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Current Issue
February 2003 ISSUE 9
New Focus on Backpack Safety In recent news, children�s backpacks have been the source of sore news, literally. As a result of lugging heavy textbooks to and from class, it was thought that some children were experiencing injuries from the weight of its contents, which caused concern for many parents, doctors and other professionals. But in the January issue of Pediatrics, researchers analyzed data from 1999 to 2002 and found that 247 children had backpack�related injuries not all due to carrying them.What they found is this: Most injuries (28 percent) were due to tripping over other backpacks stored on the floor, then 13 percent came from wearing them, also 13 percent from getting hit by one. They found that the most common areas of injury related to the backpack were the head and face (22 percent), followed by the hand (14 percent), wrist or elbow (13 percent), shoulder (12 percent) and ankle or foot (12 percent). Injuries to the back ranked sixth, at 11 percent. These findings have changed some focus from teaching children how to carry a backpack to teaching them to store them in a proper safe place and not use it as a weapon. This doesn�t necessarily mean that parents shouldn�t continue teaching their children the proper way to wear a backpack but should also focus on proper care such as where to stow it and also not to swing it.
Past Issues
AHB UPDATE April, 1992 Issue 1Dear Alcohol, Health and Behavior Participant: As the five year project studying alcohol and other health behaviors comes to an end, the staff of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior project would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation and cooperation during our study. We would also like to update you on the future of the study and provide you with information about alcohol and health behaviors from our data and other related research. Preliminary word from the United States Public Health Service indicates that we will be able to continue the project. We anticipate contacting you between June 1993 and December 1994 for an additional follow up. More newsletters will follow with further updates as we get more information. Ninety-seven percent of the people who participated at Year 1 remained in the study at Year 4, an outstanding retention rate! Thanks again for your patience, help, and participation? Year in Study No. of Participants Year 1 490 Year 2 485 Year 3 472 Year 4 471 We interviewed people by phone as far away as Japan, Spain, and Germany. Some descriptive statistics from the study follow. Males Females Average Height 5�10" 5�5" Average Weight 172 138 Married at Year 4 1% 4% Having Children Year 4 1% 3% All 490 participants chosen for the study were enrolled as freshman at University of Missouri. At Year 4, student status was as follows: Student Status % Participants Year 4 Full-Time UMC 62% Full-Time Other School 15% Part-Time UMC 4% Part-Time Other School 4% Not a Student 15% Work Status % Participants Year 4 Full-Time Employment 17% Part-Time Employment 53% Not Employed 28% In the Military 2% Health Statistics Participants also reported on various health behaviors during the fourth year of the study.
RESEARCH FROM OTHER CAMPUSES Drinking Games on College Campuses At Year 4, eighty percent of the people in our study reported participating in drinking contests or games. "Drinking games are popular social activities that provide a focus for social interactions but place students at considerable risk for serious consequences " (Newman , Crawford, & Nellis, 1991, p. 171). This statement came from a recent study in the Journal of American College Health, entitled "The Role of Function of Drinking Games in a University Community". In interviews from other studies (Newman et al.), 64% of the students reported that they play drinking games to socialize more easily with others. They reported the games provide an easy way to relate to others, including the opposite sex. 92% of the students reported that they play to get drunk. Researchers have yet to discover how individuals who want to win the game differ from those who just want to get drunk. Effect of Stadium Alcohol Ban on Injury An article in the November 1990 issue of the Journal of American College Health (Spite, Meislin, Valenzuela, Criss, Smith, & Nelson) addressed the effect that banning alcohol from a major college stadium would have on the frequency of illness and/or injury during football games. To examine the impact of the alcohol ban, the researcher reviewed the medical incident reports from the University of Arizona between the years 1983 and 1986. Until 1985, this institution had allowed fans to bring alcoholic beverages into the stadium. A comparison of the incident reports from before and after the ban failed to find a significant decrease in illness or injury since the alcohol ban. The authors felt that there were three possible reasons for these results. First, there may not have been very many injuries prior to the ban. This would make it difficult to find a decrease. Second, the injury rate may not have declined because sports fans continued to drink before or during the game. Third, although less likely, incidents of injury and illness may not necessarily be related to alcohol consumption. Aids Knowledge and Risk Behavior Recent concerns about the increase in AIDS transmission among college students have spurred the interest of academic researchers. Several studies have been conducted that examine college students knowledge of AIDS transmission and their own sexual behaviors. The findings of these studies may suggest that further AIDS education is needed on our college campuses. When asked if their concern about AIDS led them to change their sexual behavior, participants in our study reported as follows: No change in sexual behavior 58% A little change 22% A fair amount of change 13% A lot of change 6% Not sexually active because of AIDS 1% A recent study in the Journal of American College Health (Butcher, Manning, & O�Neal, 1991), found that a majority of the students had engaged in sexual intercourse because they were intoxicated, and failed to use condoms on a regular basis. When asked to indicate ways they had changed their behavior to avoid HIV-infection, students endorsed reduction in the number of sexual partners. The average number of sexual partners in the past year was approximately three. These findings about college students� risk-reduction behaviors indicate that AIDS education should continue on campuses. The Center for Disease Control�s 1990 statistics report HIV-infection in 4% of the men and 5% of the women in the 20 to 24 year-old age group. Because of the long latency period involved with HIV-infection, these statistics do not include those college students who are unaware that they are currently infected. QUESTIONS ABOUT CAREERS, TRAINING OR JOB HUNTING? If you have questions about careers, training or job hunting you can call toll-free, The Missouri Career Information Hotline, 1-800-392-2942, co-sponsored by Missouri University Extension, Career Planning and Placement (UMC), and the Missouri Division of Job Development and Training. They can provide you with information on the following resources.
