Factors associated with stress about returning to pre-pandemic routines among Canadians.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a public health concern, with important impacts on individuals' mental health. Many people have experienced significant changes to their daily routines due to the pandemic and for some, returning to pre-pandemic routines could create elevated stress. The present study explored factors associated with stress about returning to pre-pandemic routines (SRPR). A web-based, cross-sectional survey of 1,001 Canadian adults aged 18 years and older was conducted on July 9-13, 2021. SRPR was assessed by asking the respondents how much stress they have been feeling about returning to their pre-pandemic routines. Sociodemographic variables, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and COVID-19-related worry were examined in relation to SRPR. Overall, 28.8% of respondents reported moderate to extreme SRPR. After adjusting for covariates, factors associated with elevated SRPR included: younger age (AOR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.30-4.03), higher education (AOR = 2.08, 95%CI 1.14-3.79), being very worried about getting COVID-19 (AOR = 4.14, 95%CI 2.46-6.95), switching to working from home (AOR = 2.43, 95%CI 1.44-4.11), having anxiety (AOR = 5.02, 95%CI 3.19-7.89), feeling depressed (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI 1.14-3.25), and feeling lonely (AOR = 1.74, 95%CI 1.07-2.83). The findings of this study suggest that individuals experiencing mental health concerns (anxiety, feeling depressed, feeling lonely) may be especially likely to feel elevated SRPR and may therefore need additional support in making the transition back to prior routines.

Deployment of Health Equity Strike Teams to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Disparities in Arkansas, 2021.

Minority populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and disparities have been noted in vaccine uptake. In the state of Arkansas, health equity strike teams (HESTs) were deployed to address vaccine disparities. A total of 13 470 vaccinations were administered by HESTs to 10 047 eligible people at 45 events. Among these individuals, 5645 (56.2%) were African American, 2547 (25.3%) were White, and 1068 (10.6%) were Hispanic. Vaccination efforts must specifically target populations that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(1):29-33. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306564).

Changes in alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic and previous pandemics: A systematic review.

The objective of this study is to summarize the research on the relationships between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic or previous pandemics and changes in alcohol use. A systematic search of Medline and Embase was performed to identify cohort and cross-sectional population studies that examined changes in alcohol use during or following a pandemic compared to before a pandemic occurred. Outcomes examined included differences in the volume and frequency of alcohol consumption and the frequencies of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-related problems during a pandemic compared to before a pandemic. Quality assessment was performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Nonrandomized Studies. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search yielded 672 articles; 27 were included in the narrative review, of which 6 were cohort studies (all from high-income countries). A total of 259,188 participants were included. All cohort studies examined the impact of COVID-19 and associated pandemic-related policies, including social distancing and alcohol-specific policies, on alcohol use. Cohort studies demonstrated a consistent significant decrease in total alcohol consumption (Australia) and a significant increase in the frequency of alcohol use (United States). A significant decrease in the frequency of HED was observed in Australia and Spain but not in the United States. A significant increase in the proportion of people with problematic alcohol use was observed in the United Kingdom. Initial insights into changes in alcohol use indicate substantial heterogeneity. Alcohol use may have decreased in some countries, while HED and the proportion of people with problematic alcohol use may have increased. The lack of high-quality studies from low- and middle-income countries reflects a dearth of information from countries inhabited by most of the world's population.

