Variation in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use across racial/ethnic groups and the development of ethnic-specific measures of CAM use

OBJECTIVES: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is likely to vary among racial/ethnic groups because its use is related to cultural and health beliefs. Understanding patterns of CAM use among ethnic groups could inform clinical practice and the study of CAM use in a diverse population. The authors compared CAM use among Asian-Americans, American Indians, African Americans, Latinos, whites, and other racial/ethnic groups in order to develop ethnic-specific measures of CAM use and explore factors associated with such CAM use across ethnic groups. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of a sample of 9187 adults representative of the California population was performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Ethnic-specific constructs for Asian-Americans, American Indians, African Americans, Latinos, and whites were devised. RESULTS: The authors identified ethnic-specific CAM modalities for each ethnic group. Demographic and clinical factors associated with use of ethnic-specific CAM differed from the predictors of overall CAM use in the general population and varied by ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of CAM use and ethnic-specific CAM use vary across racial/ethnic groups. Evaluation of CAM use in ethnically diverse populations should recognize ethnic-specific modalities and variation across ethnicity.     

The Influence of Parents and Friends on Adolescent Substance Use: A Multidimensional Approach

The current study examined longitudinal associations between friend's substance use, friendship quality, parent-adolescent relationship quality and subsequent substance use. Participants were 166 adolescents, their parents and their close same-sex friends. Measures of relationship characteristics in the 10(th) grade were used to predict concurrent substance use and changes in substance use over a one-year period. The most consistent predictor of the use of different substances and changes in substance use over time was the friend's substance using behavior. Negative interactions with a friend were related only to tobacco use, and friendship support neither contributed to nor protected against substance use. Mother-adolescent relationship support was associated with lower levels of concurrent substance use, as well as lower levels of hard drug use over time. Findings highlight the need to examine parents and peers simultaneously and the importance of parental relationships and peer behavior on adolescent substance use. Limitations and future directions are discussed.     

A substance use prevention framework: considering the social context for African American girls

Shifting patterns of substance use (that is, early initiation, increased marijuana use, narrowing differences in gender use) and the disproportionate socioeconomic obstacles that are related to substance use among ethnically diverse adolescent females create the need to develop ethnic and gender-specific substance use prevention frameworks. This article describes and applies a substance use prevention framework to African American females. Gender socialization and self-efficacy are presented as key concepts, along with the assertion that every substance use prevention framework should examine the influences of specific societal factors (such as racism, sexism, classism, and ageism) on substance use. Rationale and guidelines for designing ethnically sensitive and gender-specific research projects and intervention programs regarding substance use prevention are offered. Public health nurses (PHNs) are uniquely positioned to use this framework in their work with African American adolescent girls, specifically, and in general with other ethnically diverse groups.     

Adolescent tobacco use and cessation.

Over one third of high school students in the United States smoke cigarettes, and close to 10% use spit tobacco. Tobacco use clusters with alcohol use, other substance abuse, and other health risk behaviors among teenagers. Public health and law enforcement policy changes, combined with effective substance use prevention programs in both elementary and middle school, are needed to prevent the early age of onset of tobacco use by youth. Primary care providers can play a key role in identifying children and adolescents who smoke or use spit tobacco and helping them discontinue their tobacco use.     

Alcohol and other drug use among adolescent detainees

This paper seeks to describe alcohol and other drug use among a sample of 2280 male and female adolescent detainees at two state juvenile justice facilities. Substance use was explored by age of initiation, race/ethnicity, gender, delinquent behaviours, and recidivism. Results indicated that alcohol and marijuana were the substances of choice, followed by powder cocaine and ecstasy and other designer drugs. Alcohol use also preceded marijuana use for both males and females. Males engaged in more alcohol and other drug use than females, and they engaged in marijuana use at a younger age. White adolescents reported more alcohol use than adolescents in all other racial/ethnic categories, while there were no differences in marijuana use. White adolescents, however, were younger when they began using marijuana. Finally, adolescents who engaged in alcohol and other drug use reported more delinquent activities and were more likely to have been detained previously. The results of this study are discussed in the context of other studies examining substance use in the general adolescent population and in at‐risk and detained adolescents.     

Reliability of homeless women's reports: concordance between hair assay and self report of cocaine use

BACKGROUND: To assess the concordance of homeless women's self-reported drug use with objective data. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether objective data (e.g., hair assays) are necessary supplements to self reports in assessing homeless women's cocaine use. METHOD: Self reports of cocaine use by 1,037 homeless women were compared to objective data based on radioimmunoassay of hair; independent correlates of cocaine use and underreporting were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Forty-two percent of the women self-reported cocaine use in the past 6 months, whereas 49% had positive hair assays. Over 25% underreported cocaine use; however, underreporting decreased as hair cocaine levels increased. Predictors of underreporting included being Latino, younger and living primarily in shelters. Nevertheless, independent predictors of self-reported cocaine use and positive hair assays were identical. CONCLUSION: Homeless women's self-reports of cocaine use are fairly accurate. Objective data are particularly critical for assessing cocaine use among subgroups who are fearful of sanctions or use cocaine relatively infrequently or in smaller amounts.     