STEPS IN PREPARING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS The Career Planning and Placement Center at UMC recommends that job interviewing requires thorough preparation and is the key to landing any job.
INTERVIEWING TIPS FROM CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT CENTER (UMC)
AHB UPDATE Summer, 1993 Issue 2 Dear Alcohol, Health and Behavior Participant: We are pleased to tell you that the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project has been awarded the funds to continue. We can�t stress enough the importance of each individual�s participation and we would like to extend our thanks for your continued cooperation. The follow-up will begin September 1993 and continue through December 1994. Our staff will be in contact with all participants sometime during that time period. If you are planning to come to Columbia sometime during the follow-up, call us collect (314) 882-1681 and we will schedule a convenient time for you to participate in the study. Good news! We are going to computerize the questionnaire to make it less taxing, and we will be able to offer compensation at a higher rate. The follow-up will consist of an interview and a questionnaire. Every participant will be compensated $75 for their time and efforts. People who travel to Columbia will receive extra compensation for travel expenses. In addition to computerizing the questionnaire and offering higher compensation rates, we will also be conducting the project from sites located in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield where participants will be able to do the interview and questionnaire. If it is not possible to come to a Missouri site, you will still be able to participate by doing a phone interview and a paper and pencil version of the questionnaire (NO MORE OPSCAN SHEETS)! More details will follow. Ice or heat for injuries? Summertime increases physical activities. The combination of repetitive stress and all-out effort can result in twists or sprains. When the injury occurs, tissue is damaged which results in torn blood vessels, bleeding and swelling. The greater the amount of swelling, the longer the recovery will take. The question that often causes confusion, "When should ice or heat be used to speed recovery?" was addressed in a Scholastic Coach article entitled "Ice or Heat?" (Ellenbecker, 1993, pp. 78-79). As soon as the injury occurs it is important to apply ice as quickly as possible. The ice decreases blood flow, which reduces bleeding and decreases swelling, minimizing damage to the tissue. Ice can also serve as an anesthetic, controlling pain and decreasing muscle spasm from the injury. It is recommended by experts to apply ice 20 to 30 minutes several times a day. Limiting the application to 30 minutes at one time and using a towel or cloth between the skin and ice will reduce the risk of frostbite. After the swelling has stopped, (48 to 72 hours after the injury) heat can be applied using a couple of different methods. The application of heat causes the blood vessels to dilate, the opposite of the constriction caused by ice. The dilation increases the blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the treated area, accelerating the removal of waste products. It is recommended that warm rather than hot materials are applied to the inured areas. Heat can be applied, with a heating pad and towel 2 to 3 times a day for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Another method, contrast baths, alternates the injured extremity between warm (96 to 98 degrees F) and cold (55 to 65 degree F) water, spending 1 to 2 minutes in each temperature of water before switching. The procedure is repeated several times, always ending in the cold water for 5 to 8 minutes. The contrast bath creates an alternating dilation and constriction of the blood vessels to help the healing process. Remember, it is important to see a doctor when an injury occurs. Sex Differences in Response to Alcohol The following information was drawn from "Under The Influence: Things You Need To Know About Alcohol," a pamphlet prepared by the University of Missouri Employee Assistance Program and Project ADAPT. Several factors play a role in how fast a person�s blood-alcohol level (BAL) rises; whether or not one has eaten recently, speed of drinking, body size, and how fast alcohol is eliminated or metabolized. Gender can play a significant role in the last two factors. Women tend to become intoxicated faster than men with the same amount of alcohol. There are four major reasons for this difference. First, women are typically smaller than men and therefore have less mass and less body water to dilute the alcohol. Second, research shows that women metabolize alcohol at different rates at different times in their menstrual cycle; therefore, it is easier for a woman to become intoxicated just before menstruation than at any other time during her cycle. Third, the enzymes primarily responsible for alcohol metabolism are found mainly in the liver. The enzymes that break down birth control pills are also found in the liver. Women who use birth control pills and drink alcohol have two chemicals in the liver competing to be broken down, this slows the metabolism of alcohol and allows it to remain active in the body longer. Fourth, women and men differ in the amount of enzymes in the stomach that break down alcohol. Research shows that after consuming the same amount of alcohol, women have higher blood-alcohol concentrations. This means that if a woman and man consumed the same amount of alcohol, more alcohol would get into a woman�s bloodstream than the man�s thus making her more susceptible to intoxication. These sex differences imply women are probably more susceptible to alcohol related organ damage due to drinking than men, and women who drink small amounts of alcohol may have greater impairment than men in their ability to drive and perform similar tasks. How to Avoid Sizzling in the Sun Here are a few tips for all you sunbathers planning on getting a golden tan this summer. All information was compiled from The Physician and Sportsmedicine, (July 1, 1991, pp. 100-106).
