A Naturalistic Study of the Associations between Changes in Alcohol Problems, Spiritual Functioning and Psychiatric Symptoms

The study evaluated how spiritual and religious functioning (SRF), alcohol-related problems, and psychiatric symptoms change over the course of treatment and follow-up. Problem drinkers (n = 55, including 39 males and 16 females) in outpatient treatment were administered questionnaires at pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow up, which assessed two aspects of SRF (religious well-being and existential well-being), two aspects of alcohol misuse (severity and consequences), and two aspects of psychiatric symptoms (depression and anxiety). Significant improvements in SRF, psychiatric symptoms and alcohol misuse were observed from pretreatment to follow-up. Although SRF scores were significantly correlated with psychiatric symptoms at all three time points, improvement in the former did not predict improvement in the latter. When measured at the same time points, SRF scores were not correlated with the measures of alcohol misuse. However, improvement in SRF (specifically in existential well-being) over the course of treatment was predictive of improvement in the alcohol misuse measures at follow-up. These results suggest that the association between SRF, emotional problems, and alcohol misuse is complex. They further suggest that patients who improve spiritual functioning over the course of treatment are more likely to experience improvement in drinking behavior and alcohol-related problems after treatment has ended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

When The Bough Breaks: Alcohol Misuse Among Jamaican Young Adults

The incidence of alcohol misuse globally continues to be a significant problem with copious adverse health and social causes and implications. The prevalence of alcohol misuse in Jamaica, British West Indies, instigated the trifold objective of this study. The ecological systems model provided a framework for conceptualizing multilayered biological and social processes that interact to determine mental health. This study examined anxiety and depression, family structure, and perceived parental warmth and control as predictors of alcohol misuse among young adults ages 18 to 30 residing in Jamaica. The current study revealed a correlation between alcohol misuse and higher levels of anxiety and depression, with women reporting higher anxiety and depression than men. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between parental warmth and alcohol misuse. Parental warmth was correlated with the AUDIT; however, no significant correlation between alcohol misuse and family structure or parental overprotection was observed. Medical and mental health professionals should champion efforts to reduce the prevalence of alcohol misuse on a societal level by advocating for the implementation of community-based interventions that provide education around the deleterious effects of alcohol misuse on physical and mental health

Alcohol Misuse and Depressive Symptomology among Males with a History of Service in the U.S. Armed Forces

BACKGROUND: Soldiers face extraordinary circumstances while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Soldiers are required at times to live away from family and friends for extended periods of time and work in hazardous environments. Once soldiers become veterans, the experiences of military life may continue to affect them long after their duties have been carried out. These conditions put them at greater risk for alcohol misuse and depression. The purpose of this is to determine whether there is an association between alcohol misuse and depression symptomology among males who have a history of service in the U.S. Armed Forces. METHODS: Secondary data from NHANES 2005-2008 were used to analyze 1,381 men who expressed alcohol misuse and depressive symptomology. Chi-square tests were used to attain descriptive frequencies for alcohol misuse and depressive symptomology and demographic factors. Binary logistic regression was used for univariate and multivariate to test for associations between alcohol misuse, depressive symptomology, and demographic variables. RESULTS: Alcohol misuse and depressive symptomology were significantly associated with male veterans with a history of service in the Armed Forces, p= .041. Age (p\u3c .001), race (p\u3c .05) marital status (p\u3c.05), and educational attainment (p\u3c .01) are the best predictors of alcohol misuse among male veterans. Similarly, depressive symptomology had the same predictors as alcohol misuse, except race. CONCLUSIONS: The complex relationship between alcohol misuse and depressive symptomology among male veterans warrants further research. Public health professionals need to clearly establish standard measurement instruments for diagnosing these conditions. Once established, appropriate interventions can be implemented in order to combat these alcohol misuse and depressive symptomology among male veterans. INDEX WORDS: alcohol misuse, depressive symptomology, military, veteran

The economic costs of alcohol misuse in Portugal

Aim: This study estimates the total economic burden of alcohol misuse in Portugal. Specifically, it reports estimates of morbidity and co-morbidity treatment costs and assesses the value of lost productivity related to alcohol misuse, for the year 1995. Methods and Sources: The study examines health care costs focusing on the nine most frequent diseases associated with alcohol misuse. The societal perspective was adopted and the prevalence-based Cost-of-Illness studies used to evaluate annual costs. The study is based on data obtained from different appropriate sources. Medical records from 88 public short-stay hospitals, provided by the Financing Management Institute in the Portuguese Ministry of Health. Hospital discharges, death causes and consultations obtained from Health Statistics and Mortality Statistics, published by the National Statistical Institute. And data on crime and motor vehicle crashes reported in the Sixth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends (UNICRI) and in the General State Account, published by the Ministry of Finance. Results : Approximately 19 878 discharges from alcohol misuse, representing 2.3% of total discharges, were estimated to occur in public short-stay hospitals. In public and private psychiatric hospitals 2 613 alcoholic discharges were estimated (18% of total mental healthdischarges in that year). The annual costs of health care services amounted to €33 million. Of this, 63% was due to inpatient care and 24% to ambulatory care. The criminal justice system and prison administration were estimated to cost €19 million whilst property damages due to motor vehicle crashes amounted to €57 million. Indirect costs were estimated to be €325 million. Of this, €76 million was due to the human cost of premature mortality. Conclusions : It is concluded that, in 1995, alcohol misuse imposed a burden of €434 million on the Portuguese economy, representing 0.6 % of Gross Domestic Product and a per capita cost estimate of €52. In examining the share of each component in total costs, both criminal justice and hospital care systems appear to have similar burdens, imposed by alcohol misuse. However, the greatest burden arises from losses in productivity resulting from illness and premature death.alcohol, cost, burden of disease