Self-reported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with alcohol and cannabis use: a latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mental health problems and substance use co-morbidities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic are a public health priority. Identifying individuals at high-risk of developing mental health problems and potential sequela can inform mitigating strategies. We aimed to identify distinct groups of individuals (i.e., latent classes) based on patterns of self-reported mental health symptoms and investigate their associations with alcohol and cannabis use. METHODS: We used data from six successive waves of a web-based cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 years and older living in Canada (6,021 participants). We applied latent class analysis to three domains of self-reported mental health most likely linked to effects of the pandemic: anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Logistic regression was used to characterize latent class membership, estimate the association of class membership with alcohol and cannabis use, and perform sex-based analyses. RESULTS: We identified two distinct classes: (1) individuals with low scores on all three mental health indicators (no/low-symptoms) and (2) those reporting high scores across the three measures (high-symptoms). Between 73.9 and 77.1% of participants were in the no/low-symptoms class and 22.9-26.1% of participants were in the high-symptom class. We consistently found across all six waves that individuals at greater risk of being in the high-symptom class were more likely to report worrying about getting COVID-19 with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) between 1.72 (95%CI:1.17-2.51) and 3.51 (95%CI:2.20-5.60). Those aged 60 + were less likely to be in this group with aORs (95%CI) between 0.26 (0.15-0.44) and 0.48 (0.29-0.77) across waves. We also found some factors associated with class membership varied at different time points. Individuals in the high-symptom class were more likely to use cannabis at least once a week (aOR = 2.28, 95%CI:1.92-2.70), drink alcohol heavily (aOR = 1.71, 95%CI:1.49-1.96); and increase the use of cannabis (aOR = 3.50, 95%CI:2.80-4.37) and alcohol (aOR = 2.37, 95%CI:2.06-2.74) during the pandemic. Women in the high-symptom class had lower odds of drinking more alcohol during the pandemic than men. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the determinants of experiencing high anxiety, depression, and loneliness symptoms and found a significant association with alcohol and cannabis consumption. This suggests that initiatives and supports are needed to address mental health and substance use multi-morbidities.

Changes in Alcohol Consumption in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Associations With Anxiety and Self-Perception of Depression and Loneliness.

AIM: To examine whether changes in alcohol consumption in Canada since the start of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic are associated with feelings of anxiety, depression, loneliness and/or with changes in employment due to COVID-19. METHODS: Data collection occurred between 29 May 2020 and 23 March 2021 via a web panel, AskingCanadians, which sampled 5892 adults (≥18 years of age). Data were collected on changes in alcohol consumption compared to before the pandemic (ordinal variable ranging from 1='much less alcohol' to 5='much more alcohol'), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), self-perceived depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), self-perceived loneliness, changes in employment status due to COVID-19 and socio-demographic variables (age, gender, living situation, household income and urban vs rural residence). Multivariate associations were assessed using ordinal logistic regression. Effect modification by gender was tested using likelihood-ratio tests. RESULTS: Changes in alcohol consumption were positively associated with anxiety, feeling depressed and loneliness. In particular, people with mild to moderate (ordered Odds Ratio (OR):1.23, 95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.07, 1.62) or severe anxiety (ordered OR:1.49, 95% CI:1.15, 1.93) had a greater odds of increased drinking than did people with no to low levels of anxiety. Gender, age, household income, living situation and survey wave were also associated with changes in drinking. No effect modifications by gender were observed. CONCLUSION: Given the health harms caused by alcohol use, public health practitioners and primary care physicians should focus health messaging to identify and support individuals at risk of increased alcohol consumption, especially people experiencing depression, loneliness or anxiety.

Embedding lived experience into mental health academic research organizations: Critical reflections.

BACKGROUND: As part of a growing emphasis on engaging people with lived experience of mental health conditions in mental health research, there are increasing calls to consider and embed lived experience throughout academic research institutes. This extends beyond the engagement of lay patients and also considers the potential roles of academic researchers with lived experience. When the lived experience of academic researchers is applied to academic work, there is the potential to improve the relevance of the research, while destigmatizing mental illness within academia. However, there are different and often contrasting perspectives on the way a lived experience academic researcher initiative should be implemented. OBJECTIVES: This article describes some of the key issues to be considered when planning an initiative that leverages and values the lived experience of academic researchers, including the advantages and disadvantages of each potential approach. DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDATIONS: Institutions are encouraged to reflect on the ways that they might support and value lived experience among academic researchers. In developing any such initiative, institutions are encouraged to be transparent about their objectives and values, undertake a careful planning process, involve researchers with lived experience from the outset and consistently challenge the stigma experienced by academic researchers with lived experience. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Multiple authors are academic researchers with lived experience of mental health conditions.