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Low-Fat Lifestyle
A low-fat nutritional lifestyle is heavily promoted by physicians, nutrition experts and other health care professionals. You can lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, strokes, obesity, oseoarthritis and some forms of cancer simply by adopting a low-fat, nutritional lifestyle. According to a book by Karen J. Bellerson, entitled The Complete and Up-To �Date Fat Book (1991), people need to become more aware of their eating habits, how much fat is too much, and what foods to eat and not eat.
Calorie-for-calorie, fat calories will make you fatter than the same number of calories of carbohydrates or protein, because of the way the body metabolizes fat. Our body uses only about 3 percent of its energy to convert fat in foods to body fat; whereas 25 percent of our body�s energy is needed to convert carbohydrate calories to body fat.
The American Heart Association, The American Health Foundation, The American Cancer Society, The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the Surgeon General all recommend the following: No more than 30 percent of our daily calories should come from fat and no more than 1/3 of those fat calories (or 10 percent of our daily calories) should be saturated fats! There is a simple formula that lets you know exactly how many fat grams you should allow yourself on a daily bases.
To find out your maximum daily allowance, multiply your daily calorie intake by .30, and divide that total by 9 (there are 9 calories in each gram of fat).
For example: for a daily calorie intake of 1500, the equation would look like this:
1500 X .30/9=50 or
1500 X .30=450/9=50
Bellerson has provided a chart to determine your daily calorie intake so you can calculate your daily fat gram budget. To find your daily calorie intake, you must multiply your present weight by your activity level factor.
Types of Activity Activity Level Factor Description
Lightly Active: 13. Walking at a normal pace; typing, driving, light office or house work, bowling.
Moderately Active: 15. At least 20 minutes of walking briskly three times a week, heavier office, house and lawn work, golf, doubles in tennis once a week Very Active: 20. Swimming, jogging, brisk walking of more than 30 minutes 4 times a week, singles in tennis 2 or more times per week, shoveling snow, heavy lawn work.
For Example: If your present weight is 175 pounds and you are moderately active (activity level factor of 15): 15 X 175 = 2625 calories are needed daily to maintain your present weight.
Further: 2625 X .30/9 = 87.5 fat grams daily
If you want to lose weight and your "desired" weight is 120 pounds and you are moderately active (activity level factor of 15); 15 X 120 = 1800 calories are needed daily to achieve and maintain this desired weight.
Further: 1800 X .30/9 = 60 fat grams daily
Adopting a lowfat nutritional lifestyle will maximize your good health as well as reaping other rewards such as sleeping better, looking younger, having more energy and controlling weight.
10 Easy Tips for Relaxation
If you find yourself stressed out from work or school there might be a solution for you. An article, by Roger Thies, in the April 1992 issue of USA TODAY outlines 10 different tips that may help you relax at the end of a hard day.
 | Take a short nap � A 10-15 minute nap can do wonders for your tired body. |
| Try some visualization � Concentrate on your favorite place and try to imagine what you could see, hear, and smell if you were there. |
| Give yourself a massage � Make use of your fingertips to massage the back of your neck or your forehead. |
| Take a few deep breaths � Inhale slowly, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly. |
| Try abdominal breathing � Lie on your back with your eyes closed. Exhale, blowing all the air out of your lungs and pushing out your abdomen. Pull in your abdomen and inhale deeply. Relax, taking a few easy breaths, then repeat the process. |
| Don�t let yourself get in a rut � Change the way you do ordinary tasks. Even find different routes to frequently traveled places, such as work or the grocery store. |
| Sing in the shower-Loud singing produces deeper breathing. |
| Find a hobby you enjoy � Choose something that you are interested in and indulge in it. |
| Do some stretching � Stretches in the morning or evening are good for relieving tension. |
| Relaxation response � Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and count to yourself as you inhale and exhale. Concentrate on deep breathing. |
Following some of these tips may help you to alleviate stress in your life.
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the newsletter or project in general, please call Gail Raskin or Julie Harper, collect, at (314) 882-1681. Thanks again for your continued cooperation. We will be looking forward to hearing from all of you.
AHB UPDATE
July 1995 Issue 3
Dear Alcohol, Health and Behavior Participant:
We have just begun the ninth year of our study and the staff of the Alcohol, Health, and Behavior Project would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation and continued cooperation during the study. In a longitudinal study we cannot replace participants from the original sample and the success of our project relies on each and every individual�s participation. Thanks again for traveling far and wide and taking the time out of your busy schedules to help us out.
In addition to our follow-up, we have recently received supplemental funding to follow about a third of all participants. Those of you randomly selected for this part of the study have been contacted or will be contacted for participation sometime in the next month.
This year we have also presented findings from the data on college students and young adults in meetings across the United States and have published articles relating to the data in scientific journals.
Ninety-three percent of the people who participated at Year 1 remained in the study at Year 7, an outstanding retention rate.
Year in Study No. of Participants
Year 1 490
Year 2 485
Year 3 472
Year 4 471
Year 7 458
All 490 participants chosen for the study were enrolled at freshman at the University of Missouri � Columbia in 1987. At Year 7, the mean age of participants was 24.5 and student and work status were as follows.
Student Status % Participants at Year 7
Full-time UMC 7.1%
Full-time Other Schools 10.7%
Part-time UMC 2.2%
Part-time Other Schools 6.4%
Not a student 72.4%
Work Status % Participants at Year 7
Full-time Employment 71.7%
Part-time Employment 15.8%
Not employed 12.5%
Summertime is time for fun but also a time for increased hazards. Here are some tips that could make your summer more enjoyable.
