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Biomedical subjects

E W Edmundson

Publications and source records attributed to E W Edmundson.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Structure of health risk behavior among high school students.

The authors test the contention of R. Jessor's (1977) problem behavior theory that adolescent health risk behaviors comprise a single behavioral syndrome. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis are used to analyze data from a statewide survey of high school students' (n = 5,537) health risk behaviors. A classical MDS analysis was calculated to test the dimensionality of the behaviors. All indicators supported a multidimensional model. An individual-differences MDS (INDSCAL) analysis revealed that a 4-dimensional solution best fit the data, with gender and racial-ethnic differences emerging in the relative salience of the dimensions. The INDSCAL dimensional coordinates for each health risk behavior were then submitted to a hierarchical cluster analysis technique. Five behavioral clusters were identified, 1 of which included many of the traditional "problem behaviors," such as smoking, unprotected sexual intercourse, and alcohol consumption. These findings support a multidimensional structure underlying adolescent health risk behavior. Implications for theory and prevention of health risk behaviors are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Implications for the alcohol/drug education specialist working with children of alcoholics: a review of the literature from 1988 to 1992.

This article reviews the scientific literature on children of alcoholics (COAs) from 1988 to 1992. First the publications were divided into two classifications: practitioner-oriented and research-oriented literature. Each practitioner-oriented article was evaluated on the following criteria: program description, theoretical model, recommendations substantiated by research, behavioral indicators of COAs, suggestions for intervening, and resource lists. For each of the research-oriented articles, the variables measured, sample source, sample size, and number of COAs in the sample are listed. Additionally, those articles are evaluated for research design, instruments, and analytical techniques. Reviews of early research in this area identified severe methodological limitations across the majority of articles. However, results of this more recent review indicate that research on COAs no longer suffers from previously common methodological weaknesses and sampling biases. The research-based literature also indicated that a larger number of COAs are resilient, which calls into question common assumptions about the inevitable negative effects of familial alcoholism. Alcohol/drug education specialists need to be cognizant of the more recent results on non-clinical samples of COAs in designing and implementing sensitive programs.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1994

CATCH: classroom process evaluation in a multicenter trial.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the process evaluation model for the classroom curricula of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) Project. The process evaluation plan specifically targets how much each curriculum was implemented, to what degree it was implemented as designed, and the barriers to implementation. Additionally, the rationale for each of the process evaluation measures and the instrument development process are presented. Data resulting from these measures will be essential in order to answer questions regarding the internal validity of the main outcomes of the project. Specific examples and sample results are provided from the CATCH third-grade classroom curriculum, which was implemented the first year of CATCH. A discussion also is presented of how the findings from a sample of these measures were used to gain additional insight on the salient features of the curriculum, and how those features may be related to student outcomes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

CATCH: challenges of conducting process evaluation in a multicenter trial.

This paper discusses the challenges faced when collecting process evaluation information in a school-based, multicenter field trial. Experiences from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) are shared as a means of illustrating the challenges that are presented and ways of meeting the challenges. The scope and magnitude of the trial (96 schools across four sites) and the diverse population participating in the trial (including children and adults representing a cultural and socioeconomic mix) present challenges that are compounded by conducting research in a highly structured school setting. In such a trial, thoughtful consideration must be paid to what data should be collected, how data should be collected, how to collect data on tailored interventions, gaining and maintaining schools' cooperation, collecting data in year-round schools, and assuring data quality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Personal and social motivations as predictors of substance use among college students.

The Drug Use Survey was administered via a direct mail to a simple random sample of 2200 students enrolled at a large southwestern U.S. university. A purpose of the study was to determine the predictability of self-reported drug use utilizing motivations (personal and social) commonly reported by substance users. Two subscales were developed, one for each category of motivations. Reliability for each subscale as estimated by coefficient alpha was .80 and .86, respectively. A series of step-wise multiple regression analyses were computed in which individual drug use indices served as criterion variables, while the predictor variables were the personal motivations subscale (PMS) and the social motivation subscale (SMS) for each model. The results indicated that the PMS was the stronger predictor in every model with the exception of the model that predicted the alcohol use index. The SMS was the best predictor for alcohol use.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Drug use and life satisfaction among college students.

Individuals use a variety of drugs for a host of reasons and college students are no exception. Reasons provided for specific types of "recreational" drug use have included, but have not been limited to, medicinal, social, mood enhancement, and experimentation. In an attempt to discern the relationship between drug use and life satisfaction among college students, a slightly modified version of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Monitoring the Future Survey was administered to 683 students attending a major research university located in the southwestern United States. Based on the obtained study results a life satisfaction composite variable was created via factor analysis. Additionally, a polynomial multiple regression analysis was conducted to discern the association between the derived life satisfaction composite variable and drug use indices.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Personality profiles associated with smokeless tobacco use patterns.

