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Shyhalla K, Smith DM, Diaz A, Nucci-Sack A, Guillot M, Hollman D, Goniewicz ML, O'Connor RJ, Shankar V, Burk RD, Schlecht NF. Changes in cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use among sexually active female adolescents and young adults over a twelve-year period ending in 2019. Addict Behav 2021; 121:106994. [PMID: 34087767 PMCID: PMC8223231 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The United States has experienced an increasing divergence in cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use among adolescents and young adults (AYA). We assessed the changes in cannabis, tobacco and alcohol use in an inner-city population of predominantly minority AYA females attending a large adolescent-specific health center in New York City. METHODS This was a longitudinal study of AYA women recruited and followed over a twelve-year period between 2007 and 2019. Lifetime and past 30-day use were assessed by self-administered questionnaire every six months. In addition, we assessed associations with race, ethnicity, sexual behaviors, receipt of social services, living situation at home (e.g., with or without parents), and use of other drugs. RESULTS Participants included 1549 AYA females aged 13-21 at baseline, 95% of whom were youth of color. Use of cannabis increased significantly over the twelve-year period, with frequent cannabis use (≥20 times in 30-days) increasing almost 18% per year (OR = 1.18; 95%CI:1.13-1.23). In contrast, past 30-day tobacco use declined over the same period (OR = 0.86; 95%CI:0.83-0.89). Past 30-day cannabis use was more likely among African Americans (OR = 1.33; 95%CI:1.08-1.63), women who had sex with both men and women compared to with men only (OR = 1.44; 95%CI:1.18-1.75), recent users of tobacco (OR = 2.20; 95%CI:1.92-2.52) and alcohol (OR = 2.84; 95%CI:2.52-3.20), and ever users of other drugs (OR = 1.69; 95%CI:1.44-1.99), independent of age, time and living situation. CONCLUSIONS Increasing rates of cannabis use and the association with concurrent tobacco and alcohol use in AYA females underscore the need to screen for unhealthy cannabis use, in addition to tobacco and alcohol, especially among inner-city AYA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Shyhalla
- Department of Cancer Prevention & Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Danielle M Smith
- Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Angela Diaz
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Anne Nucci-Sack
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Mary Guillot
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Dominic Hollman
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, NY, USA
| | - Maciej L Goniewicz
- Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Richard J O'Connor
- Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Viswanathan Shankar
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Robert D Burk
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Departments of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology, and Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Nicolas F Schlecht
- Department of Cancer Prevention & Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Schlecht NF, Diaz A, Nucci-Sack A, Shyhalla K, Shankar V, Guillot M, Hollman D, Strickler HD, Burk RD. Incidence and Types of Human Papillomavirus Infections in Adolescent Girls and Young Women Immunized With the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2121893. [PMID: 34424304 PMCID: PMC8383132 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.21893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have decreased since the introduction of HPV vaccines in populations with high vaccine uptake. Data are limited for adolescent and young adult populations in US metropolitan centers. OBJECTIVE To determine HPV infection rates in adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 21 years in New York City following HPV vaccination. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study of type-specific cervical HPV detection was conducted at a large adolescent-specific integrated health center in New York City between October 2007 and September 2019. Participants included an open cohort of adolescent girls and young adult women who received the HPV vaccine (Gardasil; Merck & Co) over a 12-year period following HPV vaccination introduction. Data analysis was concluded September 2019. EXPOSURES Calendar date and time since receipt of first vaccine dose. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Temporal associations in age-adjusted postvaccine HPV rates. RESULTS A total of 1453 participants, with a mean (SD) age at baseline of 18.2 (1.4) years, were included in the cohort (African American with no Hispanic ethnicity, 515 [35.4%] participants; African American with Hispanic ethnicity, 218 [15.0%] participants; Hispanic with no reported race, 637 [43.8%] participants). Approximately half (694 [47.8%] participants) were vaccinated prior to coitarche. Age-adjusted detection rates for quadrivalent vaccine types (HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, and HPV-18) and related types (HPV-31, and HPV-45) decreased year over year, with the largest effect sizes observed among individuals who had been vaccinated before coitarche (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98). By contrast, detection was higher year over year for nonvaccine high-risk cervical HPV types (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.13) and anal HPV types (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.17). The largest effect sizes were observed with nonvaccine types HPV-56 and HPV-68. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Whereas lower detection rates of vaccine-related HPV types were observed since introduction of vaccines in female youth in New York City, rates of some nonvaccine high-risk HPV types were higher. Continued monitoring of high-risk HPV prevalence is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas F. Schlecht