FOOD POISONING
You may want to think twice before eating that potato salad or that ham sandwich at your next summertime picnic. Eating foods that have been handled by unwashed hands or left unrefrigerated in the heat of the day could be contaminated with infectious bacteria, leaving you with an unwanted case of food poisoning. Symptoms range from experiencing abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting to sweating, itching, or a slight fever within 24-48 hours after dining on the contaminated culprit. Although the symptoms usually end after a day or two, the result is nonetheless miserable and can be avoided, according to The Mother Earth News� article, "Curing the Ails of Summer" (June/July 1994, pp. 18-21).
To banish bacteria:
 | Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees or below and your freezer at 0 degrees. |
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| Throw out any meat, fish, poultry that has been in the refrigerator for more than four days. |
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| To avoid juices from poultry or meat in the refrigerator from dripping on other foods, place a plate underneath them. |
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| Towels, sponges, and washcloths are breeding rounds for bacteria. Wash or replace them often. |
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| While preparing foods, keep your hands free of bacteria to avoid the spread of contamination to others. |
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| When serving perishable foods at picnics, keep in the refrigerator until just before serving, wrapping up any leftovers as soon as possible after serving. |
If you happen to find yourself with a case of food poisoning, besides enduring the discomfort, there are a few other things you can do while waiting for the misery to pass:
Drink water
Because of the possible diarrhea or vomiting that exists with the infection, liquids are lost quickly from your body, therefore it is extremely important to replenish your system. Joseph Madden, Ph.D., of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, suggests starting with a few sips of water, then gradually add fluids containing sugar, such as clear fruit juices. If vomiting is problem, wait several hours before taking in liquids.
Follow a bland diet
Once you�re feeling better and are ready to start eating food again, it�s best to establish a mild diet. This means eating foods that are easily digestible such as cereal, pudding, or chicken soup. Avoid foods that are fried or salty, as well as raw vegetables, pastries, candies, alcohol, or spices.
When to seek medical attention
Most cases of food poisoning are mild and don�t require a trip to the doctor. However, if you have any of the following symptoms, which could be warning signs signaling a more serious problem, it would be wise to see your physician:
| Prolonged inability to hold down fluids |
| High fever |
| Steadily worsening abdominal cramps |
| Prolonged symptoms with no improvement after 24-48 hours. |
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM LYME DISEASE
Although Lyme disease was once thought only to be in the northeast and upper north-central regions of the United States, experts now believe it�s spreading to nearly every state. Fear not, though. Arming yourself with information is your greatest defense against these creepy crawlers.
In the article, "TICK: Free yourself from fear of Lyme disease" (Prevention Magazine, July 1994, pp. 89-93; 138-144), Lyme disease is described as being caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and is carried by two main ixodes ticks: the blacklegged tick (commonly known as the deer tick) and the western blacklegged tick. With it�s misleading name of "deer tick, " these parasites aren�t just found on deer, but also on rodents and other small mammals. If you live, work, or hike in heavily wooded areas, especially those plagued with humidity, you are at a greater risk of encountering one of the bacteria-carrying ticks. Not surprisingly, 80 percent of Lyme-disease cases occur from May to August when the tick population is most active.
If bitten by one of these infected ticks, it takes 3 to 30 days for the bacterium to start causing symptoms. The most noticeable symptom is a rash, characteristic of a slowly expanding "bulls-eye". These rashes occur in 60 � 80 percent of Lyme-disease patients and are often accompanied with the flu-like symptoms of fatigue, fever, headaches, chills, stiff neck, and aches in muscles and joints. The later stages can begin within weeks to months. With this, arthritis-like symptoms may develop, and if not caught and cured, the condition can become chronic.
The greatest preventions of Lyme disease include:
Clothing
Take special care when venturing into areas where ticks are prevalent. Wearing light colored clothing will help to make ticks more noticeable if they attach themselves to you. Tuck your pants into your socks and wear long-sleeved shirts to make it more difficult for the tick to make contact with your skin. Finally, wear a hat for scalp protection since it�s easy for a tick to hide under hair.
Checking
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, or live in a wooded area, get into a daily habit of checking for ticks on your body and head. Have a family member or friend check you, and you check them.
Removing a tick
The good news about Lyme disease is that if a tick is discovered within 36 hours of attachment, there is little risk involved in contracting the disease. If you find a tick on you, the best removal method is to hold a pair of tweezers, grasping the tick as close to your skin as possible (and its mouth parts), and slowly pull the tick straight out. Do not jerk or twist the tick out, use an even or steady pressure when removing it. After removal, disinfect the skin and wash your hands with soap and water. It�s also helpful to save the tick for identification in the event that later symptoms arise. If you do experience symptoms, be sure to ask your physician if he or she is familiar with Lyme disease and is up on the current research, or can refer you to someone who is.
SAVING YOUR SKIN FROM CANCER
Before you head off to the beach this summer without your sunscreen, you may want to consider some of these findings compiled from the April 1995 issue of Prevention Magazine ( "Save your skin: Expert answers to crucial questions about skin cancer," pp. 77-83). According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma caused almost 7,000 deaths last year. The good news is that these deaths are highly preventable, and even curable, if caught and properly treated in their earliest stages, thereby making knowledge your greatest defense.
