Biomedical subjects

C E Werch

Publications and source records attributed to C E Werch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

One-year follow-up results of the STARS for Families alcohol prevention program.

This study examined the 1-year follow-up effects of the STARS (Start Taking Alcohol Risks Seriously) for Families program, a 2-year preventive intervention based on a stage of acquisition model, and consisting of nurse consultations and parent materials. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, with participants receiving either the intervention or a minimal intervention control. Participants included a cohort of 650 sixth-grade students from two urban middle schools-one magnet (bused) and one neighborhood. Trained project staff administered questionnaires to students following a standardized protocol in the schools. For the magnet school sample, significantly fewer intervention students (5%) were planning to drink in the next 6 months than control students (18%), chi2 = 11.53, 1 d.f., P = 0.001. Magnet school intervention students also had less intentions to drink in the future, greater motivation to avoid drinking and less total alcohol risk than control students, Ps < 0.05. For the neighborhood school, intervention students (m = 7.90, SD = 1.87) had less total alcohol risk than control students (m = 8.42, SD = 1.83), F(1,205) = 4.09, P = 0.04. These findings suggest that a brief, stage and risk/protective factor tailored program holds promise for reducing risk for alcohol use among urban school youth 1 year after intervention, and has the unique advantage of greater 'transportability' over classroom-based prevention programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Effects of a stage-based alcohol preventive intervention for inner-city youth.

The purpose of this study was to examine first year outcomes of an alcohol preventive intervention within inner-city middle schools. Subjects consisted of 650 sixth grade students from one neighborhood inner-city school (n = 262) and one bused school (n = 388). At posttest, chi-square analyses showed that significantly fewer neighborhood intervention students initiated alcohol use, used alcohol during the past seven-day and thirty-day periods, drank heavily during the past thirty days, and drank over any period of time, compared to control students (p's < .05). Significant group x prior alcohol consequences interaction effects were found for bused students, showing those with past alcohol consequences who received the intervention had less intentions to use alcohol and less frequent use of alcohol (p's < .05). These results suggest that a brief, stage-based preventive intervention may result in significant reductions in alcohol initiation and consumption among some inner-city youth.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2000

Results of a social norm intervention to prevent binge drinking among first-year residential college students.

The effects of a primary prevention social norm intervention on binge drinking among 1st-year residential college students were examined. Six hundred thirty-four students attending a medium-sized public university in the South were randomly assigned to receive a two-phase social norm intervention or the standard campus psychoeducational prevention program. At posttest, no differences were found between intervention and control group students on any of the alcohol use and alcohol-use risk factor measures. Significant subgroup differences were found by stage of initiating binge drinking behaviors, for frequency of alcohol use, F(3, 507) = 3.69, p = .01; quantity of alcohol use, F(3, 507) = 2.51, p = .05; and social norms, F(3, 505) = 2.53, p = .05. These findings suggest the need for tailoring social norm binge drinking interventions to students' stage of initiating heavy drinking and carefully monitoring for potential negative, as well as positive, effects of norm-based prevention messages.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Effects of a brief alcohol preventive intervention for youth attending school sports physical examinations.

This pilot study examined the feasibility and efficacy of a brief alcohol misuse preventive intervention for 178 7th-9th grade junior high school students attending sports physical examinations at three schools during the Summer of 1997. At 6-month posttest, fewer suburban intervention youth intended to use alcohol during the next 6 months (chi2 = 7.01, 1 df, p = .01), and fewer rural intervention youth used alcohol during the past 30 days (chi2 = 4.65, 1 df, p = .04), compared to control youth. When suburban and rural school samples were collapsed, intervention youth had significantly lower alcohol use on three of four measures than control subjects (p's < .05).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Recruitment and retention in an alcohol prevention program at two inner-city middle schools.

