Increased use of cigarettes,alcohol, and marijuana among Manhattan,New York,residents after the September 11th terrorist attacks

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were the largest human-made disaster in the United States since the Civil War. Studies after earlier disasters have reported rates of psychological disorders in the acute postdisaster period. However, data on postdisaster increases in substance use are sparse. A random digit dial telephone survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of increased cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and marijuana use among residents of Manhattan, New York City, 5-8 weeks after the attacks. Among 988 persons included, 28.8% reported an increase in use of any of these three substances, 9.7% reported an increase in smoking, 24.6% reported an increase in alcohol consumption, and 3.2% reported an increase in marijuana use. Persons who increased smoking of cigarettes and marijuana were more likely to experience posttraumatic stress disorder than were those who did not (24.2% vs. 5.6% posttraumatic stress disorder for cigarettes; 36.0% vs. 6.6% for marijuana). Depression was more common among those who increased than for those who did not increase cigarette smoking (22.1 vs. 8.2%), alcohol consumption (15.5 vs. 8.3%), and marijuana smoking (22.3 vs. 9.4%). The results of this study suggest a substantial increase in substance use in the acute postdisaster period after the September 11th attacks. Increase in use of different substances may be associated with the presence of different comorbid psychiatric conditions.     

Persistent organic pollutants in dusts that settled indoors in lower Manhattan after September 11, 2001

The explosion and collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) was a catastrophic event that produced an aerosol impacting many residents, workers, and commuters after September 11, 2001. In all, 12 bulk samples of the settled dust were collected at indoor locations surrounding the epicenter of the disaster, including one sample from a residence that had been cleansed and was once again occupied. Additionally, one sample was collected from just outside a fifth story window on the sill. These samples were analyzed for many components, including inorganic and organic constituents as well as morphology of the various particles. The results of the analyses for persistent organic pollutants on dusts that settled at indoor locations are described herein, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and select organo-chlorine pesticides. The Sigma(86)-PCB concentrations, comprising less than one part per million by mass of the bulk in the two samples analyzed, indicated that PCBs were of limited significance in the dust that settled at indoor locations across lower Manhattan. Likewise, organo-chlorine pesticides, Hexachlorobenzene, Heptachlor, 4,4'-DDE, 2,4'-DDT, 4,4'-DDT and Mirex were found at even lower concentrations in the bulk samples. Conversely, Sigma(37)-PAHs comprised up to 0.04% (<0.005-0.036%) by mass of the bulk indoor dust in the 11 WTC impacted bulk indoor samples. Analysis of one sample of indoor dusts collected from a vacuum cleaner of a rehabilitated home shows markedly lower PAH concentrations (<0.0005 mass%), as well as differing relative contributions for individual compounds. In addition to similar concentrations, comparison of PAH concentration patterns (i.e. chemical fingerprints) shows that dusts that settled indoors are chemically similar to previously measured WTC dusts found at outdoor locations and that these PAH analyses may be used in identifying dusts of WTC origin at indoor locations, along with ascertaining further needs for cleaning.     

Adolescent religious commitment and their consumption of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol

Using the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) data set from the 1988-1992 period, this study used longitudinal data to assess the effects of student religious commitment on the marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol consumption of those children. The results of this study support the notion that a high level of religious commitment among adolescents reduces their likelihood of consuming marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol. Religiously committed adolescents consumed marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol less frequently and were less likely to be under the influence of marijuana and alcohol at school than their less religious counterparts. There were, however, no differences in the likelihood of religious and less religious twelfth graders to be under the influence of cocaine while at school. The study also indicates that the use of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol by adolescents was associated with lower levels of academic achievement than those students who did not use these substances.     

Smoking and alcohol consumption among the elderly: trends and associations, 1985-2001

BACKGROUND: Despite their clear association with health, smoking and alcohol consumption among elderly people have not been extensively researched. This study examined changes in smoking and alcohol consumption and their sociodemographic patterning among the Finnish population aged 65-79 years over the period 1985-2001. METHODS: Population-based monitoring surveys conducted biennially from 1985 to 2001 were pooled into three time periods. Trends in smoking and alcohol consumption and their sociodemographic variations among 5870 men and 5923 women were calculated. Logistic regression was used as the main method of analysis. RESULTS: Smoking declined slightly among men, and consumption of higher levels of alcohol rose in both genders from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. Smoking among women remained at a very low level throughout the study period. Smoking and higher level of alcohol consumption were more prevalent among the younger elderly and among the men than among their counterparts. Higher alcohol use was more common among retired office workers than other former employees. Smoking was clearly more prevalent among unmarried than married people. CONCLUSIONS: Declining numbers of male smokers and remarkably few female smokers, together with positive changes already noted in diet and functional ability, suggest healthier senior years ahead. On the other hand, the rising trend of alcohol use poses a challenge to future public health.     