Skin cancer can be a hereditary condition. Researchers are currently working on a vaccine that may be used to prevent melanoma in the future for high-risk groups. The following is a list of high-risk factors:
| Fair skin, light hair, and a tendency to sunburn easily |
| Considerable exposure to the sun |
| A history of painful or blistering sunburns, especially when young |
| A family history of melanoma |
| Large brown moles (larger than a quarter inch) at birth |
| Atypical moles (larger than a quarter inch, multicolored, unusually shaped) |
The most important prevention available is the awareness of your skin and any changes that may occur. Although your dermatologist is the one qualified to diagnose any potential skin damage, you can do a great deal in giving yourself monthly self-examinations, looking particularly for changes in:
| Shape, especially the development of irregular borders |
| Color � a mole that darkens, develops a dark spot at its center, or changes to multiple colors |
| Elevation, such as sudden elevation of a flat freckle |
| Surface characteristics, such as bleeding, oozing, or crusting |
| Surrounding skin, such as redness, swelling, or spots of color (particularly around a mole) |
| Sensation � itching, tenderness, or pain |
| Consistency � softening, hardening, or crumbling of the skin |
Other preventions include protecting your skin with a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) or 15 or higher, wearing fabrics with a tight weave to block out the sun�s rays, and even maintaining a healthy diet for lower risk. The AAD also recommends using a sun block that contains either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for 100 percent shade. And , for those of you who have children to protect from the sun, studies show that early protection is crucial. By using a SPF of 15 on a regular basis during childhood, the incidence of skin cancer could be cut by 78 percent. Get kids into the habit early by making it fun. Get your child his or her own bottle of sunscreen, making silly designs with it on legs and arms. For children who are just learning to talk, ask them to name each body part as you apply lotion to it. And, remember, the sun�s rays are at their most harmful between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., making it essential to limit your sun exposure during that time for safety.
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AHB UPDATE September 1996 Issue 4 Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project
Kenneth J. Sher, Project Investigator
200 South 7th St.; 151 Psychology Bldg.
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-1681/ (573) 882-1682
Fax: (573) 884-5588
E-mail: PSY0849@MIZZOU1.MISSOURI.EDU
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Dear Alcohol, Health and Behavior Participant:
Although it�s hard to believe, we are looking onward to the tenth year of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project! The study�s staff would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation and your continued cooperation during this decade of research. In a longitudinal study such as this, participants from the original sample are irreplaceable. Our success depends on the participation from each and every individual, and we cannot express enough how appreciative we are of your commitment and help.
In May, we completed our follow-up, in which approximately one-third of our participants were randomly selected and were then asked to participate at on-site locations in Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and even Chicago. An additional thank you goes out to those who were able to attend, as well as to those who tried, but could not. For those of you who were not selected, fear not. We submitted a grant application earlier this summer requesting funding to continue the project, and we hope for good news at the end of the year. If we are fortunate enough to be funded again, we plan to contact each of you within two to three years. The assessments will be administered on-site at our Columbia location. For those of you who cannot make it to Columbia, a mail-in questionnaire and telephone interview will be arranged for your convenience.
PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED A POSTCARD THAT
WILL HELP US FIND YOU IN THE FUTURE.
PLEASE FILL IN COMPLETELY AND RETURN.
NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY. Thank you.
As noted above and throughout this newsletter, we are including a postcard that can help us immensely in finding you two to three years from now when we prepare for our next phase of the study. Being a highly mobile age group, the relatives and close friends that you list as contacts will help us find you if you relocate. You will also notice a new addition to the postcard: a space for your e-mail address. Many of our participants who recently took part in the follow-up, suggested that we use e-mail as a communication option. We encourage you to share your e-mail address with us, as well as e-mailing the Project at its new on-line address:
PSY0849@MIZZOU1.MISSOURI.EDU
Please also note: The Columbia area code has changed from (314) to (573)
Many of you have expressed an interest in learning about the results of our study; and, as you have invested a lot of your personal time and energy in the Project, we would like to report some of our findings. Over the first decade of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project, we have published a number of journal articles and have made contributions to understanding the well-being and development of young adults. Here are some of our basic findings that we hope will interest you.
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| Adaptation to College Life |
One major area of interest is how students adapt to the challenges of college life. As many of you will remember, the college years are a time of great change in the young adult�s life. Students move away from home and leave their familiar support systems, not only to face social challenges, but intellectual ones as well. The academic university curriculum, as compared to what was previously experienced in high school, confronts the student with new intellectual challenges. There are also necessary adjustments to be made from leaving one�s hometown and entering the university environment that adds to the stress of change. It seems likely, then, that these changes would be accompanied by various forms of distress, such as psychological, behavioral, and psychosomatic symptoms. In our project, the term distress was used to refer to a range of psychological states such as anxiety, depression, and phobias. Not surprisingly, other studies have found rates of distress in 70% to 90% of new and recent college students, and it is also suggested that the problems induced by such changes are responsible, at least in part, for student dropout rates as high as 50% during the undergraduate years.
Are some students more likely than others to experience distress during their college years? One of the theories we examined suggests that freshmen and/or younger students are more likely to experience distress than more advanced and/or older students. Our findings confirmed that freshmen and younger students are, indeed, at the highest risk for experiencing distress and that levels of distress tend to decrease over the college years. Furthermore, we found that younger college men had higher levels of distress than younger college women. Interestingly, non-traditional-age students demonstrated a significantly different pattern of general distress than did traditional-age students. We believe the finding, that the freshman year is most strongly associated with psychological distress, is very important and should be a signal to university counseling centers, residence halls, and student life staff to focus their resources and energy on providing normative data regarding the freshmen experience, as well as facilitating supportive emotional experiences in the freshmen class.
