Co-Occurring Alcohol Misuse and Criminal Offending in Adolescence: Is It a Matter of Similarity, Severity, or Accumulation of Risk Factors?

OBJECTIVE

Alcohol misuse and criminal offending often co-occur, and although previous studies indicate an overlap in risk factors, this evidence originates from studies focusing on either alcohol misuse or criminal offending. Co-occurrence might also stem from the severity or accumulation of risk factors. The aim of the following study was to examine whether risk factors for developing co-occurring alcohol misuse and criminal offending in adolescence are similar or unique, and to examine whether risk factors are more severe or accumulative compared with alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only.

METHOD

Data were used from the prospective longitudinal project Futura01, consisting of 4,013 randomly selected adolescents in Sweden (males: n = 1,798). Outcomes and a wide variety of risk factors were measured by self-report at two time points. Logistic regression analysis was carried out on groups of (a) no behavior (reference), (b) alcohol misuse only, (c) criminal offending only, and (d) co-occurring behaviors.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that similar factors predicted co-occurring behaviors for alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only. Regarding severity, only more severe sensation seeking was associated with co-occurring behaviors compared with alcohol misuse and criminal offending only. Instead, an accumulation of risks (i.e., more risk factors present) increased the probability of co-occurring behaviors compared with alcohol misuse only and criminal offending only.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that the risk factors for developing co-occurring alcohol misuse and criminal offending in adolescence are similar rather than unique and that it is the accumulation of the risk factors, as opposed to their severity, that is associated with co-occurring behaviors when comparing with alcohol misuse and criminal offending only.

Work-related stress assessed by a text message single-item stress question

Background

Given the prevalence of work stress-related ill-health in the Western world, it is important to find cost-effective, easy-to-use and valid measures which can be used both in research and in practice.

Aims

To examine the validity and reliability of the single-item stress question (SISQ), distributed weekly by short message service (SMS) and used for measurement of work-related stress.

Methods

The convergent validity was assessed through associations between the SISQ and subscales of the Job Demand–Control–Support model, the Effort–Reward Imbalance model and scales measuring depression, exhaustion and sleep. The predictive validity was assessed using SISQ data collected through SMS. The reliability was analysed by the test–retest procedure.

Results

Correlations between the SISQ and all the subscales except for job strain and esteem reward were significant, ranging from −0.186 to 0.627. The SISQ could also predict sick leave, depression and exhaustion at 12-month follow-up. The analysis on reliability revealed a satisfactory stability with a weighted kappa between 0.804 and 0.868.

Conclusions

The SISQ, administered through SMS, can be used for the screening of stress levels in a working population.

Preoperative hypnosis reduces postoperative vomiting after surgery of the breasts. A prospective, randomized and blinded study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after general anesthesia and surgery may have an incidence as high as 70% irrespective of antiemetic drug therapy. The use of preoperative hypnosis and mental preparation by means of an audio tape was investigated in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting before elective breast reduction surgery. Similar interventions have not been found in the literature.

METHODS

Fifty women were randomized to a control group or a hypnosis group; the latter listened to an audio tape daily 4-6 days prior to surgery. A hypnotic induction was followed by suggestions as to how to relax and experience states incompatible with nausea and vomiting postoperatively (e.g. thirst and hunger). There was a training part on the tape where the patients were asked to rehearse their own model for stress reduction. Premedication and anesthetic procedures were standardized.

RESULTS

Patients in the hypnosis group had significantly less vomiting, 39% compared to 68% in the control group, less nausea and less need of analgesics postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative relaxation and/or hypnotic techniques in breast surgery contribute to a reduction of both PONV and postoperative analgesic requirements.

Effect of synthetic substance P on internal carotid artery blood flow in man

Internal carotid artery blood flow was studied by peroperative electromagnetic blood flow measurement in 7 patients following 9 intravenous infusions of synthetic Substance P, 2 ng.kg-1.min-1. The blood flow responses varied interindividually. No significant blood flow changes were observed for the whole group. The arterial mean blood pressure decreased significantly.