High school athletes and the use of ergogenic aid

To determine high school athletes' attitudes toward and use of ergogenic aids, we surveyed 295 students presenting for preparticipation examinations. In general, young athletes believed that steroids and amphetamines were not efficacious in enhancing sports performance and that their use was potentially harmful. Subjects reported minimal use of steroids (1%) and amphetamines (2%), and only a minority would consider their use. As a group, however, male athletes were more likely to believe that steroids were effective (32% vs 13%) and to consider the future use of these agents (14% vs 0) compared with female athletes. The majority of high school athletes believed that supplemental protein or vitamins could improve performance and that their use caused little or no health risk. These data suggest that young athletes may require information regarding the limited benefits and potential risks associated with the use of ergogenic aids.     

The identification of adolescent substance abuse by health care professionals

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the frequency with which health care professionals identify alcohol and drug problems in an adolescent clinic population. The results indicated that the health care professionals were apt to judge far fewer adolescents as having an alcohol/drug problem than as having other problems common to this age group. Furthermore, adjusted citywide prevalence rates of adolescent alcohol abuse (12.7%) exceeded health care professionals' judgments (3.0%) by over fourfold.     

Prevalence of substance abuse in a psychiatric evaluation unit.

The prevalence of substance abuse and psychiatric illness was studied in a Psychiatric Evaluations Unit. Twenty-six percent of the subjects received a psychiatric diagnosis only with no concomitant substance use disorder. Thirty-four percent were diagnosed with a substance use disorder but with no other psychiatric disorders. Thirty-nine percent of the subjects had a history of both psychiatric and substance use disorder; 62% of these substance abusers with a psychiatric illness reported using drugs (including alcohol) the week before the interview; 56% used illicit drugs while 44% used alcohol only. Differences among substance abusers with a psychiatric illness, those with a substance abuse diagnosis alone, and those with a psychiatric diagnosis alone are presented.     

Similarity of behavior within addict couples. Part II. Addiction-related variables

The similarity of behavioral patterns within addict couples before, during, and after a relationship is the focus of this paper. The correlations between partners in real and artificially constructed (pseudo) couples for employment, criminal activities, and other behaviors are examined. The effect of a relationship on behavior is also assessed before, during, and after treatment. Significant correlations during real relationships were found for employment, welfare, and illegal income. Joint couple entry into treatment appears to be more effective for women than men. Similarity within couples disappears when the relationship ends.     

Cocaine Dependence: Behavioral Dimensions and Patterns of Progression

The authors report a longitudinal study describing the progression and circumstances of cocaine dependence within a large group of men with different usage histories, from initiation of use to entrance into a treatment program at a Veterans Affairs medical center several years later. Data illustrating the course of the disorder were retrospectively collected, using a “natural history” methodology successfully used in prior research. Four patterns of escalation of cocaine use are described. Generally, as the cocaine career progressed, there was a decrease in the consumption of alcohol and other drugs.     

Drinking patterns and perspectives on alcohol policy: results from two Ontario surveys

AIMS: Previous research has shown that heavier drinkers, in comparison to light drinkers or abstainers, are more likely to favour increased access to alcohol and relaxation of control policies. Often, studies have not examined whether attitudes to alcohol policies vary according to a respondent's pattern of drinking. This study examined the association between drinking variables and views on policy, using six drinking variables and six topics on alcohol policy. METHODS: Data were available from two Ontario surveys conducted in 2000 and 2002, which took representative samples of adults, aged 18 and older, selected by random digit dialling, who participated in interviews over the telephone (n = 1294 and 1206, respectively). Drinking variables include drinking status, drinking frequency, usual number of drinks, typical weekly volume, frequency of 5+ drinks per occasion and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. Six policy items were examined: alcohol taxes, warning labels, density of retail alcohol outlets, privatization of government liquor stores, alcohol advertising and consultation with health experts on decisions on alcohol policy. Logistic regression analyses included five demographic variables: gender, age, marital status, education and income. RESULTS: Among males, there was strong support for increased access to alcohol and fewer controls over alcohol policies. This relationship, although not as strong, also emerged for frequent consumers, high volume drinkers and those with a higher AUDIT score. CONCLUSION: Whether it is intentional or not, government policies that tend to make alcohol more available cater to young, heavy-drinking males who possibly experience problems in connection with their drinking behaviour.     

Health Conditions Among Aging Narcotics Addicts: Medical Examination Results

The study examined health conditions among an aging cohort of male narcotics addicts. This prospective cohort study (1964–1998) included interviews and medical testing for 108 surviving subjects who had been admitted to the California Civil Addict Program during the years 1962 through 1964. Medical testing results were: 51.9% had high blood pressure, 22.4% showed hyperlipidemia, 13.3% had elevated levels of blood glucose, 33.6% had abnormal pulmonary function, half of the sample had abnormal liver function, and 94.2% tested positive for hepatitis C, 85.6% for hepatitis B, 3.8% for syphilis, and 27.3% for TB. The study empirically demonstrated poor health conditions and high morbidity among surviving narcotics addicts.