Alcohol and cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic among transgender, gender-diverse, and cisgender adults in Canada.

BACKGROUND: This study examined whether heavy episodic drinking (HED), cannabis use, and subjective changes in alcohol and cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic differ between transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) and cisgender adults. METHODS: Successive waves of web-based cross-sectional surveys. SETTING: Canada, May 2020 to March 2021. PARTICIPANTS: 6,016 adults (39 TGD, 2,980 cisgender men, 2,984 cisgender women, and 13 preferred not to answer), aged ≥18 years. MEASUREMENTS: Measures included self-reported HED (≥5 drinks on one or more occasions in the previous week for TGD and cisgender men and ≥4 for cisgender women) and any cannabis use in the previous week. Subjective changes in alcohol and cannabis use in the past week compared to before the pandemic were measured on a five-point Likert scale (1: much less to 5: much more). Binary and ordinal logistic regressions quantified differences between TGD and cisgender participants in alcohol and cannabis use, controlling for age, ethnoracial background, marital status, education, geographic location, and living arrangement. RESULTS: Compared to cisgender participants, TGD participants were more likely to use cannabis (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=3.78, 95%CI: 1.89, 7.53) and to have reported subjective increases in alcohol (adjusted proportional odds ratios (aPOR)= 2.00, 95%CI: 1.01, 3.95) and cannabis use (aPOR=4.56, 95%CI: 2.13, 9.78) relative to before the pandemic. Compared to cisgender women, TGD participants were more likely to use cannabis (aOR=4.43, 95%CI: 2.21, 8.87) and increase their consumption of alcohol (aPOR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.03, 4.05) and cannabis (aPOR=4.71, 95%CI: 2.18, 10.13). Compared to cisgender men, TGD participants were more likely to use cannabis (aOR=3.20, 95%CI: 1.60, 6.41) and increase their use of cannabis (aPOR=4.40, 95%CI: 2.04, 9.49). There were no significant differences in HED between TGD and cisgender participants and in subjective change in alcohol between TGD and cisgender men; however, the odds ratios were greater than one as expected. CONCLUSIONS: Increased alcohol and cannabis use among TGD populations compared to before the pandemic may lead to increased health disparities. Accordingly, programs targeting the specific needs of TGD individuals should be prioritized.

Soybean Cyst Nematode Population Development and its Effect on Pennycress in a Greenhouse Study.

Midwest crop production is dominated by two summer annual crops grown in rotation, viz., corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.). Winter oilseed crops, such as pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.), can provide ecosystem and economic benefits when added to the corn-soybean rotation. However, adding a new crop adds risks, such as increased pest pressure. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate population development of three soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) biotypes on three pennycress genotypes and susceptible soybean and (ii) determine whether SCN inoculation level influenced plant biomass. SCN population density and biomass were determined after 60 d in the greenhouse. At the inoculation level of 2,000 eggs/100 cm3 soil, the average egg density for the three pennycress genotypes was 1,959 eggs/100 cm3 soil, lower than that for the susceptible soybean 'Sturdy' (9,601 eggs/100 cm3 soil). At the inoculation level of 20,000 eggs/100 cm3 soil, the average egg density for the three pennycress genotypes was 6,668 eggs/100 cm3 soil, lower than that for 'Sturdy' (40,740 eggs/100 cm3 soil). The inoculation level did not affect plant biomass. Pennycress is an alternative host to SCN under greenhouse conditions but is a less suitable host than soybean.

A scoping review of evaluated Indigenous community-based mental wellness initiatives.

