Understanding young adult physical activity, alcohol and tobacco use in community colleges and 4-year post-secondary institutions: A cross-sectional analysis of epidemiological surveillance data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Young adults experience many adverse health behavior changes as they transition from adolescence into adulthood. A better understanding of the relationships between health promoting and risky health behaviors may aid in the development of health promotion interventions for various types of young adult post-secondary students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine associations between alcohol and tobacco use and physical activity among 2-year and 4-year college students.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using 2007 survey data, collected as part of an on-going post-secondary health surveillance system in Minnesota. Students were randomly selected to participant from 14 Minnesota colleges and universities (six 2-year community and/or technical colleges, eight 4-year post-secondary institutions). The 2007 surveillance data included 9,931 respondents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of demographic characteristics and health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, tobacco use) differed between young adults attending 2-year and 4-year post-secondary institutions; in general, those attending 2-year institutions are representative of more at-risk populations. Overall, higher levels of moderate, vigorous and strengthening physical activity were associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption and lower levels of smoking. In general, despite the disparities in the prevalence of these risk behaviors, the associations between the behaviors did not differ substantially between 2-year and 4-year post-secondary populations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings illustrate links between leading risk behaviors. Interventions targeting multiple risk behaviors among young adults may warrant further consideration. Overall, future research is needed to support and inform young adult health promotion efforts that may be implemented in a wide array of post-secondary institutions.</p

Characteristics of facilities with specialized programming for drinking drivers and for other criminal justice involved clients: analysis of a national database

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Offering specialized programming at substance abuse treatment facilities can help diversify clientele and funding sources, potentially enhancing the facilities' ability to survive and/or expand. Past research has shown that facilities only offering specialized programming for driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated offenders (DUI) are predominately private-for-profit owned. As criminal justice populations, both DUI and other criminal justice offenders, comprise a large proportion of those in community-based substance abuse treatment knowing facilities' characteristics would be important for administrators and policymakers to consider when updating programming, training staff or expanding capacity to ensure efficient use of scarce resources. However, while such characteristics are known for DUI programs, they are not known for facilities offering specialized programming for other criminal justice offenders.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Analysis of the 2004 US National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Almost half the facilities (48.2%) offered either DUI or other criminal justice specialized programming. These facilities were divided between those offering DUI specialized programming (17.7%), other criminal justice specialized programming (16.6%) and both types of programming (13.9%). Certain characteristics were independently associated with offering DUI specialized programming (private ownership, rural location, for profit status) or other criminal justice specialized programming (receiving public funds, urban location, region of country).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Offering specialized programming for DUI or other criminal justice offenders was common and associated with distinct characteristics. These observed associations may reflect the positioning of the facility to increase visibility, or diversify clientele and possibly funding streams or the decision of policymakers. As the criminal justice populations show no sign of decreasing and resources are scarce, the efficient use of resources demands policymakers recognize the prevalence of these specialized programming, join forces to examine them for efficacy, and explicitly incorporate these characteristics into strategies for workforce training and plans for treatment expansion.</p

Effects of biochar amendment on root traits and contaminant availability of maize plants in a copper and arsenic impacted soil

Biochar has been proposed as a tool to enhance phytostabilisation of contaminated soils but little data are available to illustrate the direct effect on roots in contaminated soils. This work aimed to investigate specific root traits and to assess the effect of biochar amendment on contaminant availability. Amendment with two different types of biochar, pine woodchip and olive tree pruning, was assessed in a rhizobox experiment with maize planted in a soil contaminated with significant levels of copper and arsenic. Amendment was found to significantly improve root traits compared to the control soil, particularly root mass density and root length density. Copper uptake to plants and ammonium sulphate extractable copper was significantly less in the biochar amended soils. Arsenic uptake and extractability varied with type of biochar used but was not considered to be the limiting factor affecting root and shoot development. Root establishment in contaminated soils can be enhanced by biochar amendment but choice of biochar is key to maximising soil improvement and controlling contaminant availability

Consumer and staff perspectives of the implementation frequency and value of recovery and wellbeing oriented practices

Background: Despite advances in our understanding of what mental health systems and services can do to enhance recovery and wellbeing outcomes for people seeking support, there is limited evidence demonstrating that this body of work has translated successfully into mental health service practice. The Collaborative Recovery Model (CRM) is a practice framework that has been designed to support application of recovery and wellbeing oriented principles and practices within mental health service delivery. The aims of this study were to assess consumer and staff perceptions of implementation frequency during service engagement and the value of this approach for assisting recovery within a setting where the CRM approach had been adopted. Methods: The setting was a large Australian community managed mental health organisation. The study involved a cross-sectional analysis of consumer (n = 116) and staff practitioner (n = 62) perspectives. A series of paired sample t-tests assessed for differences between consumer and staff perceptions of the: (i) importance of key practice elements for assisting recovery, and the (ii) frequency that key practice elements are utilised during engagement sessions. Spearman\u27s r correlational analysis explored associations between importance, frequency and helpfulness of sessions. Results: Key practice elements of the model were applied during service interactions at a high level and perceived by the majority of consumers and staff participants as being important or very important for assisting recovery. Significant moderate correlations were found between the extent that practice elements were valued and the level at which they were applied. Higher levels of implementation of CRM practices were associated with higher ratings of perceived session helpfulness. The strongest association was between \u27encouragement to set tasks to complete between support visits\u27 and perceived helpfulness. Conclusions: Consumer and staff responses revealed that the key practice elements of the CRM were frequently implemented during service engagement interactions and were seen as valuable for assisting recovery. The level of agreement between raters suggests firstly, that the key practice elements were apparent and able to be rated as occurring, and secondly that the CRM approach is seen as responsive to consumer needs. The results have implications for translating recovery and wellbeing oriented knowledge into mental health service practice

