices of caring.     

Self-Stigma of seeking help and job burnout in mental health care providers: the comparative study of Lithuanian and the USA samples

This study aimed to explore the correlation between job burnout and self-stigma of seeking help among nonmedical mental health care providers (psychologists, social workers, and counselors) in two countries – Lithuania and the US. The study included 234 professionals (111 social workers and 123 psychologists) from Lithuania and 93 professionals (33 counselors, 23 social workers, and 37 psychologists) from the US on a voluntary basis (93% females, mean age – 39.81?years). They completed a self-reported questionnaire with the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). The results revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between self-stigmatization and burnout in the Lithuanian sample, but only weak positive correlation between depersonalization and self-stigma of seeking help in the US sample. The relationship between the self-stigma of seeking help and burnout was stronger in the Lithuanian sample of professionals when compared to their colleagues in the US.     

A three-city comparison of drug use and drug use before sex among young men who have sex with men in the United States

High rates of drug use have been documented among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, updated prevalence data are needed to understand current trends, especially for drug use before sex. We used baseline data from an HIV prevention trial to examine demographic differences in drug use and drug use before sex among YMSM in Atlanta, Chicago, and New York City. Marijuana was the most commonly used drug, but alkyl nitrites (“poppers”), cocaine, and Ecstasy were also commonly used. Drug use was more prevalent among older and White YMSM, and it was similar across cities, although use of poppers and polydrug use were more common in New York City. Our data generally support national prevention efforts.     

Comparing the effectiveness of behavioral interventions in adults with co-occurring tobacco and substance use disorders: a systematic review of literature

ABSTRACT

This systematic literature review compares the e?ectiveness of various behavioral interventions delivered to persons with co-occurring tobacco and substance use disorders. It examines ?ndings of six randomized trials and three secondary analyses from randomized trials. Based on the ?ndings of this literature review, support is given to the following: (1) The consequences of tobacco use and smoking are deadly, costly, and can have an inhibitory e?ect on the progress of people in substance abuse treatment, (2) tobacco cessation options are a preventive intervention that can be easily incorporated into a treatment facility’s standard of practice and should be made available within the context of all substance abuse treatment facilities, and (3) concurrently treating tobacco use disorder and substance use disorder(s) is an e?ort that will help meet the social work profession’s Grand Challenge to ‘Close the Health Gap.’     

Institutionalising the evaluation function: A South African study of impartiality,use and cost

PurposeThis article explores the implications of outsourcing the evaluation function in South Africa, a context where there is a mismatch between evaluation supply and demand. It unpacks the tradeoffs between internal and external evaluation, and challenges some commonly held assumptions about both.ApproachBased on experiences as an internal evaluator, external evaluator, evaluation manager, and building evaluation capacity, the author explores how each role changes when evaluation is a scarce skill, and looks at implications outsourcing has for both the organization, and the evaluation.FindingsThe purpose of the evaluation must drive the decision to outsource. However, with changing models of collaboration, there may be hybrid options that allow organizations to build evaluation capacity.Practical implicationsOrganisations are faced with a trade-off between commissioning an evaluation, and building internal evaluation capacity. To better understand each approach, it is important to consider the purpose and context of the evaluation. This shifts some commonly held assumptions about internal and external evaluations. Re-examining these assumptions will help organizations make a more informed decision about an evaluation approach.Originality/valueThe field of evaluation is particularly concerned with evaluation use. Most of the literature on this has focused on the approach of individual evaluators, and insufficient attention has been paid to the institutional architecture of the evaluation. This article considers how some of the organisational structures around an evaluation contribute to evidence use, and the case study of South Africa also shifts the focus to the central but overlooked role of context in the debate.     

