Public Health Considerations and the Culture of Alcohol in Vietnam

The problem of alcohol in Vietnam is interesting when considering the culture surrounding alcohol throughout the country, particularly amongst men. In 2010, Vietnamese men drank 12.1 liters of pure alcohol per capita, while women drank only 0.2 liters (WHO, 2014). The WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health stated, “Vietnam’s national drinking patterns … are among the most fatal with the highest possible score for alcohol-attributable years of life lost,” a metric which includes liver cirrhosis, road traffic crashes, and the prevalence of alcohol use disorders and alcohol dependence (WHO, 2014). In addition, domestic alcohol production in Vietnam has increased and presumably continues to do so (Ngoc, Thieng, Huong 2012). This poster aims to discuss the culture of alcohol in Vietnam, highlight problems it presents to the health of the Vietnamese people, and propose possible policies designed to help ameliorate the burden of alcohol abuse on the Vietnamese healthcare system.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/cwicposters/1014/thumbnail.jp

The role of alcohol response phenotypes in the risk for alcohol use disorder

Heavy alcohol use is pervasive and one of our most significant global health burdens. Early theories posited that certain alcohol response phenotypes, notably low sensitivity to alcohol (‘low-level response’) imparts risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, other theories, and newer measures of subjective alcohol responses, have challenged that contention and argued that high sensitivity to some alcohol effects are equally important for AUD risk. This study presents results of a unique longitudinal study in 294 young adult non-dependent drinkers examined with alcohol and placebo testing in the laboratory at initial enrolment and repeated 5 years later, with regular follow-up intervals assessing AUD (trial registration: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00961792). Findings showed that alcohol sedation was negatively correlated with stimulation across the breath alcohol curve and at initial and re-examination testing. A higher rather than lower alcohol response phenotype was predictive of future AUD. The findings underscore a new understanding of factors increasing vulnerability to AUD

Alcohol-induced retrograde facilitation renders witnesses of crime less suggestible to misinformation

RATIONALE: Research has shown that alcohol can have both detrimental and facilitating effects on memory: intoxication can lead to poor memory for information encoded after alcohol consumption (anterograde amnesia) and may improve memory for information encoded before consumption (retrograde facilitation). This study examined whether alcohol consumed after witnessing a crime can render individuals less vulnerable to misleading post-event information (misinformation). METHOD: Participants watched a simulated crime video. Thereafter, one third of participants expected and received alcohol (alcohol group), one third did not expect but received alcohol (reverse placebo), and one third did not expect nor receive alcohol (control). After alcohol consumption, participants were exposed to misinformation embedded in a written narrative about the crime. The following day, participants completed a cued-recall questionnaire about the event. RESULTS: Control participants were more likely to report misinformation compared to the alcohol and reverse placebo group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that we may oversimplify the effect alcohol has on suggestibility and that sometimes alcohol can have beneficial effects on eyewitness memory by protecting against misleading post-event information

Process For Recovering Alcohol With Energy Integration

A process for recovering alcohol by a continuous process employing fermentation, solvent extraction of the alcohol product, extractive distillation of the alcohol-solvent extract to provide water fraction and vacuum stripping for separation of the alcohol and regenerated solvent.The solvent is recycled. An isoparaffin is used as a solvent and this solvent can be modified with a long chain fatty acid, alcohol or fatty alcohol or long-chain esters. Alternatively, many modifiers may be used neat.Georgia Tech Research Corporatio

Alcohol outlets near schools in a midsize Romanian city : prevalence and characteristics

Objective: alcohol availability is one of the strongest predictors of adolescent alcohol use, and subsequent harm. Alcohol outlets near schools are an important indicator of three types of availability related to adolescent alcohol use; physical (number), economic (price), and legal (compliance with age limits).\ud \ud Method: two teams with trained students (16 and 17 years old) visited all 37 schools in a 200,000 inhabitant Romanian city (Pitesti). On the spot all alcohol outlets were visited and data was collected on outlet characteristics and visitors. Also, by conducting mystery shopping purchase attempts by the researchers, compliance on the age limits for alcohol sales was tested.\ud \ud Results: a total of 40 outlets were found within a 250 meter distance around 23 schools. Alcohol turns out to be cheap, and commercial alcohol brand signs are dominantly visible. With respect to compliance with the 18-year-old Romanian age limit for alcohol sales, only eight (20%) outlets refused to sell alcohol to under aged decoy customers.\ud \ud Conclusion: adolescent alcohol availability is high on the physical, economic and legal aspect. Pitesti is the first city in\ud Romania where an international alcohol prevention project has started to reduce alcohol related consequences. This project\ud involves all relevant stakeholders, and the first new legislation on this subject had been implemented

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Association with Alcohol Abuse by Alaska Adults

Note: The PDF of this article includes a web supplement which did not appear in the original print version of the article.This article examines the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — such as abuse and household dysfunction in childhood — and its association with adoption by Alaska adults of the health-risk behaviors of heavy and binge drinking. The behavioral health of Alaskans could be improved by addressing the association between ACEs and health-risk drinking behaviors, and establishing an integrated prevention system.[Introduction] / Adverse Childhood Experiences Linked to Adult Outcomes / How Adverse Experiences Impact the Developing Brain / ACEs and Risky Drinking: Definitions and Measurement / Results: ACEs and Risky Drinking in Alaska / Conclusion / [SIDEBARS] / Adult Health Outcomes of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) / Methodology and Odds Ratio Interpretation / References / [WEB SUPPLEMENT:] Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Association with Alcohol Abuse by Alaska Adults — Statistical Web SupplementYe

GABAB receptor ligands for the treatment of alcohol use disorder: preclinical and clinical evidence.

The present paper summarizes the preclinical and clinical studies conducted to define the "anti-alcohol" pharmacological profile of the prototypic GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen, and its therapeutic potential for treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Numerous studies have reported baclofen-induced suppression of alcohol drinking (including relapse- and binge-like drinking) and alcohol reinforcing, motivational, stimulating, and rewarding properties in rodents and monkeys. The majority of clinical surveys conducted to date-including case reports, retrospective chart reviews, and randomized placebo-controlled studies-suggest the ability of baclofen to suppress alcohol consumption, craving for alcohol, and alcohol withdrawal symptomatology in alcohol-dependent patients. The recent identification of a positive allosteric modulatory binding site, together with the synthesis of in vivo effective ligands, represents a novel, and likely more favorable, option for pharmacological manipulations of the GABAB receptor. Accordingly, data collected to date suggest that positive allosteric modulators of the GABAB receptor reproduce several "anti-alcohol" effects of baclofen and display a higher therapeutic index (with larger separation-in terms of doses-between "anti-alcohol" effects and sedation)

Adolescent Initiation and Maintenance: An Analysis of the Roles of Self-Efficacy, Sensation Seeking, Parents, and Peers

Alcohol use among adolescents is a public health concern. Research of the predictors of adolescent alcohol initiation and use are necessary to better combat the negative impacts associated with alcohol use by youth. Due to social influences, adolescents develop a sense of self-efficacy and sensation seeking, which can guide them to get involved in early alcohol use. Both parents and peers have a great deal of authority to push one to have certain beliefs about drinking alcohol. The goal of this literature review is to better understand how the personality characteristics of self-efficacy and sensation seeking influence alcohol initiation and use by youths, and to identify how parents and peers influence one\u27s self-efficacy and sensation seeking characteristics in relation to alcohol use