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Abstract Pregnant women and women who might become pregnant, including middle school- and high school-age adolescents, continue to consume alcohol, placing themselves at risk of having a child with the [...]

Objective: Homeless persons with alcohol and other drug (AOD) disorders face multiple problems that go beyond their AOD use. As a consequence, they commonly access services in multiple sectors in addition to the AOD treatment system. This study examined the predictors of contact with agencies in the health, mental health, social welfare and criminal justice sectors by AOD status among a probability sample of homeless adults in Houston, Texas. Method: Cross-sectional data were collected from a multistage random sample of 797 homeless adults (579 men), age 18 or older, who were living in shelters and on the streets of Houston in 1996. Structured face-to-face interviews provided screening diagnoses for AOD disorders, self-report data on AOD treatment use and candidate predictors of treatment use. Service use was tracked retrospectively through administrative data obtained from 10 federal, state, county and municipal agencies that provide funding for physical and mental health services and AOD treatment, as well as emergency income; we also tracked criminal justice contacts. Logistic regression analyses were stratified by AOD status. Results: Adjusting for eligibility factors, key aspects of need were significant predictors of any utilization among those without an AOD problem, but not for those with an AOD problem. For those with AOD disorders, contact with one sector was not predictive of contact with other sectors. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that AOD disorders hinder utilization of public sector services by homeless persons. These disorders may be masking need or otherwise acting as a barrier to accessing treatment and support. (J. Stud. Alcohol 63: 716-725, 2002), SURVEYS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE have documented disproportionately high rates of alcohol and drug dependence (Fischer and Breakey, 1991; Koegel and Bumam, 1988; Koegel et al., 1999; Robertson et al., 1997; [...]

Studies link price increases in alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and cocaine to declines in consumption. A study shows that the proposed settlement of Medicaid lawsuits against the tobacco industry which would have increased the price of a cigarette pack by around 34% would have reduced the number of teenage smokers by around 24%. Another study shows that a 10% increase in the state excise tax on beer would reduce the probability of overall domestic violence by 1% and severe violence by 2%. Another study shows that a permanent 10% price hike would reduce cocaine consumption by 14%., In the five years since my last report on the NBER's Program on Health Economics, members of the program have focused on the economics of substance use and abuse and [...]

Objective: The present study investigated whether alcohol outcome expectancies are empirically distinguishable from attitudes toward drinking. Specifically, the contribution of expectancies and attitudes to the Theory of Planned Behavior was assessed. Method: Undergraduates (N = 316; 170 male), of legal drinking age, who drank at least once a month participated. Intentions to drink 'too much' and self-report excessive consumption episodes served as criterion measures, and attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and alcohol outcome expectancies were employed as predictor variables. Stepwise regression analyses were performed separately for men and women. Results: The Theory of Planned Behavior appeared to be a valid frame work for predicting excessive alcohol consumption among undergraduates. The predictive power of the model, however, was enhanced through the inclusion of gender-specific alcohol outcome expectancies. Specifically, in addition to attitudes and perceived behavioral control, women's expectancies for sociability enhanced the prediction of intentions to drink 'too much.' Expectancies for sexual functioning (male) and assertiveness (female) improved the prediction of excessive consumption, over and above intentions and perceived behavioral control. Conclusions: Alcohol outcome expectancies, unlike attitudes, are proximal predictors of excessive alcohol consumption among undergraduates. (J. Stud. Alcohol 59: 409-419, 1998), Expectant behavior is a better gage of excessive alcohol consumption than attitude in undergraduates. The study of whether expectancy or attitude contributed to planned behavior was assessed in undergraduates of legal drinking age. Predictions of excessive drinking were indicated when women expressed expectances regarding sociability and assertiveness. Excessive consumption was predicted when men expressed expectances of sexual functioning., Since the pioneering work of Brown et al. (1980), evidence has accumulated that alcohol outcome expectancies play an important role in the acquisition and maintenance of differential alcohol consumption patterns. [...]

Alcohol use among college students is of interest to clinicians and researchers. The results of such studies depend on the quality and nature of the measures used. The literature includes a wide variety of operational definitions of drinking patterns, making difficult comparisons across studies. For 109 men and 83 women attending college this paper provides data on the Drinking Practices Questionnaire, a self-report measure of drinking patterns designed specifically for use with college students. The three subscales, Negative Affect, Positive Expectancies, and Negative Consequences, have good internal consistency reliabilities, and scores correlate significantly with measures of problems associated with alcohol use. Appropriate uses of the measure are discussed.

This study investigated the prevalence and frequency of substance use among a sample of 209 urban and 191 rural school pupils in South Africa. The three most predominantly used substances were alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. Urban and rural differences in substances used were found.

The National Assn of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has investigated situations wherein college students applying for jobs were served alcoholic drinks during their recruitment receptions. NACE members concurred on the unacceptability of the practice citing ethical reasons. Acceptance of applicants should not be considered on the basis of their behavior during the social event. Employers were counselled on holding informal recruiting functions.