Another area of interest was the pattern of health-related behaviors initiated over the college years. This is important being that the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle can effect one�s general well-being and performance in school and work. We found that, over time, healthy eating and sleep habits remained constant, but that exercise decreased over the college years. This indicates that exercise, in particular, needs to be encouraged in young adults.
Related to health habits, participation in leisure activities is also important for the maintenance of well-being. In our sample, the number of leisure activities individuals participated in decreased over the college-aged years, with the largest decreases being in the participating in and the attendance of sporting events. The leisure activities individuals engaged in most were social activities, relaxing and listening to music, and watching TV, respectively. The activities that were maintained without decrease over the college-aged years were watching TV, reading for pleasure, and engaging in outdoor activities.
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| Alcohol and Tobacco Use |
According to national statistics, alcohol is the most widely used drug on the college campus. One of the aims of the Project has been to describe this pattern of alcohol and tobacco use during the college-aged years.
Over the course of the college-aged years, the total alcohol consumption for all participants consistently decreased. While most individuals continued to drink as often, over time, they had fewer drinks at each drinking occasion. While men followed this pattern, women tended to decrease both the number of times they drank, as well as the quantity of drinks per occasion over time. Overall, men consumed more alcohol than women.
We also found an interesting pattern of tobacco use over the college years, which was strongly related to smoking during high school. 90% of those subjects who were not smokers when they entered college did not become daily smokers during the early adult years. However, those individuals who were already smokers upon entering college had a high likelihood of becoming daily smokers by their mid-twenties. A higher percentage of women were already regular smokers when they started college. Also, men consistently smoked more cigarettes per day than women.
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| Young Adult Roles |
Over the years, we have asked you many questions about your choices regarding education, career, marriage, and family. As of our last follow-up, 30% of our participants are married and approximately 10% have children, which resembles national averages for this age group. Twice as many women than men are married and/or have become parents. Again, this is consistent with national statistics that indicate that men are waiting longer to marry and have children. Seventy percent of our participants are still living in Missouri (with 18% here in Columbia, 22% in St. Louis, and 12% in Kansas City), with the remaining 30% scattered around the United States and other countries. 57% of our participants graduated from the University of Missouri and 11% transferred and graduated from other institutions.
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| Development of Research Tools |
In large research studies such as ours, it is important to evaluate and improve upon commonly used questionnaires. It is also important that researchers develop new tools for the next generation of researchers. This is necessary in order to insure the quality of our own research, as well as for future research. We have made significant contributions in doing so and have thoroughly tested a number of existing and new measures, which assess such variables as substance use and personality.
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| Questions for the Future |
Our previous research has been primarily focused on understanding the experiences of young adults of college age. Your continued participation has been invaluable to us in understanding this important period of life. Now, as you approach your 30�s, we hope to try to understand this third decade of life as well.
We�re looking forward to hearing from each of you and hope to see you again in the years to follow. Feel free to e-mail us with your new addresses, your questions or concerns, or just to say "hi". And remember, you can always call us collect at (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682. Thanks again for being a part of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project for these ten years. We couldn�t do it without you!
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AHB UPDATE November 1997 Issue 5
Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project Phone: (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682
151 Psychology Building Fax: (573) 884-5588
200 South 7th Street E-mail: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU
Columbia, MO 65211 WEBSITE: http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb
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Dear Alcohol, Health and Behavior Participant:
Last year we hit the decade mark with the history of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project and we�re now beginning our eleventh year! The study�s staff would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation and your continued cooperation during this decade of research. We�re proud and feel very fortunate to be able to say that we are one of the longest running, government-funded studies in this area of young adults� health and behavior. In a longitudinal study such as this, participants from the original sample are irreplaceable. Our success depends on the continued participation from each and every individual, and we cannot express enough how appreciative we are of your commitment and help.
GOOD NEWS!
This past spring we received word from the National Institutes of Health that our funding will continue for the next few years. Later this year and all of next year, we will begin contacting all of our participants for another wave of data collection. This battery is similar to the assessments that were given during the first four years of the study and is very much like the last comprehensive assessment that was administered in 1993 and 1994. This battery, however, will not include the assessment of childhood experiences. That portion was a one-time assessment sponsored by the National Institutes of Health�s Office of Research on Women�s Health and will not be given again.
We�re pleased to say that, in recognition of your effort involved, we are able to pay additional funds for this wave in comparison to previous years. In the past, $75 was paid for the completion of the assessments in their entirety. This time, we�re pleased to be able to pay $125 for the entire completion, plus a travel stipend for those who travel 30 miles or more to Columbia to participate on-site. For those of you who cannot make it to Columbia, a mail-in questionnaire and telephone interview will be arranged for your convenience.
NEW FACES
Many of you may remember our long-time Project Coordinator, Gail Raskin. Last year, Gail moved on to another position. She had been with the Project since it began in 1987 and had contributed a great deal to the study. She is greatly missed by all of us. We are excited about our new staff members that you will be meeting, and they are looking forward to meeting you in the following year. Our new Project Coordinator is Jennifer Barnhart and our new interviewers are Kathryn Mason,
Carol Waudby, and Susan O�Neill. We welcome all of them to the Project!