INTRODUCTION: Many Indigenous peoples around the world are disproportionately affected by mental health challenges, due to intergenerational and collective trauma stemming from historical losses and ongoing colonialism. A growing body of literature suggests that mental wellness initiatives are more culturally safe and result in more successful and sustainable outcomes when they are developed by, for and with Indigenous communities using community-driven approaches that prioritize and privilege Indigenous leadership, knowledge systems, beliefs and practices. However, knowledge has not been synthesized on mental wellness initiatives and the extent of community engagement during the development, implementation, and evaluation stages of these initiatives. METHODS: The authors conducted a scoping review of studies on Indigenous community-based mental wellness initiatives to identify the (1) characteristics of these initiatives, (2) types of evaluation approaches (specific measures and assessment tools), (3) level of community engagement from inception to the evaluation stage of the initiative, and (4) lessons learned as identified by the authors. Published and grey literature were searched across several electronic databases. Inclusion criteria required that each study was published between January 2008 and June 2018, focused on Indigenous peoples and their communities in Canada, USA, Australia, and/or New Zealand, focused on a community-based mental wellness initiative, was meaningfully co-led or co-designed by the community, described the initiative and how it was evaluated, and was printed in English. RESULTS: The search yielded 1491 unique articles, and 22 of these articles met all of the inclusion criteria. All included studies took place in Canada, the USA, or Australia. Most mental wellness initiatives addressed general mental wellness, substance use, suicide prevention, and/or co-occurring conditions, and many were tailored for Indigenous youth. Culture-based initiatives were emphasized in most studies, with cultural adaptation and relevance prioritized in all initiatives. Approaches to evaluation ranged from process evaluations to outcome evaluations. Most studies used a mixed methods approach and a wide range of assessment tools, including questionnaires and indicators of community capacity building. Many evaluations used a shared leadership model between community leaders and researchers and had combinations of community members, families, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and leaders involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the mental wellness initiative. Common challenges in conducting evaluation research included limitations of funding structures and the burden on community staff and leaders during the project. CONCLUSION: Overall, across all studies, culture stood out as a major theme for community-based mental wellness initiatives among rural and remote Indigenous communities, with cultural teachings, cultural activities, appropriate use of culture, land-based programming and knowledge sharing integrated into community programming. However, culture and Indigenous leadership throughout were lacking in many of the research studies. Thus, as more Indigenous communities and leaders govern and guide the development of evidence-based mental wellness programming, culture as a form of healing needs to be incorporated into the development of the program, and culture should be a core competency in any evaluation research.

Use of Traditional Healing Practices in Two Ontario First Nations.

Colonization has negatively impacted Canada's Aboriginal people, with one of the consequences being loss of traditional knowledge, beliefs and practices, including traditional healing practices. In a study of two Ontario First Nations, the objectives of this research were to examine: (1) the extent of use of traditional healing practices, including traditional medicines and healers; (2) factors associated with their use and people's desire to use them; and (3) reasons for not using them among those who want to use them, but currently do not. Registered Band Members and volunteers from two First Nations communities (N = 613) participated in a well-being survey. About 15% of participants used both traditional medicines and healers, 15% used traditional medicines only, 3% used a traditional healer only, and 63% did not use either. Of those who did not use traditional healing practices, 51% reported that they would like to use them. Use was more common among men, older people, and those with more than high school education. Those who used traditional healing practices were found to have a stronger First Nations identity, better self-reported spiritual health, higher scores on historical loss and historical loss symptoms and higher levels of anxiety compared with people who did not use them. Common reasons for not using traditional practices were: not knowing enough about them, not knowing how to access or where to access them. These findings may be useful for promoting the use of traditional healing practices for the purpose of improving the health of First Nations people.

How Much Do Mental Health and Substance Use/Addiction Affect Use of General Medical Services? Extent of Use, Reason for Use, and Associated Costs.