- Department of Cancer Prevention & Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Angela Diaz
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, New York
| | - Anne Nucci-Sack
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, New York
| | - Kathleen Shyhalla
- Department of Cancer Prevention & Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Viswanathan Shankar
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Mary Guillot
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, New York
| | - Dominic Hollman
- Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Manhattan, New York
| | - Howard D. Strickler
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Robert D. Burk
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Departments of Pediatrics (Genetics), Microbiology & Immunology and Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Stewart SH, Walitzer KS, Blanco J, Swiatek D, Paine Hughes L, Quiñones-Lombraña A, Shyhalla K. Medication-enhanced behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: Naltrexone, Alcoholics Anonymous Facilitation, and OPRM1 genetic variation. J Subst Abuse Treat 2019; 104:7-14. [PMID: 31370987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Medication-assisted behavior treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) holds promise to enhance the efficacy of medication and of behavior therapy when administered individually. The present study examines the treatment benefit of combined outpatient naltrexone (NTX) treatment with Alcoholics Anonymous Facilitation (AAF) behavior therapy, in the context of OPRM1 genotype. The minor OPRM1 Asp40 G-allele has been associated with greater positive reinforcing effects of alcohol consumption and greater alcohol craving, suggesting that individuals carrying the OPRM1 G allele may have an improved naltrexone response. Twenty patients, including 7 G-allele carriers, received 90 days of naltrexone with medication support and dispensing sessions, and ten AAF behavior therapy sessions. During treatment and the eight-week posttreatment follow-up, an overall increase in percent days abstinent was observed for the sample as a whole, but G-allele carriers reported relatively heavier drinking relative to other subjects. These findings suggest that this enhanced medication-assisted behavior treatment is a promising therapeutic combination, and mirror other recent findings that G-allele carriers may require more intensive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott H Stewart
- Section on Addiction Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
| | - Kimberly S Walitzer
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Javier Blanco
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Denise Swiatek
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | - Adolfo Quiñones-Lombraña
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kathleen Shyhalla
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Meisel SN, Read JP, Mullin S, Shyhalla K, Colder CR, Eiden RD, Hawk LW, Wieczorek WF. Changes in implicit alcohol attitudes across adolescence, and associations with emerging alcohol use: Testing the reciprocal determinism hypothesis. Psychol Addict Behav 2018; 32:738-748. [PMID: 30284877 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Implicit alcohol-related cognitions develop during adolescence and are thought to play an important role in the etiology of adolescent alcohol use. Rooted in reciprocal determinism, a developmental theory of alcohol-related cognitions, the current study sought to enhance our understanding of the development of automatic alcohol associations and their relationship with alcohol use. To provide a theoretically aligned test of reciprocal determinism, we used latent change score models to examine whether growth in automatic alcohol associations and alcohol use was related to each other (between-person effects) and whether each construct led to changes in the other over time (within-person effects). Adolescents (N = 378) completed 4 annual assessments, spanning early to middle adolescence. Automatic alcohol associations were assessed with a Single Category Implicit Association Test, and we used a quadruple processing tree model to extract a more "process pure" index of these associations. Alcohol use increased from early to middle adolescence, as negative automatic alcohol associations weakened over that same time period. Although there was no support for between-person associations, on the within-person level, weak negative automatic alcohol associations at Waves 2 and 3 were associated with increases in drinking at subsequent waves. Alcohol use did not significantly predict changes in automatic alcohol associations. Findings suggest the utility of distinguishing within- and between-person associations to understand the development of automatic alcohol associations and that automatic alcohol associations are prospectively associated with alcohol use and a potential target for intervention, one that becomes an increasingly salient influence on drinking as adolescence progresses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Colder CR, Shyhalla K, Frndak S, Read JP, Lengua LJ, Hawk LW, Wieczorek WF. The Prospective Association Between Internalizing Symptoms and Adolescent Alcohol Involvement and the Moderating Role of Age and Externalizing Symptoms. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:2185-2196. [PMID: 28945280 PMCID: PMC5711530 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As predicted by self-medication theories that drinking is motivated by a desire to ameliorate emotional distress, some studies find internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression) increase risk of adolescent drinking; however, such a risk effect has not been supported consistently. Our prior work examined externalizing symptoms as a potential moderator of the association between internalizing symptoms and adolescent alcohol use to explain some of the inconsistencies in the literature. We found that internalizing symptoms were protective against early adolescent alcohol use particularly for youth elevated on externalizing symptoms (a 2-way interaction). Our sample has now been followed for several additional assessments that extend into young adulthood, and the current study tests whether the protective effect of internalizing symptoms may change as youth age into young adulthood, and whether this age-moderating effect varied across different clusters of internalizing symptoms (social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression). Internalizing symptoms were hypothesized to shift from a protective factor to a risk factor with age, particularly for youth elevated on externalizing symptoms. METHODS A community sample of 387 adolescents was followed for 9 annual assessments (mean age = 12.1 years at the first assessment and 55% female). Multilevel cross-lagged 2-part zero-inflated Poisson models were used to test hypotheses. RESULTS The most robust moderating effects were for levels of alcohol use, such that the protective effect of all internalizing symptom clusters was most evident in the context of moderate to high levels of externalizing problems. A risk effect of internalizing symptoms was evident at low levels of externalizing symptoms. With age, the risk and protective effects of internalizing symptoms were evident at less extreme levels of externalizing behavior. With respect to alcohol-related problems, findings did not support age moderation for generalized anxiety or depression, but it was supported for social anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of considering the role of emotional distress from a developmental perspective and in the context of externalizing behavior problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig R Colder
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kathleen Shyhalla
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | - Seth Frndak
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | - Jennifer P Read
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | - Liliana J Lengua
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Larry W Hawk
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | - William F Wieczorek
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York
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Testa M, Parks KA, Hoffman JH, Crane CA, Leonard KE, Shyhalla K. Do Drinking Episodes Contribute to Sexual Aggression Perpetration in College Men? J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2015; 76:507-15. [PMID: 26098025 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2015.76.507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Survey and experimental analog studies suggest that alcohol consumption contributes to perpetration of sexual aggression. However, few studies have considered the temporal association between naturally occurring episodes of drinking and subsequent sexual aggression. This daily report study was designed to examine whether alcohol consumption increases the odds of aggressive sexual activity within the next 4 hours. METHOD First-year male college students (N = 427) completed daily online reports of drinking and sexual activity for up to 56 days. Multilevel modeling was used to determine whether drinking episodes increased the odds of the following outcomes occurring within 4 hours: (a) aggressive sex with a new partner, (b) non-aggressive sex with a new partner, (c) aggressive sex with a previous partner, and (d) non-aggressive sex with a previous partner. RESULTS Drinking episodes increased the odds of both aggressive and non-aggressive sex with a new partner. In contrast, drinking episodes did not predict aggression involving previous partners and decreased the odds of non-aggressive sex with a previous partner. Contrary to hypotheses, individual difference variables associated with propensity toward sexual aggression (sexual misperception, antisocial behavior, hostility toward women) did not interact with daily alcohol. CONCLUSIONS The complex pattern of results is more consistent with situational as opposed to pharmacological effects of alcohol on sexual aggression and suggests that prevention efforts focus on drinking contexts known to facilitate sexual activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Testa
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kathleen A Parks
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Joseph H Hoffman
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Cory A Crane
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kenneth E Leonard
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kathleen Shyhalla
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
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Walitzer KS, Deffenbacher JL, Shyhalla K. Alcohol-Adapted Anger Management Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Innovative Therapy for Alcohol Dependence. J Subst Abuse Treat 2015; 59:83-93. [PMID: 26387049 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A randomized controlled trial for an innovative alcohol-adapted anger management treatment (AM) for outpatient alcohol dependent individuals scoring moderate or above on anger is described. AM treatment outcomes were compared to those of an empirically-supported intervention, Alcoholics Anonymous Facilitation treatment (AAF). Clients in AM, relative to clients in AAF, were hypothesized to have greater improvement in anger and anger-related cognitions and lesser AA involvement during the 6-month follow-up. Anger-related variables were hypothesized to be stronger predictors of improved alcohol outcomes in the AM treatment condition and AA involvement was hypothesized to be a stronger predictor of alcohol outcomes in the AAF treatment group. Seventy-six alcohol dependent men and women were randomly assigned to treatment condition and followed for 6 months after treatment end. Both AM and AAF treatments were followed by significant reductions in heavy drinking days, alcohol consequences, anger, and maladaptive anger-related thoughts and increases in abstinence and self-confidence regarding not drinking to anger-related triggers. Treatment with AAF was associated with greater AA involvement relative to treatment with AM. Changes in anger and AA involvement were predictive of posttreatment alcohol outcomes for both treatments. Change in trait anger was a stronger predictor of posttreatment alcohol consequences for AM than for AAF clients; during-treatment AA meeting attendance was a stronger predictor of posttreatment heavy drinking and alcohol consequences for AAF than for AM clients. Anger-related constructs and drinking triggers should be foci in treatment of alcohol dependence for anger-involved clients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly S Walitzer