The prevalence and pattern of complementary and alternative medicine use in individuals with diabetes

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the prevalence and pattern of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in individuals with and without diabetes and identified factors associated with CAM use. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. noninstitutionalized civilian population, was analyzed. Estimates of CAM use in individuals with common chronic conditions were determined, and estimates of CAM use in patients with diabetes were compared with that in individuals with chronic medical conditions. Patterns of use and costs of CAM use in patients with diabetes were compared with those in nondiabetic individuals. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of CAM use in individuals with diabetes, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income, educational level, and comorbidity. RESULTS: Individuals with diabetes were 1.6 times more likely to use CAM than individuals without diabetes (8 vs. 5%, P < 0.0001). In the general population, estimates of CAM use were not significantly different across selected chronic medical conditions, but diabetes was an independent predictor of CAM use. Among individuals with diabetes, older age (> or =65 years) and higher educational attainment (high school education or higher) were independently associated with CAM use. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is an independent predictor of CAM use in the general population and in individuals with diabetes. CAM use is more common in individuals aged > or =65 years and those with more than high school education.     

PS1-01: Alcohol and Drug Use Among Chronic Opioid Therapy Patients

Background/Aims Opioid misuse and abuse is a significant public health problem, and there is a need to better identify at-risk individuals. Study aims were to examine patient characteristics associated with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and aberrant drug related behaviors in chronic opioid therapy (COT) patients. Methods We conducted a telephone survey of a random sample of 972 COT patients in an integrated health care delivery system in 2009. Measures included weekly alcohol use and any illicit drug use in the last three months, and a composite measure of alcohol-only use, drug-only use, both alcohol and drug use, and tobacco only use. We conducted weighted multivariate logistic regressions models of AOD use and of aberrant drug-related behavior. Results Fourteen percent were weekly alcohol users (134/972), 16% used illicit drugs (157/972), 9% (83/972) used both alcohol and drugs, 8% used only drugs (74/972), 34% (334/491) used only alcohol, and 50% (481/972) did not use any substances. Multivariate models indicated illicit drug use was associated with a higher likelihood for weekly alcohol use, while being female, a higher daily opioid dose, and greater pain severity was associate with a lower likelihood of weekly alcohol use. Tobacco use, weekly alcohol use, depression symptoms, being male, and middle age was associated with a higher likelihood of illicit drug use. For aberrant drug related behaviors, drug-only use and both alcohol and drug use (compared to no AOD use) were associated with a higher likelihood of receiving opioids from friends or family in the last year, as were postive depressive symptoms and younger age. Both AOD use and depression symptoms were associated with a higher likelihood of giving opioids to others, while a high daily dose was associated with a lower likelihood of giving opioids to others, compared to the lowest dosage. Polysubstance use gender, and depression were risk factors in this sample. Post hoc analyses of primary care utilization indicated that those with high dosage opioids were more likely to have a certain threshold of primary care visits in the last year, suggesting there is an opportunity to manage these high risk patients.     

临床决策支持系统在基层抗菌药物合理使用中的作用

目的探讨临床决策支持系统（CDSS）对规范基层门诊医师抗菌药物使用的可行性及效果。 方法选取成都地区5家使用CDSS的诊所,收集2017年7月至2018年9月的门诊病历及处方,根据诊断筛选入组处方5128张,对比CDSS使用前、后1年抗菌药物的使用情况,并评估CDSS对规范基层门诊医师抗菌药物使用的影响。 结果在使用CDSS后1年,门诊抗菌药物使用更规范;对单纯上呼吸道感染的治疗中,使用CDSS后1年的门诊抗菌药物的合理用药情况得到明显改善（P<0.05）。 结论CDSS对规范基层医师的门诊抗菌药物使用有较好的干预作用。     

剖宫产术中抗生素使用的安全核对与流程管理

围手术期预防性应用抗生素对降低术后感染可以起到重要的作用,但手术室护士接触抗生素药物相对较少,药物知识比较薄弱。围手术期预防性应用抗生素,手术室和病房的沟通存在问题,有时候医嘱单上找不到信息,需要确认抗生素皮试结果或其他问题时找不到当事人,又必须按要求用药,存在用药的安全风险。实施剖宫产围手术期预防性应用抗生素的安全核对和流程管理,增加了抗生素药物使用的安全性,保证了预防性抗生素使用时间的准确性,确保了预防性使用抗生素的用药疗效。     