Upper respiratory symptoms and other health effects among residents living near the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001

The authors investigated changes in respiratory health after September 11, 2001 ("9/11") among residents of the area near the World Trade Center (WTC) site in New York City as compared with residents of a control area. In 2002, self-administered questionnaires requesting information on the presence and persistence of respiratory symptoms, unplanned medical visits, and medication use were sent to 9,200 households (22.3% responded) within 1.5 km of the WTC site (affected area) and approximately 1,000 residences (23.3% responded) in Upper Manhattan, more than 9 km from the site (control area). Residents of the affected area reported higher rates of new-onset upper respiratory symptoms after 9/11 (cumulative incidence ratio = 2.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.88, 2.63). Most of these symptoms persisted 1 year after 9/11 in the affected area. Previously healthy residents of the affected area had more respiratory-related unplanned medical visits (prevalence ratio = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.64) and more new medication use (prevalence ratio = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.75, 4.76) after 9/11. Greater impacts on respiratory functional limitations were also found in the affected area. Although bias may have contributed to these increases, other analyses of WTC-related pollutants support their biologic plausibility. Further analyses are needed to examine whether these increases were related to environmental exposures and to monitor long-term health effects.     

Predictors of help seeking among Connecticut adults after September 11, 2001

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a population-based telephone survey in an attempt to determine correlates of formal and informal help seeking after September 11, 2001. METHODS: Between October 15 and December 31, 2001, 1774 Connecticut Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System respondents were asked questions directly related to their experiences of September 11. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that receipt of formal help was predicted by sleep problems, close association with a victim, reports of increased smoking or drinking, and receipt of informal help. Age, gender, reports of 1 or more problems, and formal help seeking predicted receipt of informal help. CONCLUSIONS: Public health planning and bioterrorism preparedness should include programs addressing increased smoking and drinking, sleep problems, and bereavement in the wake of disasters.     

北方农村地区男性代谢综合征与饮酒关系研究

目的 了解北方农村地区男性代谢综合征(metabolic syndrome,MS)现状及其与饮酒的关系.方法 采用整群随机抽样的方法,在甘肃榆中县、北京顺义区、吉林东丰县和吉林靖宇县等4个区县分别抽取4个村.每个区县分别调查＞35岁人群1 250人,男女各半.各村平均分配样本量.收集吸烟、饮酒、血压、身高、体重等相关因素资料并采集血样.将人群分为不饮酒、少量饮酒(＜20 g/d)、中量饮酒(20～80g/d)和大量饮酒(＞80 g/d)四组.选取其中的2 062例男性进行分析.MS定义选用中国糖尿病学会的标准.用多因素非条件Logistic回归方法分析饮酒与MS的关系.结果 调查对象平均年龄(55.9±10.8)岁,41.4％饮酒.MS患病率为11.6％,饮酒者(13.1％)高于不饮酒者(10.5％)(x2=3.30,P=0.069).MS患病率随着饮酒量(Z =39.08,P＜0.001)和饮酒频率(Z =39.65,P＜0.001)的增加上升.调整其他因素后,中量以上饮酒可显著增加MS患病风险(均有P＜0.05);饮酒频度与MS关系并不显著(均有P＞0.05).结论 在男性人群中,中量饮酒可增加MS风险.应该给与针对性的干预,限制饮酒量.     