This study examined recruitment within an alcohol prevention program at two diverse inner-city schools and retention of these students through follow-up at one month and one year. Subjects in Cohort 1 included 211 sixth grade students from one innercity, neighborhood school. Subjects in Cohort 2 included 650 sixth grade students from one neighborhood school (n = 388) and one magnet (bused) school (n = 262). Recruitment rates differed between the two Cohort 2 urban schools. However, when eligibility criteria were considered, recruitment rates were nearly identical. At one-month posttest, dropouts were more at risk for alcohol use initiation than nondropouts. At one-year follow-up, dropouts were more likely to initiate alcohol and smokeless tobacco, and had greater total risk factors for alcohol use. These findings indicate the need to establish eligibility requirements, conduct aggressive recruitment and follow-up to minimize subject attrition, and establish programming that targets students not recruited or retained when using standard protocols.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Short- and long-term effects of a pilot prevention program to reduce alcohol consumption.

This study examined the effects of a brief, pilot alcohol prevention intervention for 211 disadvantaged 6th grade school children at posttest and 1-year follow-up. Process data indicated that the intervention was successfully implemented and well received by youth and parent/guardian participants. ANCOVA analyses indicated a significant difference on alcohol use frequency for drinking subjects at 1-month posttest, with less frequent use reported by intervention subjects than subjects receiving the minimal control materials, F(1,22) = 5.37, p = .03. No differences were found between intervention and control subjects on alcohol use measures at 1-year follow-up. Critical issues to be resolved related to the success of future prevention research and practice are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

An intervention for preventing alcohol use among inner-city middle school students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of a brief, school-based intervention for preventing alcohol use. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized, control trial assigning inner-city public school students to an intervention program or a comparison program. PARTICIPANTS: Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in Jacksonville, Fla (N=104). INTERVENTIONS: Students assigned to the intervention program were given a self-instructional module and corresponding audiotape, a health consultation with a physician or nurse, and a follow-up consultation with a trained peer health model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Alcohol consumption during the month after the intervention and students' assessments of the interventions were measured. RESULTS: Students' t tests showed participants were more satisfied with physician or nurse consultations than with peer consultations or the self-instructional module and audiotapes (P=.05). Analysis of covariance tests showed significant main effects for 30-day quantity of alcohol use (F=5.15, P=.02), with intervention students reporting less alcohol consumption at follow-up than comparison students, and for 30-day frequency of alcohol use (F=5.92,P=.01) with intervention students again showing less frequent use at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A multicomponent, school-based intervention using print and audiotape media, brief physician or nurse consultations, and follow-up peer contacts holds promise in altering short-term alcohol use and selected behavioral factors among inner-city youth.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Brief nurse consultations for preventing alcohol use among urban school youth.

This study examined the effects of brief nurse consultations in preventing alcohol use among inner-city youth. Participants included 138 sixth-eighth grade students attending an inner-city public school in Jacksonville, Florida. Subjects were randomly assigned by computer to either the intervention (STARS program) or a control group. Baseline and three-month post-tests were conducted at the target school site. A significant difference was found on heavy alcohol use with intervention subjects showing a reduction and control subjects an increase in heavy drinking (t = -2.33, 120df, p = .02). No differences were found between groups on other alcohol use measures. This study's findings indicate that a series of brief nurse consultations appear to reduce heavy alcohol consumption among urban school youth.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Drug use prevention efforts at colleges and universities in the United States.

This study examined the extent to which program comprehensiveness, programmatic outcomes, program integration, and environmental factors are being addressed by 336 urban and rural United States college and university drug use prevention programs. College-based prevention programs employed a range of programmatic goals, prevention communication channels, and prevention strategies within a centralized department for drug use prevention. Most program coordinators reported no perceived change in alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, alcohol/drug-related problems, faculty/staff drug use, and alcohol and drug-related crime resulting from prevention efforts on campus. The level of prevention activity differed across institutional type.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Factors associated with the stages of alcohol use among inner city school youth.