A cross-national study on adolescent substance use: Intentions,peer substance use,and parent-adolescent communication

This longitudinal two-wave cross-national study investigated whether intentions, friends' substance use, and parent-adolescent substance-use specific communication predict adolescent alcohol and cannabis use 1 year later, while estimating reversed links. The temporal order between these two substances was also examined. We used multi-group cross-lagged panel modeling on data from 2 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse samples: Sint Maarten (N = 350; M_age = 14.19) and the Netherlands (N = 602; M_age = 13.50). Results showed that in the Netherlands, cannabis use predicts more subsequent problems (alcohol use, intention to use cannabis, and affiliation with cannabis-using friends). But for Sint Maarten, alcohol use predicts more subsequent problems (cannabis use, intention to use alcohol, and affiliation with alcohol-using friends). These opposing results demonstrate that caution is warranted when generalizing results across countries.     

A content analysis of sexual health and substance use information presented on study abroad websites: Findings and recommendations

Abstract

Objective: Despite study abroad students frequently engaging in risky behaviors, there is a dearth of research exploring prevention efforts taken by study abroad programs. The goal of this project was to examine information presented on study abroad program websites regarding sexual assault, alcohol use, drug use, and risky sexual behavior. Participants: A total of 753 universities in the US were selected from the Carnegie Classification of Institutes database. Method: Coders evaluated the website of each institution’s study abroad program for the presence of information about the four factors of interest. Results: Sixty-seven percent of the websites provided no information on any of these risk behaviors. Chi-square analyses revealed institutional demographic differences in the presentation of prevention information. We also identified three emerging themes about avenues for modifying website content. Conclusion: Study abroad programs can provide more detail and action oriented information on their websites for students.     

Correlates of depression in self-neglecting older adults: A cross-sectional study examining the role of alcohol abuse and pain in increasing vulnerability

ABSTRACT

Self-neglect among older adults results in increased morbidity and mortality rates. Depression is strongly linked to self-neglect and when untreated, severely complicates management of health and functional outcomes. The study aims to identify factors correlated with depression to inform approaches to service recruitment and retention that improve long-term outcomes. The sample included urban community-dwelling older adults (n = 96) 65 years of age and older with Adult Protective Services-substantiated self-neglect. All participants completed a range of validated cognitive, functional, and self-report demographic and clinical measures around health and mental health functioning. A secondary data analysis using multivariable logistic regression revealed that a positive screen for alcohol abuse, low self-rated health, and higher self-reported pain were associated with significantly higher odds of self-reported depression. Further research is needed to understand the temporality between these correlates and depression and to inform prevention and intervention practices for self-neglecting older adults.     

The role of perceptions of partner's alcohol use in heavy alcohol use and alcohol reduction intervention preferences among LGBQ adults in primary,romantic relationships

Correlates of heavy episodic alcohol and alcohol reduction intervention preferences were examined among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) adults in romantic relationships. Anonymous data were collected online; analyses included logistic and multinomial regression models. One-fourth of participants reported recent heavy episodic alcohol use. Perceptions of partners' engaging in heavy alcohol use was associated with an increased odds of engaging in heavy alcohol use. Perceptions of partners' heavy alcohol use was associated with an increased odds of preferring a couples-based alcohol intervention compared to preferring no intervention. Findings highlight the need to consider partners in alcohol interventions for LGBQ couples.     

The interplay between formal project memberships and informal advice seeking in knowledge-intensive firms: A multilevel network approach

In this study we investigate the interplay between knowledge workers’ formal project team memberships and their informal interactions from a multilevel network perspective. Conceptualizing knowledge workers’ affiliation with project teams as a membership network and their interactions as an advice network, we discuss how shared project team memberships as well as multiple memberships influence patterns of informal exchange in knowledge-intensive organizations. To empirically determine the impact of formal organization on informal exchange we apply exponential random graph models for multilevel networks to relational data collected on 434 R&D employees working on 218 project teams in a high-tech firm in Germany. Our results show that employees sharing project memberships create advice ties to each other but do not exchange advice reciprocally. In addition, we find a negative relationship between having a high number of project memberships and informally seeking or providing advice.