OBJECTIVE: To measure service use and costs associated with health care for patients with mental health (MH) and substance use/addiction (SA) problems. METHODS: A 5-year cross-sectional study (2007-2012) of administrative health care data was conducted (average annual sample size = 123,235 adults aged >18 years who had a valid Ontario health care number and used at least 1 service during the year; 55% female). We assessed average annual use of primary care, emergency departments and hospitals, and overall health care costs for patients identified as having MH only, SA only, co-occurring MH and SA problems (MH+SA), and no MH and/or SA (MH/SA) problems. Total visits/admissions and total non-MH/SA visits (i.e., excluding MH/SA visits) were regressed separately on MH, SA, and MH+SA cases compared to non-MH/SA cases using the 2011-2012 sample ( N = 123,331), controlling for age and sex. RESULTS: Compared to non-MH/SA patients, MH/SA patients were significantly ( P < 0.001) more likely to visit primary care physicians (1.82 times as many visits for MH-only patients, 4.24 for SA, and 5.59 for MH+SA), use emergency departments (odds, 1.53 [MH], 3.79 [SA], 5.94 [MH+SA]), and be hospitalized (odds, 1.59 [MH], 4.10 [SA], 7.82 [MH+SA]). MH/SA patients were also significantly more likely than non-MH/SA patients to have non-MH/SA-related visits and accounted for 20% of the sample but over 30% of health care costs. CONCLUSIONS: MH and SA are core issues for all health care settings. MH/SA patients use more services overall and for non-MH/SA issues, with especially high use and costs for MH+SA patients.

Mentoring Relationships and the Mental Health of Aboriginal Youth in Canada.

We compared the mentoring experiences and mental health and behavioral outcomes associated with program-supported mentoring for 125 Aboriginal (AB) and 734 non-Aboriginal (non-AB) youth ages 6-17 participating in a national survey of Big Brothers Big Sisters community mentoring relationships. Parents or guardians reported on youth mental health and other outcomes at baseline (before youth were paired to a mentor) and at 18 months follow-up. We found that AB youth were significantly less likely than non-AB youth to be in a long-term continuous mentoring relationship. However, AB youth were more likely than non-AB youth to be in a long-term relationship ending in dissolution. AB youth were also more likely than non-AB youth to have been mentored by a female adult. AB youth were significantly more likely than non-AB youth to report a high quality mentoring relationship, regular weekly contact with their mentor, and monthly mentoring activities. Structural equation model results revealed that, relative to non-mentored AB youth, AB youth with mentors experienced significantly fewer emotional problems and symptoms of social anxiety. These relationships were not found for non-AB youth. Our findings suggest that mentoring programs may be an effective intervention for improving the health and well-being of AB youth.

Racial Discrimination, Cultural Resilience, and Stress.

OBJECTIVE: Racial discrimination is a social determinant of health for First Nations people. Cultural resilience has been regarded as a potentially positive resource for social outcomes. Using a compensatory model of resilience, this study sought to determine if cultural resilience (compensatory factor) neutralized or offset the detrimental effect of racial discrimination (social risk factor) on stress (outcome). METHODS: Data were collected from October 2012 to February 2013 (N = 340) from adult members of the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation community in Ontario, Canada. The outcome was perceived stress; risk factor, racial discrimination; and compensatory factor, cultural resilience. Control variables included individual (education, sociability) and family (marital status, socioeconomic status) resilience resources and demographics (age and gender). The model was tested using sequential regression. RESULTS: The risk factor, racial discrimination, increased stress across steps of the sequential model, while cultural resilience had an opposite modest effect on stress levels. In the final model with all variables, age and gender were significant, with the former having a negative effect on stress and women reporting higher levels of stress than males. Education, marital status, and socioeconomic status (household income) were not significant in the model. The model had R(2) = 0.21 and adjusted R(2) = 0.18 and semipartial correlation (squared) of 0.04 and 0.01 for racial discrimination and cultural resilience, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, cultural resilience compensated for the detrimental effect of racial discrimination on stress in a modest manner. These findings may support the development of programs and services fostering First Nations culture, pending further study.

