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Duckworth JC, Abdallah DA, Gilson MS, Lee CM. Alcohol and marijuana use, consequences, and perceived descriptive norms: Differences between two- and four-year college students. J Am Coll Health 2024; 72:889-896. [PMID: 35427455 PMCID: PMC9568620 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2060043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Among two-year college students, alcohol and marijuana use, related consequences, and risk factors for use are not well understood. We examined differences between two- and four-year students in alcohol and marijuana use, consequences, and perceived descriptive norms, and explored whether two-year status moderated associations between norms and use. Participants: Data were drawn from a cross-sectional subsample of two- and four-year students aged 18-23 (n = 517) participating in a longitudinal study on alcohol use. Results: Four-year students reported greater alcohol use and consequences than two-year students; two-year students reported greater marijuana use than four-year students. Perceived alcohol and marijuana norms were positively related with use; two-year status did not moderate these associations. Conclusions: Perceived alcohol and marijuana norms function similarly for two- and four-year students in terms of associations to actual use. Adapting normative interventions for two-year students may be an effective strategy for reducing high-risk use among this underserved population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Devon A. Abdallah
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael S. Gilson
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christine M. Lee
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Ramirez A, Rivera DB, Valadez AM, Mattis S, Cerezo A. Examining Mental Health, Academic, and Economic Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Community College and 4-Year University Students. Community Coll Rev 2023; 51:463-478. [PMID: 38602981 PMCID: PMC10183329 DOI: 10.1177/00915521231163929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Objective: The COVID-19 global pandemic has created severe, long-lasting challenges to college students in the United States (US). In the present study, we assessed mental health symptomatology (depression, anxiety, life stress), academic challenges, and economic stress during the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. Method: A total sample of 361 college students (Mage = 22.26, SD = 5.56) was gathered from a community college (N = 134) and mid-size public university (N = 227) in Southwest US, both designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions. Results: Pearson and point biserial correlations indicated associations between mental health symptomatology, academic challenges, and economic stress, including expected delays in graduation. Multivariate analysis revealed that community college students had statistically significantly higher scores on anxiety F(1, 312) = 5.27, p = .02, η p 2 = .01 than 4-year university students, as well as key differences with respect to academic challenges. Chi Square analyses revealed that Latinx families experienced greater economic hardships, including job loss or reduced work hours (χ2 (1, N = 361) = 28.56, p = .00) than other ethnic/racial groups. Conclusions/Contributions: Findings revealed that community college students faced disparately negative mental health symptomatology, academic challenges, and economic stress during the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. Further, Latinx students' families experienced significant economic hardship that may have impacted students' academic progress and future planning.
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Thind H, Rosen RK, Barnett NP, Walaska K, Traficante R, Bock BC. A qualitative examination of drinking patterns among community college students. J Am Coll Health 2021; 69:215-221. [PMID: 31518203 PMCID: PMC7067647 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1661421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to gain insight about patterns of alcohol use and related consequences among heavy drinking community college students. Participants: About 26 community college students (Mean age 22.3 years, 46% men, 69% White) participated in this study between January and April 2013. Methods: Five qualitative focus group discussions were conducted during formative research preceding a text message intervention; participants were asked about common drinking behavior patterns among community college students, as well as how age and gender affect drinking. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participants also completed a brief quantitative survey about their drinking behavior and its consequences. Results: Qualitative data identified several themes: (1) reasons for drinking, (2) drinking occasions, (3) age- and experience-related differences in drinking, including patterns specific to community college students and women. Conclusion: Research is needed to develop innovative strategies to reduce alcohol harm in this understudied population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herpreet Thind
- Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA
| | - Rochelle K. Rosen
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Nancy P. Barnett
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kristen Walaska
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
| | | | - Beth C. Bock
- Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Spaid RL, Gillett-Karam R, Liburd LC, Monroe D, Thompson-Johnson T. Sustenance for Success: Connections between Community College Students and Food Insecurity. J Appl Res Community Coll 2021; 28:63-79. [PMID: 34056639 PMCID: PMC8162200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To assess the connections between student success and food insecurity of community college students the authors present the results of three studies conducted between fall 2017 and spring 2020. Using a cross-sectional design and the intercept method, 858 participants completed the Household Food Security Survey Module. The three hypotheses for the studies were: there is a relationship between food insecurity and (a) GPA, (b) concentration, and (c) energy levels. Food insecurity levels for the participants varied-Monroe, 99%; Spaid and Gillett-Karam, 52%; and Liburd, 30%. Liburd found a significant relationship for all three hypotheses. Monroe's 2020 findings that 99% of her sample was food insecure presents challenges for addressing unmet needs for African American/Black students. Spaid and Gillett-Karam's 2018 findings showed that minority women with Pell Grants had food insecurity levels three times higher than other groups. Traditional student support services should include supplemental services for food-insecure student populations.
