Design and methods of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Background: This paper describes the methods and conceptual framework for Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study data collection. The National Institutes of Health, through the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is partnering with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products to conduct the PATH Study under a contract with Westat.

Methods: The PATH Study is a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of 45 971 adults and youth in the USA, aged 12 years and older.

Alcohol risk-reduction skills training in a national fraternity: a randomized intervention trial with longitudinal intent-to-treat analysis.

Objective: The potential effectiveness of two group-administered social-skills training interventions for reducing high-risk drinking behavior was evaluated through a prospective randomized intervention trial with 3,406 members of a national college fraternity.

Method: Ninety eight of 99 chapters of a national fraternity were randomly assigned, within three strata, to receive (1) a 3-hour baseline intervention, (2) the same baseline intervention plus two booster sessions, or (3) assessments only. The current article emphasizes a rigorous intent-to-treat analysis model that compares outcomes among members assigned to receive study interventions (vs assessment-only sites) regardless of whether they actually did receive them; it also includes individuals at intervention sites even if they did not participate.

High-risk drinking among college fraternity members: a national perspective.

This survey, with its 85% response rate, provides an extensive profile of drinking behaviors and predictors of drinking among 3,406 members of one national college fraternity, distributed across 98 chapters in 32 states. Multiple indexes of alcohol consumption measured frequency, quantity, estimated blood alcohol concentration levels (BACs), and related problems. Among all members, 97% were drinkers, 86% binge drinkers, and 64% frequent binge drinkers.

Examining the effects of a national alcohol-free fraternity housing policy.

This investigation examined the effectiveness of an alcohol-free fraternity housing policy on the risky alcohol use of members of a national fraternity (N=718). Comparisons of members in chapters with fraternity housing (FH) and those in chapters without housing (NFH) over time revealed no policy-related effects on measures of alcohol use. Among FH members, comparisons of those who lived in fraternity housing and those who lived in other housing also found no effects.

Barriers to the use of medications to treat alcoholism.

In 1994, naltrexone became the first medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an adjunct in alcoholism treatment in almost fifty years. Despite evidence of its efficacy, use of naltrexone is not widespread. Patient and physician focus groups were used to identify reasons naltrexone has not been prescribed more widely.

Physicians' opinions about medications to treat alcoholism.

Aims: Medications play a limited role in the treatment of alcoholism. This paper examines physicians' opinions about and use of two alcoholism medications currently approved in the US--disulfiram and naltrexone--and one alcoholism medication--acamprosate--that might be approved.

Design: A total of 1388 substance abuse specialist physicians who were members of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry or the American Society of Addiction Medicine completed a questionnaire in 2001 (65% response rate).