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OBJECTIVES To examine smoking behavior and social contexts related to smoking among dual-smoker couples. DESIGN Cross-sectional online survey study. SAMPLE A convenience sample of 183 dual-smoker couples. MEASUREMENTS Investigator-developed survey on smoking and related social contexts. RESULTS Participants smoked 16.0 cigarettes daily for 14.2 years; 48.4% shared more than half of their smoking time with their spouse. More than half made quit attempts in the past year individually (M = 5.3) and jointly (M = 2.5). Couples sharing more smoking time were more likely to be motivated to quit (p = .002), make quit attempts (p

Background The lack of research regarding the current profile of adolescent depression in the Arab countries in general, and Jordan in particular, makes it difficult to design, implement, and disseminate effective interventions to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescent depression in the region. The purpose of this study was to estimate a national prevalence of depressive symptoms among adolescents in Jordan, and to identify characteristics associated with severity of depression. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional, nationally representative school survey was utilized. A total of 2,349 Jordanian adolescents aged 12-17 completed and returned the survey packets, which included the Beck Depression Inventory-II and measures of sociodemographics and health history. Participants represented all three regions in the country, with 34% from the northern (suburban) region, 43% from the central (urban) region, and 23% from the southern (rural) region. Results The majority of the adolescents were females (59%) and 15-17 years old (67%). Almost 14% reported having at least one chronic health problem, 15% reported having a mental health problem, 25% reported having academic difficulties, 8% reported that they had received a psychiatric diagnosis, and 22% reported that they had sought psychological help at some point in the past. The mean total depression score was 16.3 (SD = 11.2, 95% CI = 15.8-16.7), with 34% of the sample reporting moderate to severe depression. Depression was significantly higher among respondents who were female, ages 14-15 years, and living in families with low monthly incomes; and who reported having a chronic health problem, mental health problem, learning difficulty, a psychiatric diagnosis and/or seeking previous psychological help. Conclusions Our findings should serve as an alarm, particularly given that rates of depression in the Arab countries are expected to increase rapidly in the context of the Arab Spring. Healthcare providers, researchers, and educators should focus attention on developing effective and culturally appropriate screening, prevention, and intervention approaches using evidence-based guidelines to promote Jordanian adolescent mental health, particularly for depression.

Objectives To examine demographic and substance use factors associated with exclusive smokeless tobacco use (SLT) and dual use of both cigarettes and SLT among blue-collar workers. Design and Sample This cross-sectional study used data from the United States 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The sample (n = 5,392) was restricted to respondents who were classified as blue collar workers by self-report primary job title. Measures Various demographic variables, tobacco use and other substance use variables were examined. Results Respondents in this blue collar sample were 87% male and 64% Non-Hispanic White. An estimated 9.5% (SE = 0.6) of respondents were current SLT users; 5.3% (SE = 0.4) were current exclusive SLT users, and 4.2% (SE = 0.4) were current dual users of both SLT and cigarettes. Factors related to exclusive SLT use were gender, marital status, age, race/ethnicity, type of blue-collar occupation, current binge drinking, and current marijuana use. Significant factors related to dual use were gender, marital status, age, race/ethnicity, type of blue-collar occupation, current cigar smoking, current binge drinking, and current illicit drug use. Conclusions Rates of SLT use and dual use are high among U.S. blue-collar workers, indicating a need for targeted, workplace cessation interventions. These interventions may also serve as a gateway for addressing other substance use behaviors in this population.