This study explored stages of alcohol acquisition and risk-factors associated with stages based on the Multi-Component Motivational Stages model. Two hundred fifty-four sixth-eighth grade students from an urban school completed a confidential questionnaire. Most students were in a precontemplation stage (86%), preparation stage (6%), or action stage (5%) for alcohol use. Significant differences were found across stage status on 11 of 22 risk factors. Discriminant analysis results indicated alcohol use, perceived prevalence of alcohol consumption, and intentions to drink in the future successfully discriminated youth in action and preparation from those in precontemplation and contemplation stages. Meanwhile, tobacco use discriminated students in preparation and action stages. Multiple regression analysis showed alcohol use was the most powerful predictor of acquisition stage status, followed by intentions, influenceability, and perceived severity of alcohol use. Implications for school-aged youth alcohol use prevention are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Stage theory and research on tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use.

The purpose of this article was to examine the conceptual and empirical foundations of individual drug use stage development and progression related to tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. This review indicated that while greater acceptance of the idea that drug use is a complex process, the majority of stage conceptualizations suffer from significant limitations. Although limited, research conducted to date is supportive of the existence of intra-drug use stages of acquisition for cigarettes and other drugs. Research examining inter-drug use progression among youth supports the idea of a generally invariant sequence at a macro-sequential level, involving nonuse to legal drug use, marijuana use, and finally other illegal drug use.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

A multi-component stage model for matching drug prevention strategies and messages to youth stage of use.

The purpose of this paper was to describe the development of a comprehensive, stage-based model for the prevention of drug use titled the multi-component motivational stages (McMOS) model. The McMOS model is proposed as a multi-element, integrative theoretical framework for the development of prevention strategies and content which are matched to the developmental stages of drug use among youth, based on previous work by Prochaska and DiClemente. The major components of the McMOS drug prevention model include: (1) a stage-based framework which permits the matching of prevention strategies and messages to youths' stage of development in the change process; (2) the delineation of a continuum of stages ranging from the acquisition of drug use through the successful modification of drug use; (3) a two-level prevention schema for targeting a broader range of youth for intervention, including those regularly using drugs as well as those not yet regularly using drugs; (4) a drug specific emphasis for proposing prevention strategies targeting the most prevalently used drugs, based on epidemiologic research; (5) the delineation of major theoretical constructs influencing the movement of youth through the stages, based on three prominent behavioral theories; and (6) a framework for selecting a range of prevention delivery modes for youth at all stages and levels of behavioral change.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Stages of drug use acquisition among college students: implications for the prevention of drug abuse.

The purpose of this study was to examine the stages of drug use acquisition among college students, and the relationship between stage status and motivation to avoid drugs and the frequency of drug use. Six hundred and sixty-nine students from a mid-size public university were selected to participate in the survey. College students were found to differ with regard to their stage of habit acquisition across five drugs. Stage status for a particular drug was associated with motivation to avoid that drug, with less motivation generally being related to greater stage advancement. Stage of acquisition for certain drugs was also found to be related to the frequency of use of other drugs, with alcohol and marijuana stage status being associated with the consumption of the greatest number of drugs. These results suggest that an acquisition stage heuristic holds promise in increasing our understanding of important developmental stages of drug use.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

How much is enough? Willingness to participate in alcohol interventions.

This study examined the willingness of drinkers to participate in alcohol interventions designed to cut down or stop alcohol use by degree of service-provider contact. One hundred fifty-six university students and staff who attended a campus health fair participated in an alcohol survey. Of the college drinkers, 73.7% reported they were willing to participate in one or more alcohol interventions with minimal provider contact, compared with 48.5% who said they would participate in programs with high provider contact. Respondents preferred minimal-contact strategies (use of nonalcoholic or low-alcohol beverages, information pamphlets, cash awards, television programs, and mailed instructions) to high-contact approaches. Men were significantly more willing (ps less than .05) than women to participate in nearly half (11 to 21) of the alcohol interventions. Three measures indicative of motivation to control drinking were significantly associated with greater willingness to participate in nearly all strategies. This study also suggested that drinkers who were highly motivated to control their drinking did not prefer minimal-contact interventions over high-contact interventions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Effects of a take-home drug prevention program on drug-related communication and beliefs of parents and children.