Alcohol Misuse Among Veterans: Implications for Better Treatment

Veterans are at an elevated risk of alcohol misuse compared to civilians due to a convergence of factors that create a highly concentrated risk of alcohol misuse among this population. Given this troubling finding and the lack of research in the realm of clinician competence related to alcohol misuse among veterans, this study attempted to fill the apparent gap in literature by way of understanding the perceptions of alcohol misuse in the veteran population and the approach to treatment by mental health providers in the Veterans’ Affairs (VA) system. In the current study, which utilized online survey methodology, VA mental health providers were asked about their perceived competence, clinical training, treatment modality, and views on the problem of alcohol misuse among veterans. This study’s findings recognized the need for clinicians to have more training and a greater understanding of the veterans that they are treating. Additional findings include (a) clinicians need more consistent training on treating alcohol misuse; (b) clinicians are in fact using evidence-based interventions while treating alcohol misuse; (c) clinicians lack an understanding of gender, racial, and ethnic differences while treating alcohol misuse; and (d) clinicians believe veterans who misuse alcohol can benefit from therapy. Ultimately, this study identified strengths and areas for improvement in the treatment of veterans who misuse alcohol. This information can be used to increase training experiences of VA clinicians and thereby better the care of veterans who misuse alcohol in the VA system

Alcohol Misuse Among Veterans: Implications for Better Treatment

Veterans are at an elevated risk of alcohol misuse compared to civilians due to a convergence of factors that create a highly concentrated risk of alcohol misuse among this population. Given this troubling finding and the lack of research in the realm of clinician competence related to alcohol misuse among veterans, this study attempted to fill the apparent gap in literature by way of understanding the perceptions of alcohol misuse in the veteran population and the approach to treatment by mental health providers in the Veterans’ Affairs (VA) system. In the current study, which utilized online survey methodology, VA mental health providers were asked about their perceived competence, clinical training, treatment modality, and views on the problem of alcohol misuse among veterans. This study’s findings recognized the need for clinicians to have more training and a greater understanding of the veterans that they are treating. Additional findings include (a) clinicians need more consistent training on treating alcohol misuse; (b) clinicians are in fact using evidence-based interventions while treating alcohol misuse; (c) clinicians lack an understanding of gender, racial, and ethnic differences while treating alcohol misuse; and (d) clinicians believe veterans who misuse alcohol can benefit from therapy. Ultimately, this study identified strengths and areas for improvement in the treatment of veterans who misuse alcohol. This information can be used to increase training experiences of VA clinicians and thereby better the care of veterans who misuse alcohol in the VA system

Can Obsessive Thoughts Predict Problematic Alcohol Use Through Thought Suppression?

Alcohol misuse, which is a prevalent issue among college students, often coincides with psychiatric disorders or symptoms. Treatment of one facilitates treatment of the other. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or just obsessive-compulsive symptoms, is connected to alcohol misuse. This study adapts part of the cognitive control model of OCD, which states that intrusive thoughts will only lead to distress if the individual interprets them in a dysfunctional manner and tries to control them. When the thought control attempt fails, if the individual interprets the failure in a dysfunctional way as well, they will become distressed. If they are distressed, they will then use alcohol in an attempt to relieve their negative emotions. This research examines if there is a moderating relationship between intrusive thoughts, maladaptive responses to thoughts, and alcohol misuse. Furthermore, this research examines if obsessive beliefs moderate the moderation between intrusive thoughts, maladaptive responses, and alcohol misuse. Participants (N = 186) identified mainly as women (73.7% women, 24.7% men, 1.1% gender queer/non-conforming, 1.1% nonbinary) and had a mean age of 23.92 (SD = 6.78, Mdn = 21.00). Participants completed measures assessing alcohol misuse, intrusive thoughts, obsessive thoughts, and thought control strategies. Using a simple moderation model and a moderated moderation model in the SPSS macro PROCESS V4.1, support was not found for any of the hypotheses. Maladaptive thought control strategies did not have a moderating effect on the relationship between intrusive thoughts and alcohol misuse. Obsessive thoughts did not moderation the moderation between maladaptive thought control strategies, intrusive thoughts, and alcohol misuse. However, worry thought control strategies were shown to have a strong effect on alcohol misuse when intrusive thoughts and different types of obsessive beliefs were held average. In addition, the belief in the importance of thoughts and the need to control them had a significant effect on alcohol misuse when punishment thought control strategies and intrusive thoughts were held at the average. The results suggest that intrusive thoughts are not related to alcohol misuse. However, worry thought control strategies and the importance of/need to control thoughts are related to alcohol misuse

