Alcohol prevention strategies on college campuses and student alcohol abuse and related problems

This study examined the relationship between colleges' alcohol abuse prevention strategies and students' alcohol abuse and related problems. Alcohol prevention coordinators and first year students in 22 colleges reported whether their schools were implementing 48 strategies in six domains, and students (N = 2041) completed another survey concerning their use of alcohol and related consequences. Colleges were most likely to prevent alcohol use in public places on campus and the delivery and use of kegs. Four alcohol prevention domains were inversely associated with at least one of five outcomes related to student alcohol abuse or related consequences, and the alcohol policy and enforcement domain was inversely associated with all outcomes. Colleges should pay particular attention to strategies related to policy and enforcement.     

New directions for management accounting

Using a general systems rationale, this paper develops a theoretical structure for approaching the problem of management accounting. The management control problem is explicated in terms of maintaining a relationship between the enterprise's structure and its environment. An enterprise's structure is composed of three elements (and their inter-relations): a decision and control subsystem; a financial funds subsystem and an operating (physical transforms) subsystem. Portrayed in these terms, the problem of management accounting is shown to require a methodology which is able to take cognizance of economic, sociological, psychological and other aspects of the enterprise system. The model described here provides a general intellectual frame of reference for ordering the problem.     

Researching social care for minority ethnic older people: implications of some Scottish research

Summary The paper explores issues raised by research on patterns ofwelfare and mutual care among older Pakistani people and theirfamilies, with particular reference to their use, or lack ofuse of social care services. Qualitative interviews were conductedwith (self-defined) minority ethnic older people, professionalsin statutory services and in minority-led community-based groups.The organization of services is discussed, with special referenceto issues of power and control, the role of the voluntary (non-profit)and statutory sectors, the debate regarding the possible needfor specialist versus generic services, and the role of minority-ledinitiatives. Secondly, issues of service staffing are examined,and the dangers of marginalizing minority services and staffreviewed, especially with reference to divisions of labour inservice provision and staff's own perspectives. Thirdly, themethodological implications of the work are explores, includingissues of linguistic and cultural communication and workingwith relatively powerless social groups, whose views are sought.Examining the views of professional social care workers is alsoproblematized, with reference to their gate-keeping role. Itis argued that user perspectives are essential to the developmentof appropriate services for minority ethnic groups. In conclusion,the need to raise these issues in other work is discussed.     

Simultaneous tests for homogeneity of two zero-inflated (beta) populations

ABSTRACT

Motivated by an example in marine science, we use Fisher’s method to combine independent likelihood ratio tests (LRTs) and asymptotic independent score tests to assess the equivalence of two zero-inflated Beta populations (mixture distributions with three parameters). For each test, test statistics for the three individual parameters are combined into a single statistic to address the overall difference between the two populations. We also develop non parametric and semiparametric permutation-based tests for simultaneously comparing two or three features of unknown populations. Simulations show that the likelihood-based tests perform well for large sample sizes and that the statistics based on combining LRT statistics outperforms the ones based on combining score test statistics. The permutation-based tests have overall better performance in terms of both power and type I error rate. Our methods are easy to implement and computationally efficient, and can be expanded to more than two populations and to other multiple parameter families. The permutation tests are entirely generic and can be useful in various applications dealing with zero (or other) inflation.     

Hormone profiles,body mass index and aging male symptoms: results of the Androx Vienna Municipality study

Aging in the male is accompanied by steroid hormonal decline, and men may develop symptoms associated with hypogonadism. Increased awareness of ‘andropause’ in recent years has led to greater demand for hormonal assessments, resulting in a rising burden for health economics. We conducted a cross-sectional study to define men at risk for hypogonadism, in whom further hormonal investigation should be performed.

We examined 664 blue-collar workers aged 40–60 years at their workplace and determined hormonal status and body mass index (BMI). Men with an abnormal urogenital status and those on medication that might affect endocrine status were excluded from the study. All participants completed the validated Aging Male Symptom (AMS) questionnaire and obtained scores for psychological symptoms, somatovegetative symptoms, and sexual symptoms.

Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed a significantly increased risk (represented by the odds ratio) of psychological symptoms for men with low levels of testosterone and/or bioavailable testosterone (BAT). Increased BMI as well as low testosterone levels and/or low BAT levels raised the risk of somatovegetative symptoms. Each decrease of BAT by 1?ng/ml caused an approximately 1.8-fold increase of the risk (odds ratio?=?1.832, p?=?0.005). Additional independent risk factors were increased age and low luteinizing hormone (LH) level. Men aged 55 years with BMI >?28?kg/m² and with somatovegetative symptoms and moderate or severe psychological symptoms had a 7.2-fold increase in the risk of a BAT level <?1.5?ng/ml compared to men without these risk factors (p <?0.001). Sensitivity and specificity were 75% and 71%, respectively.

The AMS score combined with age and BMI provides an easy and convenient method to identify men with probable androgen deficiency who require hormonal assessment.