Associations of hair cortisol concentration with self-reported measures of stress and mental health-related factors in a pooled database of diverse community samples.

A pooled database from diverse community samples was used to examine the associations of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) with self-reported stress and stress-linked mental health measures, including depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, disability and experiences with aggression. As part of innovative research using a mobile laboratory to study community mental health, data were pooled from five sub-studies: a random sample of the general population (n = 70), people who had received treatment for a mental health and/or substance use problem (n = 78), family members of people treated for mental health and/or substance use problems (n = 49), community volunteers who sometimes felt sad or blue or thought they drank too much (n = 83) and young adults in intimate partner relationships (n = 44). All participants completed a computerized questionnaire including standard measures of perceived stress, chronic stress, depression, anxiety, hazardous drinking, tobacco use, prescription drug use, illicit drug use, disability and intimate partner aggression. HCC was significantly associated with use of antidepressants, hazardous drinking, smoking and disability after adjusting for sub-study and potential confounders (sex, body-mass index, use of glucocorticoids and hair dyed). In addition, preliminary analyses suggest a significant curvilinear relationship between HCC and perceived stress; specifically, HCC increased with higher perceived stress but decreased at the highest level of stress. Overall, HCC was associated with mental health-related variables mainly reflecting substance use or experiencing a disability. The relationship between HCC and self-reported stress is unclear and needs further research.

The influence of status on group drinking by young adults: a survey of natural drinking groups on their way to and from bars.

BACKGROUND: Young people's social standing among friends and peers has been linked to general levels of drinking and has been shown to influence others' drinking. We extend previous research by examining young adults' status within their natural-occurring drinking groups as a predictor of their subsequent alcohol consumption and encouragement of group members' alcohol consumption during a night out at licensed drinking establishments, a salient context for heavy drinking and alcohol-related risk among young adults. METHODS: We recruited same-sex young adult drinking groups (n = 104 groups; 63 all-male; average group size = 3.4 members; Mage = 21.86) on their way to drinking establishments to complete a survey-containing measures of member-nominated within-group status, likeability, and self-reported alcohol consumption-and a breathalyzer test. At the end of the evening, participants completed the same alcohol consumption measures and were asked to nominate group members who encouraged other members to drink that night. RESULTS: Multilevel analysis revealed that higher-status members engaged in the most alcohol consumption (via both self-report and breathalyzer) but in heavier drinking groups only. Higher-status members also encouraged the most alcohol consumed by others, regardless of levels of group drinking. Further, even though being liked by one's peers was positively related to intoxication that night, it did not account for the significant relationship between within-group status and drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that peer-related prevention programs for young adults' problem drinking may benefit from focusing on the structure and dynamic of young people's drinking groups. Also, programs targeting peer norms may be more successful if they incorporate status-related issues.

"Blurred lines?" Sexual aggression and barroom culture.

BACKGROUND: Meeting potential sexual/romantic partners for mutual pleasure is one of the main reasons young adults go to bars. However, not all sexual contacts are positive and consensual, and aggression related to sexual advances is a common experience. Sometimes such aggression is related to misperceptions in making and receiving sexual advances while other times aggression reflects intentional harassment or other sexually aggressive acts. This study uses objective observational research to assess quantitatively gender of initiators and targets and the extent that sexual aggression involves intentional aggression by the initiator, the nature of responses by targets, and the role of third parties and intoxication. METHODS: We analyzed 258 aggressive incidents involving sexual advances observed as part of a larger study on aggression in large capacity bars and clubs, using variables collected as part of the original research (gender, intoxication, intent) and variables coded from narrative descriptions (invasiveness, persistence, targets' responses, role of third parties). Hierarchical linear modeling analyses were used to account for nesting of incidents in evening and bars. RESULTS: Ninety percent of incidents involved male initiators and female targets, with almost all incidents involving intentional or probably intentional aggression. Targets mostly responded nonaggressively, usually using evasion. Staff rarely intervened; patron third parties intervened in 21% of incidents, usually to help the target but sometimes to encourage the initiator. initiators' level of invasiveness was related to intoxication of the targets, but not their own intoxication, suggesting intoxicated women were being targeted. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual aggression is a major problem in bars often reflecting intentional sexual invasiveness and unwanted persistence rather than misperceptions in sexual advances. Prevention needs to focus on addressing masculinity norms of male patrons and staff who support sexual aggression and better management of the highly sexualized and sexist environments of most bars.