呼吸内科150例患者抗生素合理使用情况分析

目的分析评价呼吸内科患者抗生素合理使用情况。方法选取某医院150例呼吸内科住院患者为研究对象,通过查看病历等方式,调查分析抗生素的使用情况。结果 150例呼吸内科患者全部采用抗生素治疗,抗生素使用率为100.00%。其中抗生素使用频度最高的是头孢类,其次是大环内酯类。头孢类抗生素中以头孢曲松、头孢哌酮和头孢他定使用频度最高,且头孢曲松和头孢哌酮的药物利用指数(DUI)均超过1,存在不合理使用现象;抗生素联合应用频率略高。结论呼吸内科疾病患者存在抗生素药物使用不完全合理现象,建议临床呼吸内科医生调整患者抗生素的使用,加强合理用药,促进患者健康。     

Knowledge, self-efficacy, coping, and condom use among urban women.

In this study, path analysis was used to test a model of the relationships among condom use knowledge, self-efficacy for condom use, coping, and condom use in a sample of 100 urban women. In the final model, the paths between condom use knowledge and self-efficacy, between self-efficacy and condom use, and between self-efficacy and problem-focused coping were significant. In addition, condom use knowledge was indirectly related to condom use through self-efficacy. The final model accounted for 43% of the variance in condom use. Although the women engaged in risky behaviors including having multiple partners, high-risk sexual partners, and unprotected intercourse, they did not worry about or perceive themselves at risk for HIV. To assist women to decrease their risk for sexually transmitted HIV infection, clinicians should conduct individualized assessments of each client's sexual behaviors to identify women at risk. Individualized interventions are recommended to increase both knowledge of how to use condoms and self-efficacy for condom use among women at risk for HIV.     

内外科住院患者1251例应用抗生素情况调查

目的了解抗生素应用现状,为规范抗生素合理使用提供科学依据。方法采用回顾性调查的方法,对内科和外科系统出院病历的抗生素使用情况进行调查。结果共调查病历1 251份,抗生素使用率为79.62%,联合用药率为51.61%,以二联为主占44.58%,预防用药率56.02%,手术患者抗生素使用率100%,Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类切口术后用药>3 d占86.70%,抗生素使用前三位为左氧氟沙星、青霉素、甲硝唑,临床标本送检率为21.00%。结论内外科住院患者抗生素使用存在不合理之处,加强抗生素合理使用的管理十分必要。     

Antibiotic use in Dutch hospitals 1991-1996

The use of antibiotics in Dutch hospitals between 1991 and 1996 was investigated. A total of 54 hospitals responded to the enquiry, representing over 70% of all hospital beds in The Netherlands. The use of antibiotics in Dutch hospitals, expressed as defined daily doses (DDD) per hundred bed days, gradually increased from 37.2 DDD per 100 bed days in 1991 to 42.5 DDD per 100 bed days in 1996. The antibiotic that showed the largest increase in use was co-amoxiclav. Its use increased more than three-fold from 3.93 DDD per 100 bed days in 1991 to 12.5 DDD per 100 bed days in 1996. The increase in use of co-amoxiclav exceeded the increase in total antibiotic consumption. The use of cephalosporins remained fairly constant during the study period, but there were changes in the relative use of the different cephalosporin groups. The use of earlier cephalosporins gradually decreased, whereas the use of the more recently developed cephalosporins increased between 1991 and 1996. Ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were the most commonly used fluoroquinolones throughout the study period. The use of ofloxacin increased significantly between 1991 and 1996, approaching the levels of use of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. There may be complex reasons for the increases, which need further analysis, but they mirror those few data available from elsewhere in the world. Possible explanations include more intensive treatment to expedite patient discharges, sicker patients with more serious infections and more resistant organisms.     

Predictors of use of services among dementia caregivers

Caregivers of persons with dementia do not use community resources until late in the disease process, despite the fact that judicious use of community resources can delay nursing home admission. Data from the National Caregiver Training Project, based on Hall and Buckwalter's (1987) progressively lowered stress threshold (PLST) model, were used to examine variables related to use of community resources. Spouse and adult child caregivers were divided into two groups based on amount of community resources used per week. Within this geographically diverse sample of caregivers, 64% did not use professional services, 79% did not use respite services, and 65% did not use other services. Being a spouse decreased the odds that the caregiver would use community resources. Resource use was also related to the care recipient's problems with activities of daily living and the increase in frequency of memory and behavioral problems.