Five hundred and eleven fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students and their parents from six schools in northwest Arkansas participated in this study. Students were blocked on school and grade level, then assigned randomly by class to either the intervention Keep A Clear Mind (KACM) program or a waiting list control. KACM students received four weekly correspondence lessons designed to be completed at home with a parent. KACM students reported significantly less perceived peer use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, as well as significantly less peer pressure susceptibility to experiment with cigarettes. Mothers in the KACM program reported significantly more recent and frequent communication with their children about refusing drugs, and significantly greater discussions with their children regarding how to resist peer pressure to use alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Intervention program fathers reported significantly more communication with their children concerning how to resist peer pressure to drink alcohol and use tobacco, and significantly greater motivation to help their children avoid drug use. No significant differences were found between groups on student intentions to use drugs. These data suggest a print medium that emphasizes parent-child activities holds promise for accessing families and enhancing drug prevention communication.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Behavioral self-control strategies for deliberately limiting drinking among college students.

This study examined the use of behavioral self-control strategies, across specific procedures and sex, and the relationship between self-control and alcohol consumption and problem variables. A total of 456 randomly selected college students participated in a survey of campus substance use. Behavioral strategies most commonly used to deliberately limit drinking among college students were those related to limiting driving/riding when drinking, controlling time and food stimuli, and awareness of internal and external cues to control drinking. Strategies related to self-reinforcement and punishment, certain alternatives to alcohol use, and specific rate control techniques were least used by drinkers. Females were more likely than males to use all but one of the behavioral strategies. The degree of self-control practiced was associated with alcohol consumption, driving/riding after drinking, improvement in limiting drinking, health beliefs related to alcohol problems, and perceived effectiveness of behavioral strategies to limit drinking. Specific self-control strategies were found to significantly predict alcohol-related variables, with confining drinking to certain times of the week and refusing unwanted drinks the most consistent predictors.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Two procedures to reduce response bias in reports of alcohol consumption.

Standard instructions concerning the extent of confidentiality and a retrospective diary procedure were examined for their effects on reports of alcohol consumption. A total of 156 individuals attending a health fair at a southern university participated in an alcohol survey. Subjects were randomly distributed an alcohol survey that presented a 7-day and a 28-day quantity-frequency (Q-F) measure and a retrospective diary measure. Subjects were also randomly distributed an informed consent sheet that stated that their responses would remain completely anonymous and confidential or one that stated that their responses would be kept completely confidential and asked them to identify significant others to verify their responses. A significantly greater proportion (p = .0003) of subjects receiving instructions of confidentiality with verification did not sign the consent form or did not identify at least one significant other. No differences were found across types of instructions on measures of alcohol consumption and willingness to report alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use. The retrospective diary resulted in significantly greater reports of the number of drinking days per week (p = .0004) and number of drinks per week (p = .02) than did 7-day and 28-day Q-F measures. The diary measure also classified a greater percentage of drinkers as heavy drinkers, whereas the 28-day Q-F measure classified a greater percentage of subjects as drinkers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Are drinkers interested in inexpensive approaches to reduce their alcohol use?

This study examined whether adult drinkers would be willing to receive self-help and other minimal contact aids designed to help them drink more moderately. A total of 316 adults eighteen years of age and older residing in two adjacent communities in northwest Arkansas participated in a mail survey. Drinkers most frequently requested newspaper articles on how to drink more moderately (20.7%), followed by television and radio programs (15.5%). Over one-fourth (26.2%) of adult alcohol users reported an interest in receiving one or more of the aids to limit drinking. Heavier drinkers were more likely than lighter drinkers to be interested in television and radio programs, contests and cash awards, and newspaper articles aimed at helping them to drink more moderately (p's less than or equal to .01). Drinkers who were interested in receiving one or more self-help alcohol aids reported higher levels of alcohol consumption, and greater motivation to limit their alcohol use (p's less than or equal to .01). These data suggest that a considerable number of alcohol users would like to receive inexpensive aids to help them to drink more moderately.

Alcohol Drinking↗