Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Quality Improvement For Patients With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Starts With An Evaluation Tool, Jessica Bass

Doctoral Projects

Patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) have adverse outcomes to the traditional methods of assessing for and treating withdrawal within the intensive care unit (ICU), which includes a standardized treatment plan. Some negative outcomes include acquiring costly and dangerous hospital-acquired infections, safety concerns, and traumatic experiences that deter further treatment. More individualized assessments and treatments are needed to prevent or decrease the severity of AWS from occurring in critical care settings, which will facilitate more positive outcomes and experiences for the staff and patients. The Minnesota detoxification scale has been shown to be a more appropriate tool for the critical …

Ethnic/Racial Differences In Alcohol Use: Does Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Matter?, P. Priscilla Lui, Savannah M. Krantz, Michael B. Madson

Faculty Publications

Introduction: College students—including those of Hispanic backgrounds—are at risk for hazardous drinking. Research has shown robust group differences between Hispanic and White individuals in alcohol use outcomes. The ability to resist alcohol consumption can be leveraged to reduce hazardous drinking; however, little research has examined Hispanic-White differences and whether drinking refusal self-efficacy accounts for group differences in hazardous drinking. Considering Hispanic individuals make up the largest ethnic/racial minority group in the United States, it is important to identify malleable psychological factors that prevent and reduce drinking problems. Method: Hispanic and White college students at two predominantly White institutions …

Post-Traumatic Stress And Marijuana Outcomes: The Mediating Role Of Marijuana Protective Behavioral Strategies, Hallie R. Jordan, Michael B. Madson, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson

Faculty Publications

Background: The present study investigated the mediating role of protective behavioral strategies for marijuana (PBSM) on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and marijuana outcomes (i.e. marijuana use frequency, marijuana use quantity, cannabis use disorder (CUD) symptoms, and marijuana-related problems).

Methods: Participants were 1,107 traditional age college students (M_age = 20.26, SD = 3.32; 66.5% White, non-Hispanic; 68.8% female), who reported consuming marijuana at least once in the last 30 days and completed measures of PTSD symptoms, PBSM, and marijuana-related outcomes.

Results: PBSM significantly mediated the positive relationships between PTSD symptoms and both CUD symptoms and marijuana-related …

The Relationship Between Social Anxiety And Alcohol And Marijuana Use Outcomes Among Concurrent Users: A Motivational Model Of Substance Use, Margo C. Villarosa-Hurlocker, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, Protective Strategies Study Team

Faculty Publications

Background: College students with more social anxiety symptoms are particularly vulnerable to problematic alcohol and marijuana use given their susceptibility for elevated anxiety symptoms in social settings combined with the normative nature of substance use. Existing research has established substance use as coping motivated for these students when examining alcohol and marijuana use problems separately. The next step is to determine whether students with more social anxiety who use both substances do so for similar or different reasons. The current study tested a comprehensive (i.e., all variables in the same model) motivational model of alcohol/marijuana use in a sample …

The Prospective Influence Of Religiousness On Alcohol Use: What Role Do Perceived Norms Play?, Corey Todd Brawner

Dissertations

Alcohol misuse is recognized as one of the most pressing health hazards for college students. Previous research has supported a protective relationship between religiousness and problematic alcohol use, but it is less clear what aspects of religiousness are protective and through what mechanisms its effect is exerted. The current study utilized a prospective design to accomplish three primary goals: (1) Delineate the protective effects of religious motivation and public participation on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in a sample of undergraduates at a large public university in the southeastern United States, (2) determine whether effects were maintained long-term, and (3) …

Evaluation Of Delivery Methods Of Chemical Dependency And Wellness Education, Marissa Coggin

Doctoral Projects

Anesthesia practice is learned in a stressful environment, and these stressors may lead to the students’ development of maladaptive coping mechanisms. Despite significant improvements in our understanding of addiction and our approaches to combat this problem, the risk of substance misuse remains high in nurse anesthesia students. Education and intervention are imperative when taking preventative measures. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine whether delivery method of chemical dependency/wellness educational program effects the level of understanding of anesthesia providers and substance misuse and the development of healthy coping mechanisms.

In determining whether the delivery …

Relationship Between Parental Alcoholism And Family Unpredictability, Kamie L. Stephens

Honors Theses

This research is a retrospective study on adult children of alcoholics using a previous researcher’s, Dr. Ross, unpredictability scale. Family Unpredictability is defined as “a lack of consistency in family behaviors and regulatory systems,” (Ross and Hill, 2000). There is currently a lack of research related to parental alcoholism and its effect on family structure. The researcher hopes to gain insight on the relationship between parental alcoholism and family unpredictability. Previous research suggests children growing up with a caregiver who is an alcoholic experience a higher level of unpredictability in the home. Examples of this unpredictability are: a decreased amount …

Would Not-For-Cause Randomized Drug Testing Reduce The Incidence Of Drug Misuse Among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists?, Katy G. Gavin

Doctoral Projects

Healthcare providers have easy access to drugs of various types and strengths, often times highly addictive drugs, all the while working long hours in high stress environments. Studies show that anesthesia providers, among other healthcare providers, are at highest risk for drug misuse. There are numerous ways substance abuse and addiction among anesthesia providers could be decreased significantly or prevented completely including, but not limited to, education, routine mental health evaluations, stress coping through exercise, debriefing sessions, and mentoring. This project focused on prevention through randomized not-for-cause drug testing. After an exhaustive review of the literature was performed, implications for …

Brief Intervention For Truant Youth Sexual Risk Behavior And Marijuana Use, Richard Dembo, Rhissa Briones-Robinson, Kimberly Barrett, Rocio Ungaro, Ken C. Winters, Steven Belenko, Lora M. Karas, Laura Gulledge, Jennifer Wareham

Faculty Publications

Substance use and sexual risk behaviors are common among adolescents, but research has focused attention on alcohol use. Much less is known about the relationship of marijuana use and sexual risk behavior among high-risk, especially truant, youths. We report interim findings from a NIDA-funded experimental, brief intervention (BI) study involving truant youths and their parents/guardians. Longitudinal data were analyzed to study (1) the relationships between the youths' marijuana use and sexual risk behavior and (2) the effects of a substance use BI on their marijuana use and sexual risk behavior. A growth model analysis for parallel processes was conducted to …

Brief Intervention For Truant Youth Sexual Risk Behavior And Alcohol Use: A Parallel Process Growth Model Analysis, Richard Dembo, Rhissa Briones-Robinson, Rocio Ungaro, Kimberly Barrett, Laura Gulledge, Ken C. Winters, Steven Belenko, Lora M. Karas, Jennifer Wareham

Faculty Publications

Truant youths frequently experience family problems, emotional/psychological issues, substance misuse, and delinquency. They are likely engaging in alcohol use and sexual risk behavior at a higher rate than the general youth population. Early intervention services would benefit them, their families, and society. We present interim findings from an ongoing, National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded, experimental, brief intervention (BI) study involving truant youths and their parent/guardians. Baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up data were analyzed to determine whether alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors were longitudinally related, to examine the effects of the BI on alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, …