Understanding Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Misuse in Mexican-Origin Hispanic Men

Evidence suggests that Hispanic and non-Hispanic White men (NHW) have comparable prevalence rates of alcohol use. However, Hispanic men consistently have higher prevalence rates of alcohol misuse compared with NHW men. Consequently, Hispanic men experience disproportionate levels of adverse health consequences of alcohol misuse when compared with NHW men. The aim of this study was to explore Hispanic male perspectives and opinions regarding alcohol use patterns that may lead to disparate rates of alcohol misuse in Hispanic males. Demographic data were collected with questionnaires. Twenty semistructured one-on-one interviews were completed in English and Spanish with Mexican-origin Hispanic men (age: 44.6 +/- 11.3 years). A thematic analysis was conducted using a hybrid deductive-inductive strategy with an a priori codebook supplemented with iterative analysis of transcripts. Results suggest that alcohol misuse patterns in Hispanic males are influenced by an interaction between alcohol-related social norms and learned expressions of masculinity; a lack of knowledge of the alcohol-related health risks that further perpetuate the normalization of alcohol misuse; and expressions of masculinity and adaptive coping that lead to alcohol misuse as an escape from life stressors. Given the rapid expansion of the Hispanic population in the United States, and the disparate consequences of alcohol misuse in this population, it is imperative to consider the complex and often compounded impact of sociocultural norms and the social context on misuse-related behaviors. Viable prevention and treatment strategies should be addressed thought multicomponent, community-level strategies that more comprehensively address the complexities of alcohol misuse in this population.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Drinking Motives Underlying Internalizing and Externalizing Pathways to Alcohol Misuse in College Students

Alcohol misuse, including heavy episodic use and negative consequences, is a major public health concern and a particular problem among college students. The etiology of alcohol misuse is not well resolved, with multiple and often contradictory factors implicated in its development. Genetic factors influence alcohol misuse but few specific genes have been identified. A potential reason for these challenges is that alcohol misuse is phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous; that is, there are multiple causal pathways underlying its development. Previous typologies have suggested that distinct internalizing and externalizing pathways are involved, with corresponding differences in profiles of personality, temperament, and comorbid psychopathology. Drinking motives, specifically drinking for positive reinforcement versus negative reinforcement motives, map intuitively onto such pathways and may provide a mechanism explaining their development. The aim of this project was to utilize drinking motives as intermediate phenotypic measures to investigate genetic and environmental factors contributing to the hypothesized diverging internalizing and externalizing pathways to alcohol misuse in a prospective, longitudinal sample of college students. Mixture modeling approaches identified distinct internalizing and externalizing subgroups with both quantitative and qualitative differences in traits/symptoms. The externalizing subgroup had a broader risk profile and elevated levels of both types of drinking motives, while the internalizing subgroup had specifically elevated levels of internalizing symptoms and negative reinforcement motives. Longitudinal analyses indicated stability of drinking motives throughout college and differential associations between positive/negative reinforcement motives and internalizing, externalizing, and alcohol misuse measures. Cross-lagged structural equation models pointed to a causal direction of effect of positive reinforcement motives on alcohol misuse. Finally, a series of genetic association analyses identified some promising genes and genetic variants underlying drinking motives and internalizing psychopathology, though their genetic etiologies remain largely inconclusive. The results of this project tie together several parallel lines of research on alcohol misuse and in the broader psychiatric genetics field. Findings support the existence of distinct, though not wholly separate, internalizing and externalizing subgroups, and suggest that the intermediate mechanisms of drinking motives are a valuable tool through which to understand these heterogeneous pathways to alcohol misuse

A Study Into the Feasibility of Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning for the Identification of Alcohol Misuse in Trauma Patients

Alcohol misuse is a leading cause of premature death in the United States, with nearly a third of trauma patients found to have elevated blood alcohol levels upon admission. However, timely intervention has been shown to reduce this. It is thus important to be able to quickly screen patients to identify alcohol misuse. Many medical centers use standardized questionnaires to identify alcohol misuse, but since these instruments are not usually a part of routine care, there are many cases where it is not done. In this study, large quantities of notes were processed with natural language processing and machine learning methods to identify important social and behavioral determinants for health. It resulted in the creation of a system that provides good discrimination of patients with and without alcohol misuse