Household Social Characteristics of the Demand for Alcoholic Beverages Among Spanish Students

This paper studies how household social capital affects adolescents’ demand for alcoholic drinks. To that end, we focus on a theoretical framework that combines elements from the Model of Rational Addiction and the Model of Social Economics. For the empirical framework, we use a simultaneous Type II Tobit model, with data drawn from the Spanish National Survey on Drug Use in the School Population (2000, 2002, and 2004). The sample is comprised of 12,627 students aged 17 years old. Our results confirm that parents’ decisions about drinking are even more decisive in their children's behavior than socioeconomic variables, such as parents’ educative levels or working status. Parental responsibilities go beyond the endowment of health and educational goods and services; so, these results suggest the importance of designing family-drug use prevention programs. The study's limitations are noted.     

Collegiate natural drinking groups: Characteristics,structure, and processes

College students typically consume alcohol in groups. To examine group characteristics, structure, processes, and group drinking, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 30 (50% female; 60% non-Latino White) college students (18–24 years old). Participants described the last event they attended where alcohol was present. The interviews were fully transcribed and coded using an inductive approach with the software ATLAS.ti 5.2. The findings revealed that group formation often involved minimal planning and was facilitated by technologies such as phone, text messaging, and social networking Internet sites. Multiple roles were identified that supported the groups and that pertained to the drinking event organization, to drinking activities, or group regulation. As the groups reached drunkenness, decision negotiations were replaced by random actions that often exemplified the loss of judgment resulting from alcohol impairment, leading to risky situations. Understanding group dynamics and social roles in drinking groups could inform prevention efforts by identifying new loci of interventions; promoting pro-social roles in the group could encourage peers to become effective agents of prevention within the group.     

Hormonal changes and their impact on cognition and mental health of ageing men

Demographic changes resulting in ageing of the world's population have major implications for health. As men grow older, circulating levels of the principal androgen or male sex hormone testosterone (T) decline, while the prevalence of ill-health increases. Observational studies in middle-aged and older men have shown associations between lower levels of T and poorer mental health in older men, including worse cognitive performance, dementia and presence of depressive symptoms. The role of T metabolites, the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the oestrogen receptor ligand estradiol (E2) in the pathophysiology of cognitive decline are unclear. Studies of men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy in the setting of prostate cancer have shown subtle detrimental effects of reduced T levels on cognitive performance. Randomised trials of T supplementation in older men have been limited in size and produced variable results, with some studies showing improvement in specific tests of cognitive function. Interventional data from trials of T therapy in men with dementia are limited. Lower levels of T have also been associated with depressive symptoms in older men. Some studies have reported an effect of T therapy to improve mood and depressive symptoms in men with low or low-normal T levels. T supplementation should be considered in men with a diagnosis of androgen deficiency. Beyond this clinical indication, further research is needed to establish the benefits of T supplementation in older men at risk of deteriorating cognition and mental health.     

The Relationship Between Club Drug Use and Other Drug Use: A Survey of New York City Middle School Students

In order to explore the relationship between use of club drugs (crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine), and use of other drugs, survey data collected from 23,780 middle school students in New York City during 2002–2003 was examined. Results of HGLM analyses (a generalization of HLM to accomodate nonlinear outcomes), controlling for the effect of school, indicate that Black students are less likely than White students to use club drugs depending on the timeframe of use. The use of alcohol and/or marijuana predict club drug use regardless of the timeframe of use, and lifetime cigarette use predicts lifetime club drug use. Recommendations for future research and prevention efforts are discussed.     

Prevalence of depression,its correlates among students,and its effect on health-related quality of life in a Turkish university

Objective.The aims were to investigate the prevalence of depression among university students, and to determine some of the risk factors connected to depression, and also to evaluate its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods.This cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 December 2007 and 31 January 2008 at Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, in western Turkey. The study group consisted of 822 students. The questionnaire included the students’ socio-demographic characteristics, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). The data were analyzed by using chi-square, Student's t test, percent (%) ratios, and backward logistic regression analysis with a significant value of P<0.05.

Results. Of the students, 377 (45.9%) were males and 445 (54.1%) females. Overall, the prevalence of depression was 21.8% (n=179/822). Family history of depression, acne on face, any physical defect on body, smoking, alcohol consumption, and future-related occupational preoccupation were all deemed important risk factors for depression (P <0.05, for each one). It was found that, in those with depression, all the mean domain scores of SF-36 scale were lower than those without depression (P <0.05, for each one).

Conclusions.The prevalence of depression among the university students in this region of Turkey was wide-spread, affecting negatively the HRQoL of the students. For prevention and control of depression, depression information and knowledge need to be addressed by health education programs.     

黑龙江省某医学院校思想政治课教学效果探析

现阶段,我国医学院校思想政治课教学在许多方面都不同程度地陷入了困境。究其原因,是医学生对思想政治课作用认知不够,从而弱化了思想政治课的实效性。为此,高等医学院校应深入研究新的教学方法,并对新的教学方法开展实验实证性研究,寻求出提升思想政治课教学实效性的有效路径,是目前医学院校思想政治课教学改革的重要内容之一。     

云南省3所高校大学生吸烟现状调查

目的 了解云南省3所高校大学生的吸烟现况,探讨吸烟行为的影响因素.方法 采用多阶段整群抽样的方法,对3种不同类型高校的1049名在校大学生进行问卷调查.结果 吸烟率为9.1%.其中男女生吸烟率分别为16.3%、0.6%,两者差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).初次吸烟的平均年龄为15.7岁.不同学校大学生吸烟率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);多元统计结果 表明按照影响大小,吸烟的影响因素依次为吸烟的月支出、吸烟导致肺癌的认识、朋友中有人吸烟、年级、父亲是否吸烟、母亲的职业、性别.结论 虽然云南省高校大学生吸烟率较低,但针对大学生吸烟的影响因素,不能盲目乐观,今后可重点开展医学生吸烟的干预.     

Developing information literacy with first year oral health students

Context:  In this time of rapid expansion of the scientific knowledge base, subject matter runs the risk of becoming outdated within a relatively short time. Instead of adding more content to already crowded curricula, the focus should be on equipping students to adapt to their changing world. The ability to access, evaluate and apply new knowledge for the benefit of patients has been acknowledged as an important goal for dental education. Information literacy is key to achieving this.
Methods:  An information literacy programme for first year oral health students was instituted. This was integrated within a biosciences course and linked with its assessment. Small group instruction reinforced by the use of a tailored online Assignment Guide was used in the context of a specific task. Effectiveness was measured in terms of assessment outcome, processes used and student experience.
Results:  Twenty-seven students participated in the intervention which was effective in enhancing foundation literacy skills and confidence of students in accessing and evaluating information sources in the context of a clinical problem. Improvement in higher level literacy skills required to articulate this information in the synthesis of a scientific review was not demonstrated.
Conclusions:  Integration of this information literacy programme within the learning activities and assessment of a basic sciences course resulted in significantly enhanced information literacy skills. As this is highly relevant for higher education students in general, the wider promotion of information literacy should be encouraged.     

高职大学生人格与自我和谐的关系

目的 探讨高职大学生的人格与自我和谐的关系.方法 采用卡特尔16种人格量表(16PF)与自我和谐量表(SCCS),对598名高职大学生施测,采用AMOS7.0构建人格与自我和谐的关系模型.结果 情绪性人格、适应性人格对自我和谐作用显著(r=-0.56,-0.13;P＜0.01).结论 人格是影响高职大学生自我和谐的主要...