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Biomedical subjects

H Wechsler

Publications and source records attributed to H Wechsler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

College binge drinking in the 1990s: a continuing problem. Results of the Harvard School of Public Health 1999 College Alcohol Study.

In 1999, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study resurveyed colleges that participated in the 1993 and 1997 surveys. Responses to mail questionnaires from more than 14,000 students at 119 nationally representative 4-year colleges in 39 states were compared with responses received in 1997 and 1993. Two of 5 students (44%) were binge drinkers in 1999, the same rate as in 1993. However, both abstention and frequent binge-drinking rates increased significantly. In 1999, 19% were abstainers, and 23% were frequent binge drinkers. As before, binge drinkers, and particularly frequent binge drinkers, were more likely than other students to experience alcohol-related problems. At colleges with high binge-drinking rates, students who did not binge drink continued to be at higher risk of encountering the second-hand effects of others' heavy drinking. The continuing high level of binge drinking is discussed in the context of the heightened attention and increased actions at colleges. Although it may take more time for interventions to take effect, the actions college health providers have undertaken thus far may not be a sufficient response.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

What colleges are doing about student binge drinking. A survey of college administrators.

In 1999, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveyed 734 US college administrators to learn what colleges were doing to prevent binge drinking. Respondents rated the severity of student alcohol-abuse problems and described prevention efforts and institutional investments in prevention infrastructure. Prevention practices were widespread in the areas of general education about alcohol, use of policy controls to limit access to alcohol, restricting advertising at home-game sporting events, and allocation of living space to alcohol-free dormitories. Programming was less prevalent for more targeted alcohol education, outreach, and restrictions on alcohol advertising in campus media. Nationally, most of the surveyed colleges reported having a campus alcohol specialist, many had task forces, and about half were performing in-house data collection. Less common were program evaluations, community agreements, or neighborhood exchanges. Prevention practices varied with institutional characteristics and the surveyed administrators' perceptions of the severity of alcohol problems.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2000

Alcohol use, abuse, and related problems among children of problem drinkers: findings from a national survey of college alcohol use.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of parental problem drinking reported by a national sample of college students and to examine the relations between such reports and respondents' patterns of drinking, alcohol abuse, abstinence, and utilization of treatment/counseling. Responses to mailed questionnaires completed by a random sample of 17,592 students at a representative national sample of 140 four-year colleges were analyzed using logistic regression. About 10% of college students reported problem-drinking parents. These children of problem drinkers (COPDs) exhibited a bimodal pattern of drinking behavior, showing higher than normal odds of past year abstinence or heavy episodic drinking. Males were more likely than females to report heavy episodic drinking, and children of affected mothers were at greatest risk. Approximately 23% of COPDs met proxy DSM-IV alcohol abuse criteria COPDs in college are a heterogeneous group showing both vulnerability and resistance. Those reporting treatment are more likely to be abstainers.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

College alcohol use: a full or empty glass?

Data from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (1993) were used to describe weekly alcohol consumption and its associated problems among a representative national sample of college students. The median number of drinks consumed/week by all students, regardless of drinking status, was 1.5. When students were divided by drinking pattern, the median number of drinks/week was 0.7 for those who did not binge drink and 3.7 for those who did so infrequently. For frequent binge drinkers, the median was considerably higher: 14.5 drinks/week. Nationally, 1 in 5 five college students is a frequent binge drinker. Binge drinkers consumed 68% of all the alcohol that students reported drinking, and they accounted for the majority of alcohol-related problems. The data indicate that behavioral norms for alcohol consumption vary widely among students and across colleges. Therefore, it may not be possible to design an effective "one size fits all" approach to address college alcohol use.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Guns at college.

A random sample of more than 15,000 undergraduate students from 130 4-year colleges answered a mailed questionnaire concerning firearm possession. Approximately 3.5% of the sampled students reported they had a working firearm at college. Students with guns were more likely to be male, White, or Native American; to binge drink and need to start the day with alcohol; to be members of a fraternity or sorority; to live off campus; and to live with a spouse or significant other. Having a gun was positively associated with driving after binge drinking, being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and damaging property as a result of alcohol ingestion. Students with guns were also more likely to be injured severely enough to require medical attention, especially for injuries occurring in fights or car crashes. Overall, students with guns at college were more likely than others to engage in activities that put themselves and others at risk for injury.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1998

Increased levels of cigarette use among college students: a cause for national concern.