Do individual and situational factors explain the link between predrinking and heavier alcohol consumption? An event-level study of types of beverage consumed and social context.

AIM: Predrinking (drinking in private settings before going to licensed premises) has been shown to be positively associated with amount of alcohol consumed. The present study assesses whether this association is explained by general drinking patterns or situational factors, including drinking duration, beverage type and drinking companions. METHODS: In a sample of 183 young adults from French-speaking Switzerland, data on alcohol consumption, whereabouts and drinking companions were collected using questionnaires sent to participants' cell phones at five time points from 5 p.m. to midnight every Thursday, Friday and Saturday over five consecutive weeks. Means and proportion tests and multilevel models were conducted based on 6650 assessments recorded on 1441 evenings. RESULTS: Over the study period, predrinkers drank more frequently than did non-predrinkers and, among males, predrinkers drank more heavily. Predrinking was related to increased drinking duration and thus total consumption in the evenings. Larger groups of people were reported for predrinking compared with off-premise only drinking situations. Among women, the consumption of straight spirits (i.e. not mixed with soft drinks) while predrinking was associated with higher total evening alcohol consumption. Among men, drinking with exclusively male friends or female friends while predrinking was associated with higher consumption. CONCLUSION: Heavier drinking on predrinking evenings mainly results from longer drinking duration, with individual and situational factors playing a smaller role. Prevention efforts on reducing the time that young adults spend drinking and harm reduction measures such as restriction of access to on-premise establishments once intoxicated are recommended.

The measurement properties of mentoring relationship quality scales for mentoring programs.

The measurement properties of two new scales designed to measure global and engagement mentoring relationship quality (Global Mentoring Relationship Quality Scale and Quality of Mentoring Relationship Engagement Scale) were examined among 272 mentors, 491 children, and 554 parents participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters community mentoring programs across Canada. Results demonstrated their unidimensionality, moderate convergent validity, good external validity, and weak-to-moderate reporter concordance. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated good predictive validity of mentor and parent mentoring relationship quality scales with respect to predicting mentoring relationship status.

Health profiles of clients in substance abuse treatment: a comparison of clients dependent on alcohol or cocaine with those concurrently dependent.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to assess whether, among clients receiving substance abuse treatment (n = 616), those dependent on alcohol or cocaine differed significantly from those concurrently dependent on both drugs in terms of physical, mental, social, and economic harms as well as substance use behaviors. METHODS: Clients from five substance abuse treatment agencies presenting with a primary problem of cocaine or alcohol were classified into three groups as dependent on: (1) alcohol alone, (2) cocaine alone, or (3) both cocaine and alcohol (i.e. concurrent dependence). Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that included details of their drug and alcohol use, physical health, mental health, social health, economic health, and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The concurrent group drank similar amounts of alcohol as those in the alcohol group and used similar amounts of cocaine as the cocaine group. The alcohol group had significantly (p < .05) poorer health profiles than the concurrent group across most variables of the four health domains. An exception was significantly more accidental injuries (p < .05) in the alcohol group. In both bivariate and multivariate analyses, the concurrent group had significantly (p < .05) more accidental injuries, violence, and overdoses than the cocaine group. As well, the concurrent group had significantly (p < .05) higher scores on the anxiety and sexual compulsion scales than the cocaine group, controlling for demographic variables. CONCLUSION: These findings can aid health care professionals to better respond to issues related to concurrent dependence of cocaine and alcohol.