Search

Positive school climates and student drug testing have been separately proposed as strategies to reduce student substance use in high schools. However, the effects of drug testing programs may depend on the favorability of school climates. This study examined the association between school drug testing programs and student substance use in schools with different climates. The analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of 943 high school students (48% female) ranging from 14 to 19 years of age (62% identifying as white, 18% Hispanic, 13% African American, and 7% in other categories). Results showed that both male and female students in schools with positive climates reported lower levels of personal substance use. Drug testing was associated with lower levels of personal substance use in positive school climates, but only for female students. There was no relationship between drug testing and male students' substance use. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of considering school climates before implementing drug-testing programs in high schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Young people are susceptible to suicidal behavior as a result of learning about the suicidal behavior of others. This study was designed to determine whether Internet sites, such as online news and social networking websites, expose young people to suicide stories that might increase suicide ideation. Method: We reinterviewed 719 young people ages 14 to 24 who had participated in a prior nationally representative survey. Respondents reported knowledge of persons they knew who had committed or attempted suicide as well as personal experiences of hopelessness and suicidal ideation on both occasions. On the second occasion one year later, they also reported use of various Internet platforms and how often they had been exposed to suicide stories on those sites, as well as from personal sources. Changes in ideation as a function of exposure to different sources of suicide stories were analyzed holding constant prior hopelessness and ideation. Results: While traditional sources of information about suicide were most often cited (79% were from friends and family or newspapers), online sources were also quite common (59%). Social networking sites were frequently cited as sources, but these reports were not linked to increases in ideation. However, online discussion forums were both cited as sources and associated with increases in ideation. Conclusions: The Internet and especially social networking sites are important sources of suicide stories. However, discussion forums appear to be particularly associated with increases in suicidal ideation. Greater efforts should be undertaken to promote Internet sites directed to young people that enhance effective coping with hopelessness and suicidal ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims To track smokers' responses to the increasing price of cigarettes after a tax increase, and assess socio-demographic differences in responses. Design The Cancer Institute NSW's Tobacco Tracking Survey (CITTS) is a continuous tracking telephone survey. Weekly data were collected between May and September 2010. Settings New South Wales, Australia. Participants A total of 834 smokers and 163 recent quitters (quit in last 12 months). Measurements Responses to the price increase included smoking-related changes (tried to quit, cut down) and product-related changes (changed to lower priced brands, started using loose tobacco, bought in bulk). Recent quitters were asked how much the increasing price of cigarettes influenced them to quit. Findings Overall, 47.5% of smokers made smoking-related changes and 11.4% made product-related changes without making smoking-related changes. Multinomial logistic regressions showed that younger smokers (versus older) were more likely to make product-related changes and smoking-related changes in comparison to no changes. Low- or moderate-income smokers (versus high-income) were more likely to make smoking-related changes compared to no changes. Highly addicted smokers (versus low addicted) were more likely to make product-related changes and less likely to make smoking-related changes. The proportion of smokers making only product-related changes decreased with time, while smoking-related changes increased. Recent quitters who quit after the tax increase (versus before) were more likely to report that price influenced them. Conclusions The effect of increasing cigarette prices on smoking does not appear to be mitigated by using cheaper cigarette products or sources. These results support the use of higher cigarette prices to encourage smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Failure to use seatbelts in motor vehicles is a major source of youth injuries, and previous research has noted the widespread non-use of seatbelts in popular media. Objectives To explore whether increased exposure to entertainment screen media was associated with inflated normative perceptions regarding seatbelt non-use, and to determine any associations between normative perceptions and seatbelt non-use. Methods A nationally representative telephone survey of school-aged American adolescents (14–17 years, n=915) measuring: screen media exposure; normative perceptions with reference to friends' disapproval of non-use, and prevalence of non-use among friends, school peers and peers; and self-reported seatbelt non-use. Results Using structural equation modelling, analyses indicate that, after demographic and individual characteristics relevant to screen media exposure and seatbelt non-use had been controlled for, frequent exposure to entertainment media was associated with positive normative perceptions about seatbelt non-use for boys, but not for girls. Normative perceptions related to friends' and school peers' seatbelt use were associated with seatbelt non-use for both boys and girls. Conclusions Attempts to increase adolescent seatbelt use could include public communication campaigns to alter normative perceptions. Broadcasting these campaigns in conjunction with the media that under-represent seatbelt use may be a successful strategy for reducing the influence of such media on male adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]