- Research Institute on Addictions/University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
| | | | - Kathleen Shyhalla
- Research Institute on Addictions/University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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Walitzer KS, Dearing RL, Barrick C, Shyhalla K. Tobacco smoking among male and female alcohol treatment-seekers: clinical complexities, treatment length of stay, and goal achievement. Subst Use Misuse 2015; 50:166-73. [PMID: 25313831 PMCID: PMC4431693 DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2014.962050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Literature suggests that tobacco smoking among clients in alcohol treatment has important clinical implications, including poorer treatment outcome. Much of this literature, however, has been derived from research-based treatment samples that utilized stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, limiting generalizability of findings. OBJECTIVE In order to further our understanding of the correlates of smoking among clients with alcohol problems, the present research examines tobacco smoking status at admission for 21,128 adult treatment seekers from 253 community outpatient substance abuse clinics across New York State. METHODS This sample includes tobacco smokers at admission (62%) and women (25%). Clinical complexities at admission (unemployment, lack of high school diploma/GED, criminal justice involvement, mental illness, polysubstance abuse) and length of treatment stay and alcohol-related goal achievement at discharge were assessed by clinic staff. RESULTS Mixed models revealed that tobacco smoking was significantly associated with all five clinical complexities; interactions with gender indicated that this association was stronger for women with regard to criminal justice involvement and polysubstance abuse. Also, these smokers evidenced shorter substance disorder treatment duration and were less likely to achieve alcohol-related treatment goals relative to their nonsmoking counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Admission tobacco smoking status of alcohol treatment seekers is an important client characteristic with regard to clinical presentation and treatment outcome. Our findings underscore the need to further our understanding of the complexities associated with smoking and especially as it pertains to female smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly S Walitzer
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo , Buffalo, New York , USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alcohol-involved drivers or those with blood alcohol concentrations greater than 0.00 percent have more frequent and more severe crashes than other drivers. Alcohol use, because it delays perception and response and impairs coordination, increases the risk of a crash. However, those using alcohol may take additional driving risks, which may also lead to crashes. This study was done to learn whether risks besides alcohol involvement contributed to crash initiation and whether crash severity increased with alcohol involvement or with those other risky behaviors. METHODS Data that represented nearly 1.4 million motor vehicle crashes were accessed from an NHTSA database. Analyses evaluated whether alcohol-involved driving was associated with other driving risks and whether driver alcohol involvement, alone or together with other risks, increased the likelihood of initiating a 2-vehicle crash or in the event of a crash or increased crash severity. RESULTS Alcohol-involved drivers were less likely to use seat belts, drove faster, and were more likely to be distracted than others. Those who initiated 2-vehicle crashes were more likely to be alcohol involved or to have taken other driving risks than others from the same crashes. Crash severity was significantly greater for alcohol-involved drivers than for other drivers, but severity increased further if additional risks were taken. Crashes involving only drivers who had not used alcohol were also sometimes severe, and that severity was associated with risky driving behaviors. When crashes involved 2 drivers, the behaviors of both affected crash severity. CONCLUSIONS Risky driving behaviors, including alcohol involvement, increased the risk of a crash. Crash severity tended to increase with any risky behavior and to increase further with multiple risky behaviors. Other risky behaviors were associated with both alcohol involvement and crashes. Therefore, if effects from those other risky behaviors were not accommodated for, those effects would confound apparent associations between alcohol involvement and crashes. Therefore, this study's use of multivariate models that accommodated for effects from those other behaviors provided a truer picture of alcohol's association with crashes than simpler models would have. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Traffic Injury Prevention to view the supplemental file.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Shyhalla
- a Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo-The State University of New York , Buffalo , New York
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