health related reports

Blume AW, Lostutter TW, Schmaling KB et al. (2003) Beliefs about drinking behavior predict drinking consequences. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 35:395-399.

Cognitions about drinking, such as positive expectancies and self-efficacy, have been found to profoundly influence drinking behavior. Although the relationship of self-efficacy and positive expectancies with drinking consumption has been established, the relationship of self-efficacy and alcohol expectancies with the number of reported drinking related consequences has not been examined. One hundred thirteen participants who met criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence were administered the Situational Confidence Questionnaire, the Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire, the Drinker Inventory of Consequences-Recent, and the Losses of Significance Self-report Questionnaire-Revised. As predicted, lower self-efficacy and greater positive alcohol expectancies predicted greater recent drinking consequences beyond those accounted for by alcohol consumption alone. Greater numbers of positive alcohol expectancies also predicted greater numbers of recent important alcohol related losses. Correcting errant assumptions about alcohol expectancies and strategies designed to increase self-efficacy may reduce harmful drinking consequences even if a client is unwilling to reduce consumption

Contact Dr. Art Blume, Ph.D. :
E-mail: ablume@utep.edu

224 Psychology Building
Department of Psychology
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso TX, 79968

Brown SA, Goldman MS, Inn A et al. (1980) Expectations of reinforcement from alcohol: their domain and relation to drinking patterns. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 48: 119-426.

Developed a questionnaire from interviews with 125 15-60 yr old individuals of diversified drinking backgrounds. Responses from an additional 400 Ss were used to refine the questionnaire, and the refined version was administered to 440 nonalcoholic Ss. The 6 independent expectancies extracted were that alcohol transforms experiences in a positive way, enhances social and physical pleasure, enhances sexual performance and experience, increases power and aggression, increases social assertiveness, and reduces tension. Canonical variate analysis clarified relationships between these factors and Ss' customary alcohol use and demography. The more global factors were related to light consumption, while an increased expectation of sexual and aggressive behavior was found in heavier-drinking Ss.

http://content.apa.org/journals/ccp/48/4

Brown S, McVeigh J, Beynon C, Bellis, Mark A (2006) Alcohol Treatment in Cheshire & Merseyside 2004/05. Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University

The first report of the Cheshire and Merseyside Alcohol Treatment Monitoring system. The report presents data on idividuals with problem alcohol use in contact with specialist alcohol treatment providers in Cheshire and Merseyside during 2004/05.

http://www.cph.org.uk/cph_pubs/reports/SM/ALCOHOL_05.pdf

Chen K, Kandel DB (1998) Predictors of cessation of marijuana use - an event history analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 50: 109-121

Event history analysis was applied to monthly life and drug histories of a representative community sample of 706 marijuana users, followed from ages 15–16 to 34–35, to investigate factors associated with cessation of marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood. In addition to age and gender, the most important determinants of cessation are the phenomenology of marijuana use,
social role participation, depressive symptoms and deviance. Frequent users, those who started using early and those who use illicit drugs other than marijuana are more likely to continue their marijuana use. Using marijuana for social reasons accelerates cessation, using to change one’s mood reduces cessation. Becoming pregnant and a parent is the most important social role
leading to marijuana cessation for women. There is also a very important experimental effect of the interview itself on the reported timing of a cessation. The effect of a social context favorable to marijuana use appears to reflect selection rather than social influence.

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McVeigh C, Hughes K, Lushey C, Bellis Mark A (2005)Preventing Violence: From Global Perspectives to National Action, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University

Proceedings of the Preventing Violence Conference held 10th-11th March 2005 in Liverpool, UK

http://www.cph.org.uk/cph_pubs/reports/CH/preventing_violence.pdf

Wood J, Hennell T, Jones A, Hooper J,Tocque K, Bellis Mark A. (2005) Where Wealth means Health: Illustrating Inequality in the North West (Exec Summ) North West Public Health Observatory

The most comprehensive study of health inequalities in the North West undertaken. Identifying health gradients relating to deprivation, Geodemographics, rural-urban typology and ethnicity.

http://www.nwpho.org.uk/inequalities/