The impact of alcohol consumption and marijuana use on high school graduation

In this study we use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to estimate the relationship between high school graduation, and alcohol and marijuana use among high school students. We also estimate the demand determinants for each of these substances. Our results show that there are significant adverse effects of alcohol and marijuana use on high school graduation. In particular, increases in the incidence of frequent drinking, liquor and wine consumption, and frequent marijuana use, significantly reduce the probability of high school graduation. Our results also show that beer taxes, liquor prices and marijuana decriminalization have a significant impact on the demand for these substances. These findings have important policy implications. A ten percent increase in beer taxes, reduces alcohol consumption among high school students, which in turn raises the probability of high school graduation by about three percent. A 1 percent increase in liquor prices raises the probability of high school graduation by over 1 percent. Raising the minimum drinking age for liquor also reduces liquor and wine consumption, and thus, improves the probability of high school graduation. Although the relationship between marijuana decriminalization and marijuana use is not significant, decriminalization is found to reduce the probability of becoming a frequent drinker. This result suggests that marijuana use and frequent drinking are substitute activities. Illicit substance abuse reduces the rate of high school completion, reduces expected future earnings and creates potential health problems. Thus, high-school-based preventive programs which discourage alcohol consumption and marijuana use are highly recommended, in order to alleviate these problems.     

Initiation of use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and other substances in US birth cohorts since 1919.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined recent trends in initiation of psychoactive drug use. METHODS: Data from the 1991 through 1993 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse were used to compare the percentages of US cohorts born from 1919 through 1975 who began using drugs before the ages of 15, 21, and 35. RESULTS: Initiation of cigarette smoking by males peaked in the 1941-1945 cohort, then declined steadily. For females, early smoking initiation rose through the 1951-1955 cohort and then stabilized. Initiation of alcohol use was less common than smoking for pre1950 cohorts but increased steadily, approaching cigarette use for cohorts born in the early 1970s. Only 2% of teenagers born in 1930-1940 tried marijuana; half the teenagers born in 1956-1965 did so. The percentage initiating marijuana use declined in the 1980s, more so among young adults than among teenagers. The use of cocaine and other illicit drugs echoed the rise of marijuana use but peaked later and showed less evidence of subsequent decline. Sex differences declined over time for every drug. CONCLUSIONS: Cohorts born since World War II have had much higher rates of illicit drug use initiation, but trends have varied by drug type, possibly reflecting changes in relative prices.     

赣州市中老年人吸烟、饮酒与糖尿病的关系研究

目的:探讨赣州市中老年人吸烟、饮酒行为与2型糖尿病的关系,为糖尿病防控提供理论依据.方法:采用多阶段分层整群抽样方法抽取赣州市多社区1310位中老年人为调查对象,进行问卷调查、空腹血糖测定,采用t检验及x2:检验进行统计分析.结果:吸烟指数的升高加大了2型糖尿病的患病风险,差异有统计学意义(x2=8.860,P=0.012);每周酒精量的升高,2型糖尿病患病率呈现先减少后增加的趋势,差异有统计学意义(x2 =6.515,P=0.038);在35 ～50年龄段,吸烟和饮酒都是2型糖尿病的危险因素,差异有统计学意义(x2=8.363,P=0.015;x2=10.681,P=0.005);在51 ～64年龄组,吸烟、饮酒与2型糖尿病患病率的差异均无统计学意义.结论:过量吸烟和饮酒,加大了2型糖尿病的发病风险,但在高年龄组,吸烟、饮酒可能不是2型糖尿病的主要危险因素.     

The synergistic effect of cigarette taxes on the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and betel nuts

Background  

Consumption of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages creates serious health consequences for individuals and overwhelming financial burdens for governments around the world. In Asia, a third stimulant – betel nuts – increases this burden exponentially. For example, individuals who simultaneously smoke, chew betel nuts and drink alcohol are approximately 123 times more likely to develop oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer than are those who do not.     

Early tobacco and alcohol consumption as modifying risk factors on marijuana use

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between early tobacco and alcohol use and the risk of marijuana consumption among schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross-sectional study comprising data from the Fourth National Study on Drug Use in the Chilean School Population (2001). There were studied 54,001 schoolchildren aged between eight and 20 years. Predictors were self-reported tobacco and alcohol use (ever users), age at initiation of tobacco and/or alcohol use, and intensity of tobacco use. The study outcome was self-reported marijuana use (ever users versus never users) and age at initiation of marijuana use. Poisson regression and Weibull regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of tobacco use was high: 77%, alcohol 79%, and marijuana 23%. Tobacco consumption increased the likelihood of marijuana use (PR=10.4; 95% CI: 8.9;12.2). Later initiation of tobacco (HR=0.85; 95% CI: 0.84;0.86) and alcohol (HR=0.90; 95% CI: 0.89;0.91) decreased the risk of marijuana use. Marijuana use was higher in heavy smokers compared to light smokers (PR=3.11; 95% CI: 2.96;3.26 versus PR=1.70; 95% CI: 1.58;1.83). CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco use is strongly associated with marijuana use, which is significantly associated with the age at initiation of tobacco use, intensity of tobacco use and concurrent use of alcohol. Prevention strategies should target prevention of adolescent early tobacco use.     

