Research from the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions suggests the approach to preventing alcohol and drug use by some adolescents should begin in early childhood.
Prevention Efforts
Intervention efforts
Alcohol References in Music Can Influence Drinking
At least one in four contemporary songs references alcohol, according to an analysis of multiple studies that hints at the effects of music exposure on listeners’ drinking. Music is nearly ubiquitous in modern life, thanks partly to smartphones and streaming services. A 2022 study found that we listen to (on average) 961 hours of music per year, or 2 hours and 38 minutes per day.
Nurse-Delivered Alcohol Interventions More Accepted
The U.S. Joint Commission approved new hospital accreditation measures related to alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for all hospitalized patients. Yet little is known about the effectiveness of brief interventions (BIs) or inpatient acceptability of SBIRT when performed by healthcare professionals other than physicians. A new study has found high hospital-patient acceptability of and comfort with nurse-delivered SBIRT.
ER Teen Pep Talk Can Reduce Drinking, Violence
A brief, motivational talk in the emergency room reduced by half the chances that teenagers would experience peer violence or problems due to drinking, according to a study published in a theme issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The special issue on violence and human rights includes the work of University of Michigan Health System researchers who immersed themselves at the Hurley Medical Center emergency department, in Flint, Mich., for three years.
Parenting Style Can Prevent Binge Drinking
Parents may be surprised, even disappointed, to find out they don’t influence whether their teen tries alcohol. But now for some good news: Parenting style strongly and directly affects teens when it comes to heavy drinking – defined as having five or more drinks in a row – according to a Brigham Young University study.
Restricting Malt Liquor Sales Reduces Crime
Restricting the sale of malt liquor beer can help reduce crime in some communities, according to research. Malt liquor beer — high in alcohol content, low cost, and widely sold in liquor stores and convenience stores — is linked to heavy drinking, public inebriation, disorderly conduct, drug activity and other crimes. Consequently, since the 1990s, some cities have restricted its sale.
Most Drinkers Are 'Happy Drinkers' But Many Get 'Wasted'
People have always used different words to describe the inebriating effects of alcohol, from "blotto" in the 1920s to "honkers" in the 1950s. Now, new Penn State research suggests the language young adults use to describe the effects they feel from drinking may give insight into their drinking habits.
Alcohol Ads Should Be More Regulated
The marketing of alcoholic beverages is one cause of underage drinking, public health experts conclude. Because of this, countries should abandon what are often piecemeal and voluntary codes to restrict alcohol marketing and construct government-enforced laws designed to limit alcohol-marketing exposure and message appeal to youth. These conclusions stem form a series of eight review articles which synthesized the results of 163 studies on alcohol advertising and youth alcohol consumption.
Seeing Greenery Can Reduce Cravings
Being able to see green spaces from your home is associated with reduced cravings for alcohol, cigarettes and harmful foods, new research has shown. The study, led by the University of Plymouth, is the first to demonstrate that passive exposure to nearby greenspace is linked to both lower frequencies and strengths of craving.
Social Anxiety Disorder May Increase Risk of Alcoholism
New research published in Depression and Anxiety indicates that, unlike other anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorder may have a direct effect on alcoholism. For the study, researchers assessed alcoholism, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobias through interviews with 2,801 adult Norwegian twins.
Higher Alcohol Taxes Can Reduce Harm
Increasing taxes on alcohol is one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing the harms caused by alcohol consumption, according to research in the new issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Parental Attention Can Reduce Drug Abuse Risks
Parents who require children to follow rules and keep a constant eye on their activities, endeavoring to know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing, run less risk of facing problems when their children enter adolescence, such as abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
Some Prevention Efforts Can Actually Backfire
Some prevention campaigns aimed at stopping young drinkers from risky drinking habits can actually backfire if not worded properly. Campaigns designed to stop young people "bolting" drinks can be ineffective and can even make them more likely to do it, new research suggests.
Primary Care Should Include Drug Screening
The misuse of both prescription and illicit drugs is so prevalent in Tijuana and East Los Angeles that community clinics in those areas should routinely, though discreetly, screen for it, according to new UCLA research. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Substance Use and Misuse, found that 19.4 percent of people answering a computerized self-administered survey in East Los Angeles community clinics admitted to moderate-to-high drug use.
Video Games Influence Teens to Drink, Smoke
Images and references to alcohol and tobacco in popular video games may be influencing teens who play the games and the age restriction system is not working, according to a study.
Parents Have Role in Smoking Prevention
Parents shouldn't let up when it comes to discouraging their kids from smoking. That's the message of a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Denver.