CONTEXT: Adolescent smoking prevalence is tracked annually and has increased since 1991. In contrast, little is known about trends in smoking among college students, a group that has previously been more resistant to tobacco use than other young adults. OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in cigarette smoking among college students between 1993 and 1997 and among different types of students and colleges. DESIGN: Self-administered survey (Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study). SETTING: One hundred sixteen nationally representative 4-year colleges. SUBJECTS: A total of 15103 randomly selected students in 1993 (70% response rate) and 14251 students in 1997 (60% response rate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reports of cigarette smoking in the past 30 days and in the past year, age at smoking first cigarette, and number of attempts to quit. RESULTS: Over 4 years, the prevalence of current (30-day) cigarette smoking rose by 27.8%, from 22.3% to 28.5% (P<.001). The increase was observed in 99 of 116 colleges and was statistically significant (P<.05) in 27 (23%) of them. Current smoking increased across all student subgroups (defined by sex, race/ethnicity, and year in school) and in all types of colleges. Smoking is rising faster in public schools (from 22.0% to 29.3%) than in private schools (from 22.9% to 26.8%). Eleven percent of college smokers had their first cigarette and 28% began to smoke regularly at or after age 19 years, by which time most were already in college. Half of current smokers tried to quit in the previous year; 18% had made 5 or more attempts to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette use is increasing on campuses nationwide in all subgroups and types of colleges. Substantial numbers of college students are both starting to smoke regularly and trying to stop. National efforts to reduce smoking should be extended to college students.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Changes in binge drinking and related problems among American college students between 1993 and 1997. Results of the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study.

In 1997, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study resurveyed colleges that participated in a 1993 study. The findings revealed little change in binge drinking: a slight decrease in percentage of binge drinkers and slight increases in percentages of abstainers and frequent binge drinkers. Two of 5 students were binge drinkers (42.7%); 1 in 5 (19.0%) was an abstainer, and 1 in 5 was a frequent binge drinker (20.7%). As was true in 1993, 4 of 5 residents of fraternities or sororities were binge drinkers (81.1%). Asian students showed a greater increase and White students a greater decrease in binge drinking from 1993 to 1997, compared with all other students. Among students who drank alcohol, increases in frequency of drinking; drunkenness; drinking to get drunk; and alcohol-related problems, including drinking and driving, were reported. Binge drinkers in both 1993 and 1997 were at increased risk of alcohol-related problems, and nonbingers at colleges with high binge drinking rates had increased risks of encountering secondhand effects of binge drinking.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Predictors of smoking among US college students.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored predictors of smoking among a large, representative national sample of students enrolled in American 4-year colleges. METHODS: A sample of undergraduate students, randomly selected from 140 colleges, was sent a detailed questionnaire that included questions about smoking status. RESULTS: The 30-day smoking prevalence was 22.3%; 25% of the participants were former smokers. Multivariate analyses suggested that, among college students, men are less likely to smoke than women. In addition, high-risk behaviors (e.g., marijuana use) and lifestyle choices (e.g., nonparticipation in athletics) increased the likelihood of being a smoker. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings have important implications for health education and promotion among college populations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Promoting the selection of low-fat milk in elementary school cafeterias in an inner-city Latino community: evaluation of an intervention.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effects of a school-based intervention designed to promote the consumption of low-fat white milk at lunchtime in 6 elementary schools in an inner-city, primarily Latino neighborhood. METHODS: A multifaceted intervention based on social marketing techniques was delivered at 3 randomly selected schools. The school was the unit of assignment and analysis; 6902 children were involved in the study. Milk selection and consumption were measured by sampling discarded milk and/or tallying milk carton disappearance at baseline, immediately postintervention, and at 3 to 4 months follow-up. RESULTS: Immediately postintervention, the mean proportion of sampled milk cartons that contained low-fat milk increased in the intervention schools, from 25% to 57%, but remained constant at 28% in the control schools. Differences between intervention and control schools remained significant at 3 to 4 months follow-up. The intervention was not associated with a decrease in overall milk consumption. CONCLUSIONS: A school-based intervention can lead to significant increases in student consumption of low-fat milk.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Binge drinking, tobacco, and illicit drug use and involvement in college athletics. A survey of students at 140 American colleges.

Binge drinking (heavy, episodic alcohol consumption), tobacco, and illicit drug use among a random sample of 140 American colleges were examined by means of a mail survey. Students were divided into three groups on the basis of their involvement in athletics: whether they were involved, partly involved, or not involved. In addition, individual correlates of binge drinking among athletically involved students were studied. The survey results indicated that students involved in college athletics engaged in binge drinking and tobacco more often than students not involved in athletics, but were less likely to be cigarette smokers or marijuana users. The strongest predictors of binge drinking among students involved in athletics were residence in a fraternity or a sorority, a party lifestyle, engagement in other risky behaviors, and previous binging in high school. Coaches may play an important role in discouraging substance use and need to be a part of campus prevention efforts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Binge drinking among college students: a comparison of California with other states.

