Limited treatment accessibility: Implications for alcohol treatment disparities among Mexican Americans living in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

Purpose: Receipt of alcohol-related care for alcohol use is particularly low among those residing in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

Changing multiple health risk behaviors in CHOICES.

Multiple health behavior change (MHBC) intervention trials to date have only considered behaviors that were targeted. Research has yet to consider how untargeted behaviors can affect change in behaviors directly targeted by an intervention or how changes in targeted behaviors might lead to changes in other, untargeted behaviors. This study addresses these gaps with a secondary analysis of change in risk drinking (targeted behavior) and smoking (behavior that was not addressed) in the efficacy trial of CHOICES, an intervention for the prevention of alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

Nonmedical versus medical marijuana use among three age groups of adults: Associations with mental and physical health status.

Background And Objective: Given that 29 U.S. states now have laws allowing medical marijuana use, this study examined mental and physical health correlates of medical versus nonmedical marijuana use among three age groups of adults (18-29, 30-49, and 50+).

Older adults' marijuana use, injuries, and emergency department visits.

Background: Despite increasing marijuana use among older adults, little research has been done on marijuana's effects on their healthcare use.

Objectives: To examine whether (1) marijuana use is associated with the likelihood of emergency department (ED) visits through increased injury risk, and (2) marijuana use patterns are associated with injury risk and ED visits among older adults.

Methods: Using the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Problems (N = 14,715 aged 50+; 6,379 men and 8,336 women), descriptive statistics were used to compare past-year marijuana users to nonusers on sociodemographic and physical/mental health characteristics.

Older adults who use or have used marijuana: Help-seeking for marijuana and other substance use problems.

Objective: Increasing numbers of older adults are using marijuana and may experience problems related to marijuana use. This study examined relationships (1) between help-seeking for marijuana use and the presence of other substance use and/or mental disorders and (2) between help-seeking for other substance use disorders and marijuana use among adults aged 50+.

Methods: The 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions provided data (N=14.

A Comparison of Profiles of Transtheoretical Model Constructs of Change among Depressed and Nondepressed Women at Risk for an Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy.

Introduction: The efficacy of a series of interventions to reduce risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies is well-established, yet some subsets of women remain at risk. For instance, in CHOICES, a randomized clinical trial of an intervention to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancy, nondepressed women reduced risk drinking at roughly twice the rate of women with depression (49% vs. 24%).

When depression is diagnosed, older adults are as likely as younger adults to be prescribed pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.

Objective: This study examined age group differences in the rates of depression diagnosis and treatment using a national probability sample.

Methods: Using data from the 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (n=62,723 visits by patients aged 18+ years), we used bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses to test age group differences in antidepressant medication (ADM) and psychotherapy prescribed/ordered or provided at visits during which depression was diagnosed.

Results: Visits by older adults were less likely to result in a depression diagnosis than visits by younger individuals: 2.

Association of adverse childhood experiences with lifetime mental and substance use disorders among men and women aged 50+ years.

Background: Given growing numbers of older adults with mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs), this study examined the association between ten types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime MSUDs among those aged 50+.

Methods: Data (N = 14,738 for the 50+ age group) came from the 2012 to 2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Using multivariable binary logistic regression analyses, we examined relationships between ten ACEs and six lifetime MSUDs (major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety, post-traumatic stress, alcohol use, drug use, and nicotine use disorders).

Older marijuana users: Life stressors and perceived social support.

Background: Given increasing numbers of older-adult marijuana users, this study examined the association of marijuana use and marijuana use disorder with life stressors and perceived social support in the 50+ age group.

Methods: Data came from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (N=14,715 respondents aged 50+). Life stressors were measured with 12 items related to interpersonal, legal, and financial problems and being a crime victim.

Older-adult marijuana users and ex-users: Comparisons of sociodemographic characteristics and mental and substance use disorders.

Background: The increasing numbers of older-adult marijuana users call for better understanding of their mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs).

Methods: Data came from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III; N=14,715 respondents aged 50 +). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare never users, past-year users, and ex-users on past-year and lifetime MSUDs.

A Qualitative Analysis of Substance Use among Liberian Youth: Understanding Behaviors, Consequences, and Protective Factors Involving School Youth and the School Milieu.

Objective: Substance use is a significant and common problem among school-aged youths throughout Africa. Like other countries on this continent, the West-African nation of Liberia is recovering from civil war. A well-educated population of young people is critical to the recovery efforts and long-term success of Liberia.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Social and Occupational Functioning of People With Schizophrenia.

This study sought to clarify the contribution of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to interpersonal and occupational functioning in people with schizophrenia. Self-report questionnaires and semistructured interviews were used to evaluate PTSD and brain injury, positive symptoms, depression, substance abuse, occupational and social functioning, and intelligence. Multiple regressions assessed the relationship between predictors and functional impairment.

Associations of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders With Presenting Problems and Outcomes in Older Adults' Emergency Department Visits.

Objectives: The increasing prevalence of mental health and/or substance use disorders in older adults is a significant public health issue affecting their health, health care use, and health care outcomes. These disorders are especially prevalent in emergency department (ED) visits. This study examined the effect of mental health and substance use disorders on older adults' ED presenting problems and outcomes.

Promotion of Latina Health: Intersectionality of IPV and Risk for HIV/AIDS.

Latina women in the United States are vulnerable to two intersecting public health concerns: intimate partner violence (IPV) and subsequent risk for HIV/AIDS infection. Examination of the cultural and contextual life factors of this understudied population is crucial to developing culturally relevant HIV interventions. Focus groups with Latinas (15 monolingual; 10 bilingual) who have experienced IPV were conducted.

Hanging by a thread: exploring the features of nonresponse in an online young adult cancer survivorship support community.

Purpose: Finding helpful information can be challenging for young adult (YA) cancer survivors; thus, it is critical to examine features of online posts that successfully solicit responses and assess how these differ from posts that do not solicit responses.

Methods: Using posts from an online YA cancer support community, we analyzed initial posts that did and did not receive replies utilizing Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC).

Results: Independent t tests revealed significant differences between the sets of posts regarding content, emotions, cognitive processes, pronoun use, and linguistic complexity.

Pain severity, interference, and prescription analgesic use among depressed, low-income homebound older adults.

Objectives: Disabled, homebound individuals tend to suffer both chronic pain and depression; however, low-income, homebound older adults have been underexposed in pain and depression research. We examined the extent of pain frequency, intensity, and interference; the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms; and prescription analgesic use and its association with use of antidepressant and anxiolytic medications among these older adults.

Method: The data came from the baseline assessment of 215 homebound individuals aged 50+ who were referred to a clinical trial of depression treatment.

Alcohol and other substance use, mental health treatment use, and perceived unmet treatment need: Comparison between baby boomers and older adults.

Background And Objective: As the baby boomers age, the number of older adults with comorbid substance use and mental disorders is projected to grow. Little research has examined the potential impact of substance use on older adults' mental health treatment use and unmet treatment need. This study examined these associations among the rapidly growing population of baby boomers and their older counterparts.