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Ossip DJ, Johnson T, Assibey-Mensah V, Wang S, McLaren D, Calabro K, Prokhorov AV, McIntosh S. Smoke-Free Home and Vehicle Policies Among Community College Smokers. Health Educ Behav 2018; 45:540-549. [PMID: 29202249 PMCID: PMC5984122 DOI: 10.1177/1090198117742437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Personal smoke-free policies (home and vehicle) reduce secondhand smoke exposure, improve health, and increase quitting among smokers. Overall, 83.0% and 78.1% of Americans report smoke-free homes and vehicles, respectively. However, little is known about such policies among 2-year community college (CC) students, who represent a large, diverse population with higher smoking rates and less negative attitudes toward smoking than 4-year college students. METHODS Prevalence of, and factors associated with, personal smoke-free policies were examined for 2,475 CC smokers enrolled in a national trial of web-assisted tobacco intervention. RESULTS Few students had smoke-free home policies (20.7%), smoke-free vehicles (17.0%), both smoke-free home and vehicle policy (4.2%), or any policy (home or vehicle; 31.2%). In logistic regression models, having children was associated with a smoke-free home or any policy but not with a smoke-free vehicle, and among participants who had children, only 20% reported a smoke-free home, and only 15% had a smoke-free vehicle. In addition, not living with other smokers, living with parents or roommates/siblings (vs. alone), smoking later than 30 minutes after awakening, believing that smoking affects the health of others, and confidence in quitting were associated with presence of a smoke-free home or any policy; no variables were significantly associated with presence of a smoke-free vehicle. CONCLUSIONS CC students represent a priority population for intervention regarding smoke-free homes and vehicles. Such intervention can decrease exposure of others, including children, and potentially increase the likelihood of quitting in this high-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah J. Ossip
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Tye Johnson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Vanessa Assibey-Mensah
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Sijiu Wang
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Donald McLaren
- Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Karen Calabro
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Alexander V. Prokhorov
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Scott McIntosh
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
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Hopkins K, Hubert C, Coleman-Minahan K, Stevenson AJ, White K, Grossman D, Potter JE. Unmet demand for short-acting hormonal and long-acting reversible contraception among community college students in Texas. J Am Coll Health 2018; 66:360-368. [PMID: 29405858 PMCID: PMC6692077 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1431901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify preferences for and use of short-acting hormonal (e.g., oral contraceptives, injectable contraception) or long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) among community college students in Texas. PARTICIPANTS Female community college students, ages 18 to 24, at risk of pregnancy, sampled in Fall 2014 or Spring 2015 (N = 966). METHODS We assessed characteristics associated with preference for and use of short-acting hormonal or LARC methods (i.e., more-effective contraception). RESULTS 47% preferred short-acting hormonal methods and 21% preferred LARC, compared to 21% and 9%, respectively, who used these methods. A total of 63% of condom and withdrawal users and 78% of nonusers preferred a more effective method. Many noted cost and insurance barriers as reasons for not using their preferred more-effective method. CONCLUSIONS Many young women in this sample who relied on less-effective methods preferred to use more-effective contraception. Reducing barriers could lead to higher uptake in this population at high risk of unintended pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Hopkins
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- b Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
| | - Celia Hubert
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- c Cátedras CONACYT - National Institute of Public Health , Ciudad de México , Mexico
| | - Kate Coleman-Minahan
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- d College of Nursing, University of Colorado Denver , Aurora , Colorado , USA
| | - Amanda Jean Stevenson
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- e Department of Sociology , University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder , Colorado , USA
| | - Kari White
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- f Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , Alabama , USA
| | - Daniel Grossman
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- g Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco , Oakland , California , USA
| | - Joseph E Potter
- a Texas Policy Evaluation Project, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
- b Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA
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Abstract
UNLABELLED OBJECTIVES AND PARTICIPANTS: The purpose of this article is to describe weight indicators and weight-related behaviors of students enrolled in 2-year colleges, including sex differences. METHODS During Fall 2011 and Spring 2012, 441 students from 3 Minnesota community colleges enrolled in the Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings (CHOICES) Study and completed baseline assessments. Participants completed a baseline survey evaluating eating and activity patterns, sleep, and stress and measures of height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat. RESULTS Participants were primarily female (68%), white (73%), with a mean age of 22.8 years, and 66.2% reporting an annual income < $12,000. Almost half (47%) were overweight or obese. Young males appeared to engage the most in risky health behaviors and had higher levels of overweight or obesity, compared with young females. CONCLUSIONS Findings confirm the need for innovative interventions targeting this understudied and underserved young adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn S. Nanney
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Leslie A. Lytle
- Division of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kian Farbakhsh
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Stacey G. Moe
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jennifer A. Linde
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jolynn K. Gardner
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Melissa N. Laska
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Prokhorov AV, Yost T, Mullin-Jones M, de Moor C, Ford KH, Marani S, Kilfoy BA, Hein JP, Hudmon KS, Emmons KM. "Look at your health": outcomes associated with a computer-assisted smoking cessation counseling intervention for community college students. Addict Behav 2008; 33:757-71. [PMID: 18280668 PMCID: PMC2365030 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2007] [Revised: 11/20/2007] [Accepted: 12/19/2007] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Community college students represent 44% of all students enrolled in U.S. higher education facilities. To our knowledge, no previous smoking cessation intervention has targeted community college students. Previous studies suggest that a motivational smoking cessation intervention could be successful for young adult smokers. Combining motivational interviewing sessions with personalized health feedback is likely to increase participants' motivation to quit and movement through the stages of change. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a smoking cessation program based on these premises. We designed a computer-assisted, counselor-delivered smoking cessation program that addresses personal health risks and readiness to change smoking behavior among community college students. A group-randomized, controlled trial was used to assess the intervention in a sample of 426 students (58.5% females; mean age, 22.8+/-4.7 years) from 15 pair-matched campuses. At the 10-month follow-up assessment, the cotinine-validated smoking cessation rates were 16.6% in the experimental condition and 10.1% in the standard care condition (p=0.07). Our results indicate that our computer-assisted intervention holds considerable promise in reducing smoking among community college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Prokhorov
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77230, United States.
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