California college students (1,864 students from 15 colleges) were compared with students who participated in the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, which surveyed 17,592 students in 140 colleges nationwide. California college students, in comparison with the remainder of the nation, were less frequent drinkers; less frequent binge drinkers; exhibited fewer personal problems and risks associated with heavy episodic drinking, including drinking and driving; and reported fewer "secondhand" effects of binge drinking, such as being physically assaulted or experiencing an unwanted sexual advance. Many of these differences appear to be related to the California college students' being older, more likely to be married, and less likely to live on campus than those in the Harvard study. The findings suggest that, in developing programs tailored to local needs, there is significant value in augmenting national surveillance of college student health risk behaviors with the development of regional, state, and local surveillance systems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Psychopharmacoepidemiology of mental retardation: 1966 to 1995.

We present a brief historical overview of the prevalence studies of psychotropic drugs in individuals with mental retardation that were published between 1966 and 1985, and a more comprehensive review of the prevalence studies from 1986 to 1995. During the 1966 to 1985 period, typical prevalence rates of drug treatments in institutions (children and adults analyzed together) were found to range from 30% to 40% for psychotropic drugs, 25% to 45% for anticonvulsants, and 50% to 70% for psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant drugs (i.e., psychotropics, anticonvulsants, or their combinations). In the community during the same period, prevalence rates in children were typically 2% to 7% for psychotropics, 12% to 31% for anticonvulsants, and 18% to 33% for psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant drugs. For adults in the community, prevalence rates ranged from 26% to 36% for psychotropics, 18% to 24% for anticonvulsants, and 36% to 48% for psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant drugs. In contrast, during the 1986 to 1995 period, typical prevalence rates in institutions ranged from 12% to 40% for psychotropics, 24% to 41% for anticonvulsants, and 44% to 60% for psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant drugs. In the same period, the prevalence rates in the community (for adults and children analyzed together) ranged from 19% to 29% for psychotropics, 18% to 23% for anticonvulsants, and 35% to 45% for psychotropic and/or anticonvulsant drugs. An analysis of the patterns of medication use showed that patient demographic, physical, social, behavioral, and psychiatric variables, as well as a number of staff variables, were correlated with use of pharmacotherapy in the entire population of individuals with mental retardation. A substantial number of individuals with mental retardation appeared to be prescribed psychotropic medications that may have been inappropriate for their diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Correlates of college student marijuana use: results of a US National Survey.

This study examines which personal student background and college characteristics are associated with marijuana use. A self-administered survey was mailed to a national representative sample of 17592 students at 140 American colleges. One of four (24.8%) students reported using marijuana within the past year. Rates of use among the colleges ranged from zero per cent at the lowest use schools to 54% at the highest use schools. Multiple regression models, constructed to determine the college and student characteristics predicting marijuana use, suggest that use was higher among students at non-commuter colleges and at colleges with pubs on campus. Student characteristics associated with marijuana use included being single, white, spending more time at parties and socializing with friends, and less time studying. Marijuana use was higher among students who participate in other high risk behaviors such as binge drinking, cigarette smoking and having multiple sexual partners, and among students who perceived parties as important, and religion and community service as not important. The study points to the social nature of drug use in college, and demonstrates that this behavior is of continuing concern for public health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The Washington Heights-Inwood Healthy Heart Program: a 6-year report from a disadvantaged urban setting.

OBJECTIVES: This report summarizes 6 years of experience in a large community-based cardiovascular disease prevention program in a predominately minority, urban setting. METHODS: The program seeks to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in an area of approximately 240,000 people in New York, NY; this population includes many Latino immigrants of low educational attainment and socioeconomic status. All program materials were in Spanish and English and at a low literacy level. RESULTS: Major elements that achieved high levels of reach and support were a marketing campaign promoting low-fat milk, exercise clubs, and a Spanish-language smoking cessation video. Program elements that did not meet expectations or were abandoned were school-based smoking prevention initiatives, cholesterol screening, and efforts to involve local physicians. At the end of 6 years, the program was transferred to a local community organization. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions are that it is feasible to implement a complex cardiovascular disease prevention program in a socially disadvantaged urban community; that additional evaluation research is needed; that such programs can be transferred from an academic center to a community organization; and that such programs are unlikely to be sustained effectively without external resources.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