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The study has been an extraordinary success and could conceivably continue for another decade or more. Being that the thirties are looming for most of you, the nature of the study is changing, and along with it, we�re considering the possibility of re-naming the Project to accent these new directions. The things we will be concentrating on will be careers, families, and adjusting to life after the college years. Any ideas you might have on re-naming the Project would be appreciated.
PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED A POSTCARD THAT
WILL HELP US FIND YOU IN THE FUTURE.
PLEASE FILL IN COMPLETELY AND RETURN.
NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY. Thank you.
As noted above, we are including a postcard that helps us immensely in keeping your records current. Being a highly mobile age group, the relatives and close friends that you list as contacts will help us find you if you relocate. You will also notice a new addition to the postcard: a space for your e-mail address. Many of our participants have suggested that we use e-mail as a communication option. We encourage you to share your e-mail address with us, as well as e-mailing the Project at its new on-line address:
AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU
We�re also excited to have found our own home on the internet! Please visit our new website at:
http: //www.missouri.edu/~ahb
We�re looking forward to hearing from each of you and hope to see you again soon. Feel free to e-mail us with your new addresses, your questions or concerns, your ideas on a new name for our project, or to schedule for our upcoming study. And remember, you can always call us collect at (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682. Many of you have been called recently by one of our staff members to update your records. We may still be calling some of you, but want to encourage all of you to send in your postcards with your current information. Thanks again for being a part of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project for these eleven years. We couldn�t do it without you!
AHB UPDATE
Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project Phone: toll-free 1-877-610-7204
151 Psychology Building (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682
200 South 7th Street Fax: [573] 884=5588
Columbia, MO 65211 E-mail: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU
WEBSITE: http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb
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February 1999 Issue 6_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Many Thanks!
We are approaching our twelfth year of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project! As you know, the project�s success depends on the cooperation and continuous participation of you, our participants. Since this is a longitudinal study, we cannot replace our participants; therefore, we strongly value your dedication to the Project!
Call Toll Free!
Up until recently if you lived outside of our local calling area, you have had to call collect to reach us, but we are happy to announce that we now have a toll free number! The number is 1-877-610-7204. Don�t forget we can also be reached via e-mail: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU.
PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED A POSTCARD THAT
WILL HELP US FIND YOU IN THE FUTURE.
PLEASE FILL IN COMPLETELY AND RETURN.
NO POSTAGE IS NECESSARY. Thank you.
Our Current Study
In December 1997, we started our seventh phase of data collections. So far, over three-fourths of you have participated! For those of you who have not yet participated, not to worry, this phase of the study will continue through Spring 1999. We are currently conducting interviews at our Project site in Columbia, or via the telephone. We have conducted interviews with participants living as far away as Alaska, Taiwan, Africa, and Hawaii! We are fortunate in that we are able to pay $125.00 for completing the interview. If you can make it to Columbia, we can also pay an additional travel stipend. If you have not yet completed your interview, please call as at our toll free number, and we will be happy to schedule you for the interview at your convenience.
A Fond Farewell!
Best wishes to longtime AHB staff member, Wendy Berlynn. Wendy has just recently given birth to her first child, and has decided to tackle the job of motherhood full-time. Wendy is greatly missed by all. Our new staff member is Sheila Jackson.
Keeping in Touch
Since your age group is a highly mobile one, we are enclosing a postcard that will help us keep in touch with you, should you relocate within the next few years. The contacts you provide will only be used in the event that we are not able to reach you at your last known address. It is very important for you to provide as many contacts as possible. We have lost contact with participants in the past and were able to reach them only through the contacts that they had provided. In addition, if you move at a later date, we would appreciate you calling us at our toll free number or e-mailing us with your new information.Visit Our Web Site
For those of you who are interested, we have a web site, which lists journal articles pertaining to our study. Our web site address is:
http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb.
In addition, it�s important to consider the lifestyle changes you will be making. Working hours could be increased, or the work week could be more regimented, allowing less flexibility for family and other responsibilities. What is the company culture like; for example, are employees frequently expected to take clients to dinner and/or lunch? The dress code could be more formal, which might necessitate expanding your wardrobe and extra time for getting ready in the morning. Increased responsibility and/or stress on the job could greatly affect your lifestyle. Ultimately, will your job cause a change in your personal life?
Finally, consider whether or not the change will be a smooth transition. If you are required to relocate, what moving expenses will the company cover? If your spouse works or your children are in school, it is important for the company to be flexible regarding the amount of time they allow for relocation.
For those of you thinking of making a job change, U.S. News lists "20 HOT Job Tracks", which are jobs with current demand and expected growth for qualified individuals. The list includes: Environmental Accountant, Web Specialist, Musician, Nanny, Technical Writer, Project Manager, IT Consultant, Speech Pathologist, Environmental Engineer, Relationship Manager, Physical Therapist, Catering Director, Executive Recruiter, Networking Architect, Real-estate Attorney, Primary-care Physician, Web Site Developer, Online Sales Manager, Molecular Biologist, and Counselor. If you would like more information on "hot jobs" visit
www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/981026/26hot.htm.Road Rage, A Safety Concern
Traffic congestion, long commutes, and the busy, stressful lives of Americans are all factors that contribute to the occurrence of road rage. However, those drivers who find themselves expressing their frustrations through their driving actions need to consider that they are endangering their safety, their passenger�s safety, and other motorist�s safety.