The purpose of this study was to examine the personality characteristics of male dippers and chewers of smokeless tobacco. The study objective was to determine any differences in personality characteristics between dippers and chewers of smokeless tobacco and nonusers. A survey at a southeastern university provided a sample of 289 males, of which 55 (19%) were smokeless tobacco users. Each subject was administered a demographic data sheet and Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF). Smokeless tobacco users were categorized as snuff dippers or tobacco chewers, and comparisons of personality characteristics were made between persons who exclusively dipped, persons who exclusively chewed, persons who dipped and chewed, and persons who did neither. The results of the study indicated that smokeless tobacco use is primarily a White male habit; very few Blacks or other racial groups consumed smokeless tobacco among this population. Significant (p less than 0.05) personality differences between snuff dippers and tobacco chewers were noted. Snuff dippers were more socially outgoing, enthusiastic, imaginative and group dependent than chewers. Chewers were found to be more uncompromising, critical in outlook and practical and less easily influenced by others than dippers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Proposed definition of a smokeless tobacco user based on "potential" nicotine consumption.

This study examined and operationally defined "light," "moderate," and "heavy" users of smokeless tobacco according to the potential amounts of nicotine consumed per week from chewing tobacco and/or snuff products. Fifty adult male smokeless tobacco users ranging in ages from 18-85 were tested to determine nicotine content of smokeless tobacco products consumed. The smokeless tobacco products were blindly analyzed by gas chromatography to determine nicotine content. Mean nicotine yield per week was calculated by multiplying the number of cans and/or pouches used per week and placed on a normal probability distribution. The mean nicotine yielded 238 mg/wk and the categories emerged as "light" less than or equal to 87 mg/wk, "moderate" 88-388 mg/wk and "heavy" users greater than or equal to 389 mg/wk. Differences regarding type of user (light, moderate, heavy) were crossed tabbed with educational levels, years of smokeless tobacco use, age the habit was initiated, perception of harm and whether habit forming, and reason for using smokeless tobacco.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Bimodal initiation of smokeless tobacco usage: implications for cancer education.

One hundred fifty (150) randomly chosen adult male subjects (average age 37) drawn from a university general dental clinic were classified by self-report into three equal categories of fifty smokeless tobacco users, fifty cigarette smokers (non-smokeless tobacco users), and fifty non-tobacco users. According to questionnaire results, a bimodal curve was exhibited among smokeless tobacco users with the two peaks of initiation at ages 12 and 18 compared to a unimodal age of initiation for cigarette smokers at age 16. Two different cohorts of smokeless tobacco users based on age of initiation were observed with differences reported in level of education, urban versus rural origin, average length of time in using smokeless tobacco, and the type of smokeless tobacco product used. Young initiators appeared to be primarily from rural communities having a strong parental or familial influence when initiating smokeless tobacco usage, whereas older initiators appeared to be primarily from more urbanized regions with peer influences as the most significant for initiating smokeless tobacco usage. Other characteristics associated with one or the other cohort were also reported, pointing to different educational measures that may be necessary for prevention and intervention, based on the age of initiating smokeless tobacco usage, as well as place of residence.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Personality traits of smokeless tobacco users and nonusers: a comparison.

This study investigated the personality characteristics of male university students who were either users or nonusers of smokeless tobacco. The hypotheses attempted to determine any differences in personality characteristics between users and nonusers of smokeless tobacco, and examine differences in personality characteristics according to the amount of smokeless tobacco used. A university sample of 289 males revealed 19% (55) prevalence of smokeless tobacco users. Each subject was administered Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire. An analysis of variance revealed that smokeless tobacco users exhibited significant differences (p less than .01) in both personality characteristic A (more reserved, less outgoing socially) and personality characteristic I (self-reliant, less sentimental), and significant difference (p less than .05) in personality characteristic Q2 (more conforming, group dependent). No significant differences were noted in personality among persons who used varying amounts of smokeless tobacco.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tobacco use measurement, prediction, and intervention in elementary schools in four states: the CATCH Study.

BACKGROUND: The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) is a multistate field trial examining the effects of school environment, classroom curricula, and family intervention components in promoting the cardiovascular health of elementary school students. The purpose of this paper is to describe the CATCH tobacco use intervention and measurement, including the adoption of tobacco-free school policies. METHODS: In this study, changes in school tobacco use policies and smoking experimentation among students were assessed. Smoking experimentation was measured in all CATCH schools when the students were in their fifth-grade year. A total of 6,527 subjects in 96 schools in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas answered questions about behaviors and potential correlates of smoking as part of the CATCH health behavior questionnaire in Spring 1994. School tobacco use policy, an important complement to classroom- and home-based prevention efforts, was promoted as part of the CATCH intervention. The degree to which such policy was implemented was measured using surveys of school officials. RESULTS: At the end of fifth grade, only 4.8% of the subjects indicated that they had experimented with tobacco. School intervention condition was not a factor in the prediction of experimentation. Those whose best friend or sibling smoked, or who had ready access to cigarettes in the home, were more likely to have experimented with smoking. In the 3 years of the study, the percentages of tobacco-free schools went up from 49.7 to 76.8%. Though differences in the rate of policy adoption could not be directly attributed to the CATCH intervention, the implementation of the tobacco-free schools' policies did vary substantially from state to state. Minnesota and Texas, with stronger state laws supporting local policy, had nearly completely smoke-free schools. In spite of a statewide tobacco control initiative, California was slower to implement school policies. Louisiana, which allows local decision making regarding smoking policy, had the most difficulty establishing a policy for all districts. CONCLUSION: Future studies should examine the impact of parallel policy interventions that are ongoing at both school and state levels. Tobacco-free policies appear to be a crucial part of school-based interventions and must be tailored to political and regional factors affecting a given school district.

Adolescent↗