Contingency management to reduce methamphetamine use and sexual risk among men who have sex with men: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Methamphetamine use is associated with HIV acquisition and transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM). Contingency management (CM), providing positive reinforcement for drug abstinence and withholding reinforcement when abstinence is not demonstrated, may facilitate reduced methamphetamine use and sexual risk. We compared CM as a stand-alone intervention to a minimal intervention control to assess the feasibility of conducting a larger, more definitive trial of CM; to define the frequency of behavioral outcomes to power such a trial; and, to compute preliminary estimates of CM's effectiveness.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We randomly assigned 127 MSM from Seattle, WA who use methamphetamine to receive a 12-week CM intervention (n = 70) or referral to community resources (n = 57).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Retention at 24 weeks was 84%. Comparing consecutive study visits, non-concordant UAI declined significantly in both study arms. During the intervention, CM and control participants were comparably likely to provide urine samples containing methamphetamine (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.09; 95%CI: 0.71, 1.56) and to report non-concordant UAI (aRR = 0.80; 95%CI: 0.47, 1.35). However, during post-intervention follow-up, CM participants were somewhat more likely to provide urine samples containing methamphetamine than control participants (aRR = 1.21; 95%CI: 0.95, 1.54, <it>P </it>= 0.11). Compared to control participants, CM participants were significantly more likely to report weekly or more frequent methamphetamine use and use of more than eight quarters of methamphetamine during the intervention and post-intervention periods.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While it is possible to enroll and retain MSM who use methamphetamine in a trial of CM conducted outside drug treatment, our data suggest that CM is not likely to have a large, sustained effect on methamphetamine use.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier <b>NCT01174654</b></p

Maternal substance use and integrated treatment programs for women with substance abuse issues and their children: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The rate of women with substance abuse issues is increasing. Women present with a unique constellation of risk factors and presenting needs, which may include specific needs in their role as mothers. Numerous integrated programs (those with substance use treatment and pregnancy, parenting, or child services) have been developed to specifically meet the needs of pregnant and parenting women with substance abuse issues. This synthesis and meta-analysis reviews research in this important and growing area of treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched PsycINFO, MedLine, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Proquest Dissertations, Sociological Abstracts, and CINAHL and compiled a database of 21 studies (2 randomized trials, 9 quasi-experimental studies, 10 cohort studies) of integrated programs published between 1990 and 2007 with outcome data on maternal substance use. Data were summarized and where possible, meta-analyses were performed, using standardized mean differences (<it>d</it>) effect size estimates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the two studies comparing integrated programs to no treatment, effect sizes for urine toxicology and percent using substances significantly favored integrated programs and ranged from 0.18 to 1.41. Studies examining changes in maternal substance use from beginning to end of treatment were statistically significant and medium sized. More specifically, in the five studies measuring severity of drug and alcohol use, the average effect sizes were 0.64 and 0.40, respectively. In the four cohort studies of days of use, the average effect size was 0.52. Of studies comparing integrated to non-integrated programs, four studies assessed urine toxicology and two assessed self-reported abstinence. Overall effect sizes for each measure were not statistically significant (<it>d </it>= -0.09 and 0.22, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Findings suggest that integrated programs are effective in reducing maternal substance use. However, integrated programs were not significantly more effective than non-integrated programs. Policy implications are discussed with specific attention to the need for funding of high quality randomized control trials and improved reporting practices.</p

Tectonic evolution of the southern margin of the Amazonian craton in the late Mesoproterozoic based on field relationships and zircon U-Pb geochronology

New U-Pb zircon geochronological data integrated with field relationships and an airborne geophysical survey suggest that the Nova Brasilândia and Aguapeí belts are part of the same monocyclic, metaigneous and metasedimentary belt formed in the late Mesoproterozoic (1150 Ma-1110 Ma). This geological history is very similar to the within-plate origin of the Sunsás belt, in eastern Bolivia. Thus, we propose that the Nova Brasilândia, Aguapeí and Sunsás belts represent a unique geotectonic unit (here termed the Western Amazon belt) that became amalgamated at the end of the Mesoproterozoic and originated through the reactivation of a paleo-suture (Guaporé suture zone) in an intracontinental rift environment. Therefore, its geological history involves a short, complete Wilson cycle of ca. 40 Ma. Globally, this tectonic evolution may be related with the final breakup of the supercontinent Columbia. Mafic rocks and trondhjemites in the northernmost portion of the belt yielded U-Pb zircon ages ca. 1110 Ma, which dates the high-grade metamorphism and the closure of the rift. This indicates that the breakup of supercontinent Columbia was followed in short sequence by the assembly of supercontinent Rodinia at ca. 1.1-1.0 Ga and that the Western Amazon belt was formed during the accretion of the Arequipa-Antofalla basement to the Amazonian craton