The synergistic effect of cigarette taxes on the consumption of cigarettes,alcohol and betel nuts

Background

Factor structure of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was studied by a survey of subjects who had experienced the 2004 Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake (6.8 on the Richter scale) in Japan.

Methods

Psychological distress was measured at two years after the earthquake by using GHQ-12 in 2,107 subjects (99.0% response rate) who suffered the earthquake. GHQ-12 was scored by binary, chronic and Likert scoring method. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to reveal the factor structure of GHQ-12. Categorical regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between various background factors and GHQ-12 scores.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model consisting of the two factors and using chronic method gave the best goodness-of-fit among the various models for factor structure. Recovery in the scale for the factor 'social dysfunction' was remarkably impaired compared with that of the factor 'dysphoria'. Categorical regression analysis revealed that various factors, including advanced age, were associated with psychological distress. Advanced age affected the impaired recovery of factor 'social dysfunction' score as well as total GHQ score.

Conclusion

The two-factor structure of GHQ-12 was conserved between the survey at five month and that at two years after the earthquake. Impaired recovery in the ability to cope with daily problems in the subjects who had experienced the earthquake was remarkable even at two years after the earthquake.     

胜利油田某社区居民饮酒与慢性病关系研究

目的探讨饮酒与慢性病的关系。方法采用多阶段等比例分层整群抽样的方法,在胜利油田滨州工作区某社区抽取18岁以上常住居民3 471人作为调查对象进行慢性病相关问卷调查。结果本社区居民饮酒率为32.87%(标化率为21.54%),其中男性饮酒率为72.29%(标化率为58.80%),女性饮酒率为4.16%(标化率为3.13%),男性高于女性(χ2=766.39,P0.05)。饮酒人群慢性病患病率高于不饮酒人群,饮酒年限越长,慢性病患病率越高(χ2趋势=127.95,P0.05),饮用高度白酒慢性病患病率高,而饮用葡萄酒患病率低(χ2=40.39,P0.05),随着饮酒频率的增加,慢性病患病率呈现"～"型,以"10次以上/周"患病率为最高,"小于3次/周"为最低(χ2趋势=17.61,P0.05),平均每次饮酒量越高,慢性病患病率越高,但是"平均每次饮用400 ml以上"人群患病率有所下降(χ2趋势=4.00,P0.05)。多因素分析结果显示:是否饮酒(OR=1.81)、饮酒年限(OR=1.30)、饮酒频率(OR=1.42)、平均每次饮用量(OR=1.26)均是慢性病发生的危险因素。结论被调查社区居民饮酒率较高,应加强饮酒人群的健康教育,控制饮酒,以降低与饮酒有关的慢性病患病率。     

Epidemiology of alcohol consumption among women

In the past 20 years, the lifestyles of the Italian population have changed radically, especially those of women, who have adopted behavioural models traditionally associated with men. One of the most important changes has been the increasing number of women who smoke, and more recently, those who drink, habits that can be considered to reflect the changing role of women in society yet which obviously have an important impact on the health status of the female population.     

Kava,alcohol and tobacco consumption among Tongans with urbanization

The prevalence of kava (Piper methysticum), alcohol and tobacco consumption in Nuku'alofa (urban) and Foa (rural) are described. Current kava consumption was males 48% and females 1%. Prevalence was significantly higher among rural males. Current alcohol consumption was almost exclusive to the urban population and predominantly male, but only 2 (1%) rural males were current alcohol consumers. 169 (84.0%) of the rural males were irregularly or had ceased consuming alcohol. Tobacco consumption also showed a significant male predominance. There was a significantly higher total tobacco consumption in the urban population. Concordance of the three habits was evident among males, with 27 concordant positive (expected = 5.98) and 46 concordant negative (expected = 6.60).It appears that kava, a traditional Pacific beverage may have lost ground to alcohol as urban Tongans adopt a more cosmopolitan life style. Kava, if proved relatively harmless, may be promoted as a less unhealthy alternative to tobacco and alcohol.