AAA offers some suggestions to try to help drivers avoid becoming a victim of road rage.
| Avoid blocking passing lanes on the left-hand side of the road. |
| Allow for extra driving time. |
| Listen to soothing music. |
| Avoid eye contact or obscene gesturing with other drivers. |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a very informative web site that provides information on current traffic issues, vehicle and child car safety seat recalls, vehicle crash tests ratings, traffic and safety reports, and other traffic related topics. The web site address is: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/.
Until Next Time
Please feel free to call us toll free or e-mail us with your questions, comments, or concerns. Again, if you have not yet completed your interview for this phase of the project, please give us a call at your convenience, so that we may schedule your interview. We would appreciate everyone returning the enclosed postcard, even if you have just recently completed your interview. Thanks again for being a part of the Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project. We couldn�t do it without each and every one of you!
AHB UPDATE
Alcohol, Health and Behavior Project Phone: toll-free 1-877-610-7204
150 Psychology Building (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682
200 South 7th Street Fax: [573] 884=5588
Columbia, MO 65211 E-mail: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU
WEBSITE: http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb
APRIL 2000 ISSUE 7
Continued Success
The Alcohol, Health, and Behavior Project began over twelve years ago when you started as a freshman at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In that time we have completed five waves of data collection. We are in the final stages of Wave 6. The project began in 1987 at Year 1 with 490 participants; we are pleased to report that 448 of you have remained in the study. That's a 91.4% retention rate! Of the 448 of you that have remained in the study, 410 of you have completed an assessment for the current wave. Once again, we would like to express our appreciation to all of you. Each one of you is invaluable to the success of this project. In fact, because of that success, the Principal Investigator, Kenneth J. Sher, Ph.D., received a Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award from the National Institutes on Health (NIH), our funding institution, which secures funding for this project until June 2007.
A Fresh Look
We have just recently updated our web site. You can visit us at http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb. You will find information on staff, newsletters, publications, directions, funding, and an overview of the project. The site includes full-text newsletters so that you can access past newsletters on-line.
Future Directions
As you know, this study focuses on health behaviors, attitudes, and lifestyles. Since this is a longitudinal study, we have the opportunity to look at those behaviors, attitudes, and lifestyles during the "college years" and into early adulthood. Collecting these "snapshots" at different stages in your lives enables us to look at a host of variables that affect you through important life transitions. A significant event for some in your age group is starting a family. We would like to explore the possibility of looking at that impact as well as the interplay of relationships between parents and their children along with their behaviors, lifestyles, and attitudes.
We would be very interested in knowing your opinions of the study to date, any suggestions or comments, and your thoughts on the future direction of the study. Our email address is: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU. You may also contact us through our web site: http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb/.
Until Next Time
We appreciate you taking the time to update the enclosed contact information sheet and returning it in the enclosed postage paid envelope. Thanks again for being a part of the Alcohol, Health, and Behavior Project.
150 Psychology Building (573) 882-1681 or (573) 882-1682
200 South 7th Street Fax: (573) 884-5588
Columbia, MO 65211 E-mail: AHB@SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU
WEBSITE: http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb
May 2001 ISSUE 8
Thank You!
The Alcohol, Health, and Behavior Project is entering its fourteenth year! This project could not be a success without the continued participation and interest of you, our participants. We cannot express how much we appreciate your dedication. Thank you for well over a decade of involvement with AHB!
As of February 2000, our sixth wave of data collection was completed. We are currently analyzing these data. We anticipate the next wave of data collection to begin in about five years. To help us keep in touch with you in the meantime, please complete the enclosed contact information. To find information about the project, our staff, and publications, check out our website at
http://www.missouri.edu/~ahb.New Directions
Facts about College Drinking
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Every year, college students spend about $5.5 billion on alcohol, mostly beer � more than they spend on books, soda, coffee, juice and milk combined. (Eigan L., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1991) |
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Almost half (44 percent) of college students report binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks in a row for males or four or more drinks in a row for females during the past two weeks). (Wechsler H., Lee J., Kuo M., and Lee H., Harvard School of Public Health, 1999) |
New DWI Policy on MU Campus
Recent Research on Casino Gambling
A survey of gambling participation was administered to a nationally representative sample of adults in the US in 1998, and AHB participants responded to a similar survey in the same year. Twenty-six percent of adults in the national sample gambled at a casino in the past year, compared to a very similar percentage (24%) of AHB participants. The national survey found that participation in casino gambling did not differ for men versus women, but did differ for individuals living in different parts of the US. The highest rate of casino gambling was in the West (37%), followed by the Midwest (28%), the Northeast (24%), and the South (18%). With new casinos opening across the US, it is likely that participation in casino gambling will increase. In Columbia, we will soon be within an easy drive of a new casino opening this fall in Boonville, and so we expect that more individuals in mid-Missouri will be participating in casino gambling. Whether this is
a positive or a negative change for this area is a matter currently under debate.Until Next Time
We appreciate you taking the time to update the enclosed contact information sheet and returning it in the enclosed postage paid envelope. Please return the information sheet even if there are no changes made. Thanks again for being a part of the Alcohol, Health, and Behavior Project.
Issue 1
