The Effect of Two Elementary School-Based Prevention Interventions on Being Offered Tobacco and the Transition to Smoking

Aims: This study sought to more precisely delineate the mechanisms by which two early elementary school-based, universal (i.e., applied to the entire population regardless of risk status) preventive interventions increased survival to first tobacco cigarette smoked. Specifically, we examined whether the interventions\u27 effect on survival to first use was via the reduction of offers to smoke and/or through preventing the transition from first offer to smoking. Methods: A total of 678 urban first-graders were assigned randomly to the classroom-centered (CC), or the family-school partnership (FSP), or a control classroom condition. Youth were followed annually until 1 year beyond their anticipated high school graduation (mean age ∼18 years). Discrete-time survival analyses on 628 youth evaluated the impact of the CC and FSP interventions on first tobacco offer and initial tobacco smoking once offered. Findings: The risk of being offered tobacco was reduced among both CC and FSP intervention groups relative to the control group, although the reduction was only statistically significant for the CC intervention. Neither intervention condition reduced the transition to smoking once offered tobacco to smoke. Conclusion: The CC intervention appeared to have its effect on survival to first cigarette smoked by delaying the first offer to smoke. Preventive interventions focused on refusal skills during the middle school years may be necessary to reduce the likelihood of the transition to smoking once offered

Substance use and exercise participation among young adults: parallel trajectories in a national cohort‐sequential study

Aims  This study examined the extent to which the trajectory of participation in sports, athletics or exercising (PSAE) covaried with substance use in early adulthood controlling for team sports participation using parallel process latent growth curve modeling. Design, setting and participants  Analysis of data collected from a series of panel studies using a cohort‐sequential design. Specifically, the analyses used longitudinal data from 11 741 individuals from the graduating classes of 1986–2001, first surveyed as seniors in American high schools. Up to four additional follow‐up surveys were administered to age 26 years. Data were collected using in‐school and mailed self‐administered questionnaires. Measurements  Level of PSAE, past‐30‐day alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use frequency and any past‐30‐day use of illicit drugs other than marijuana (IOTM) were the main processes of interest. Self‐reported race/ethnicity, college status at age 19/20 years, parental education, gender and team sports participation during high school were included as covariates. Findings  Results indicate that higher initial levels of PSAE related to lower initial substance use prevalence rates other than alcohol, and lower initial prevalence rates of substance use then corresponded with lower substance use rates throughout early adulthood. Further, as individuals increased PSAE levels throughout early adulthood, the frequency of their use of cigarettes, marijuana and IOTM correspondingly decreased. Conclusions  Increased participation in sports, athletics or exercising (PSAE) is related to significantly lower substance use frequency at modal age 18 and through significantly and negatively correlated growth trajectories through early adulthood. Encouraging PSAE among adolescents and early adults may relate to lower substance use levels throughout early adulthood.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86876/1/j.1360-0443.2011.03489.x.pd

Macrophage phenotype is associated with disease severity in preterm infants with chronic lung disease.

The etiology of persistent lung inflammation in preterm infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity (CLD) is poorly characterized, hampering efforts to stratify prognosis and treatment. Airway macrophages are important innate immune cells with roles in both the induction and resolution of tissue inflammation