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Background Heavy alcohol consumption-associated chemosensory dysfunction is understudied, and early detection can help predict disease-associated comorbidities, especially those related to four quality of life (QOL) domains (physical, psychological, social and environment). We examined self-reports of chemosensory ability of individuals with different alcohol drinking behaviors and their association with changes in QOL domains. Methods Participants (n  = 466) were recruited between June 2020 and September 2021 into the NIAAA COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol study. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to categorize participants without any known COVID-19 infection into three groups (non-drinkers, moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers) based on their Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test consumption scores at four different time points (at enrollment, week 4, week 8 and week 12). Linear mixed models were used to examine chemosensory differences between these groups. The associations between chemosensory abilities and QOL were determined in each group. Results We observed significant impairment in self-reported smell ability of heavy drinking individuals compared to non-drinkers. In contrast, taste ability showed marginal impairment between these groups. There were no significant differences in smell and taste abilities between the moderate and non-drinking groups. Heavy drinkers' impairment in smell and taste abilities was significantly associated with deterioration in their physical, psychological, social and environmental QOL. Conclusion Persistent heavy drinking was associated with lower chemosensory ability. Heavy drinkers' reduced smell and taste function and association with poorer QOL indicate that early assessment of chemosensory changes may be crucial in identifying poorer well-being outcomes in heavy drinkers at risk for alcohol use disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited knowledge exists regarding targets for suicide‐focused care among high‐risk United States (U.S.) civilian and military sexual minorities. Purpose: This study aimed to understand the demographic and clinical characteristics of a suicidal sexual minority sample, psychiatrically hospitalized in military treatment facilities, to advance future targeted care for this vulnerable subgroup. Methods: Secondary analysis of baseline data from a multisite psychotherapy randomized controlled trial was performed comparing those who self‐identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB; n = 39) to heterosexual participants (n = 170). Results: LGB participants were more likely than heterosexual participants to be younger, female, never married, and enlisted rank. LGB participants reported significantly lower family support, higher perceived burdensomeness, lower acquired capability for suicide, and were twice as likely to report that they could not control their suicidal thoughts. LGB and heterosexual participants reported similar levels of other suicide risk indicators and similar lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt histories. Conclusions: Compared to heterosexual participants, LGB participants reported increased risk indicators for suicide yet similar lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt histories. Suicide prevention programs should address the unique needs of this vulnerable subgroup. Interventions targeting family support, perceived burdensomeness, and controllability of suicidal thoughts may be promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have fueled growing interest in the application of predictive analytics to identify high‐risk suicidal patients. Such application will require the aggregation of large‐scale, sensitive patient data to help inform complex and potentially stigmatizing health care decisions. This paper provides a description of how suicide prediction is uniquely difficult by comparing it to nonmedical (weather and traffic forecasting) and medical predictions (cancer and human immunodeficiency virus risk), followed by clinical and ethical challenges presented within a risk‐benefit conceptual framework. Because the misidentification of suicide risk may be associated with unintended negative consequences, clinicians and policymakers need to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of using suicide predictive analytics across health care populations. Practical recommendations are provided to strengthen the protection of patient rights and enhance the clinical utility of suicide predictive analytics tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The externalizing spectrum may explain covariation among externalizing disorders observed in childhood and adulthood. Few prospective studies have examined whether externalizing spectrum might manifest differently across time, reporters, and gender during childhood. We used a multitrait, multimethod model with parent and teacher report of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, and conduct disorder (CD)symptoms from kindergarten to Grade 5 in data from the Fast Track Project, a large multisite trial for children at risk for conduct problems (n = 754). The externalizing spectrum was stably related to ADHD, ODD, and CD symptoms from kindergarten to Grade 5, with similar contributions from parents and teachers. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance were largely supported across time, suggesting that the structure of the externalizing spectrum is stable over time. Configural and partial metric invariance were supported across gender, but scalar invariance was not supported, with intercepts consistently higher for males than for females. Overall, our findings confirm other research that the externalizing spectrum can be observed early in development as covariation between ADHD, ODD, and CD, and extend that work to show that it is relatively consistent across time and reporter, but not consistent across gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals experiencing elevated negative mood and stress may drink to self-medicate, yet daily-level evidence for these associations is mixed. Objective: To clarify daily associations between negative mood and perceived stress with alcohol use among high-risk college students and test whether these associations may vary by same-day versus next-day drinking, sex, and fraternity/sorority affiliation. Methods: Frequently drinking college students (n = 347) participated in a daily diary study, which included daily morning and evening assessments that occurred for two weeks in four consecutive academic quarters. Multilevel zero-inflated Poisson regressions were conducted to examine the effects of daily negative mood and perceived stress on same-day and next-day drinking. Results: Students with higher average negative mood and perceived stress across the sampled days reported a lower likelihood of drinking. Examination of daily-level associations showed that on days students experienced elevated negative mood and perceived stress, they were less likely to drink any alcohol the same day. However, days with elevated negative mood were associated with greater alcohol use the next day. Tests of cross-level interactions indicated that four daily-level associations between higher negative mood or perceived stress and reductions in drinking were found to be significant among females and students unaffiliated with fraternity/sorority only. Conclusions/Importance: Among high-risk college drinkers, negative mood and perceived stress were associated with decreased risk of drinking, particularly among females and students unaffiliated with fraternity/sorority. Daily elevations in negative mood may lead to drinking on a subsequent day and the reason for this lagged effect warrants future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marijuana amotivational syndrome posits that cannabis use fosters apathy through the depletion of motivation-based constructs such as self-efficacy. The current study pursued a two-round design to rule out concomitant risk factors responsible for the connection from marijuana intake to lower general self-efficacy. College students (N = 505) completed measures of marijuana use, demographics (age, gender, and race), personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and neuroticism), other substance use (alcohol and tobacco), and general self-efficacy (initiative, effort, and persistence) in two assessments separated by a month. Hierarchical regression models found that marijuana use forecasted lower initiative and persistence, even after statistically ruling out 13 pertinent baseline covariates including demographics, personality traits, alcohol use, tobacco use, and self-efficacy subscales. A cross-lagged panel model involving initiative, effort, persistence, alcohol use, cigarette use, and marijuana use sought to unravel the temporal precedence of processes. Results showed that only marijuana (but not alcohol or tobacco) intake significantly and longitudinally prompted lower initiative and persistence. Furthermore, in the same model, the opposite temporal direction of events from lower general self-efficacy subscales to marijuana use was untenable. Findings provide partial support for the marijuana amotivational syndrome, underscore marijuana as a risk factor for decreased general self-efficacy, and offer implications and insights for marijuana prevention and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine co-occurrence of five subtypes of peer victimization. Methods Data were obtained from a national sample of 7,475 US adolescents in grades 6 through 10 in the 2005/2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study. Latent class analyses (LCA) were conducted on victimization by physical, verbal, social exclusion, spreading rumors, and cyber bullying. Results Three latent classes were identified, including an all-types victims class (9.7% of males and 6.2% of females), a verbal/relational victims class (28.1% of males and 35.1% of females), and a nonvictim class (62.2% of males and 58.7% of females). Males were more likely to be all-type victims. There was a graded relationship between the three latent classes and level of depression, frequency of medically attended injuries, and medicine use, especially among females. Conclusions Increased co-occurrence of victimization types put adolescents at greater risks for poorer physical and psychological outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment can help improve clinical outcomes among patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis but is underutilized. Among socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis, we examined rates of lifetime and past 12-month AUD treatment utilization and associated demographic and clinical characteristics., Methods: Racial/ethnically diverse patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis who had at least one hepatology clinic visit in the prior 6 months were recruited from three Northern California medical centers serving veterans and safety-net populations. Participants self-reported their AUD treatment utilization, liver disease quality of life (LDQoL), history and current symptoms of anxiety and depression, and problematic drinking as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Clinical measures including liver disease severity were captured from medical records., Results: Among 196 participants, the majority were male (88%) with a mean age of 62 years. Two-thirds of participants (67%) reported ever utilizing AUD treatment and 32% reported utilizing AUD treatment in the past 12 months. Compared with those who did not utilize AUD treatment, participants who utilized lifetime or past 12-month AUD treatment were younger, had lower LDQoL scores, and had higher scores on current symptoms of anxiety, depression, and problematic drinking. In multivariable analyses, the odds of ever utilizing pharmacological treatment alone or both behavioral and pharmacological treatment (vs. none) were lower with older age or higher LDQoL, and higher among those with a history of anxiety/depressive disorder. For past 12-month treatment utilization, odds were lower with older age, and higher among those with current clinically significant anxiety/depression or problematic drinking., Conclusions: Patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis who were younger or had anxiety/depression and problematic drinking were more likely to utilize AUD treatment. To improve AUD treatment utilization, targeted outreach to patients less likely to receive care and the provision of integrated ALD and AUD treatment is warranted., (© 2024 Research Society on Alcohol. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)