Christine Savage - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Christine Savage
Nursing roles in addressing addiction
Cancer, Alcohol, and Aging
Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven m... more Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven million deaths per year, the majority of which occur in those 65 years of age and older. Adults 65 years of age or older with a history of at-risk alcohol use over their life time, particularly those with a history of tobacco use, should be routinely screened for alcohol-related cancers. Understanding the relationship between the metabolism of alcohol and cancer is essential knowledge for health care providers who care for older adults. In addition, applying appropriate interventions for older adults experiencing alcohol-associated cancers can assist with decreased alcohol use and pain management.
The Essentials Competencies
Nurse Educator, Jun 12, 2020
Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk f... more Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk for injury, noncommunicable disease, and premature death and contributes to the global burden of disease. Problem The morbidity and mortality rates among patients with at-risk substance use point to the need for future nurses to have the requisite knowledge and competencies to provide care for this population. Approach This article provides guidance for nurse educators in designing curricula that include content related to substance use, including screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. Outcomes Expected outcomes for baccalaureate, master's, and doctor of nursing practice programs are informed by the corresponding American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. Conclusion The overall goal of this guidance for nursing education is to advance the knowledge and competencies of the future nursing workforce to address the continuum of substance use and improve the health of the nation.
A Concept Analysis of Substance Misuse to Inform Contemporary Terminology
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, Dec 1, 2017
Previous diagnostic categories of substance abuse and dependence have given way to the current vi... more Previous diagnostic categories of substance abuse and dependence have given way to the current view that substance use disorders occur on a continuum with a broad range of severity. This current view is featured in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM V). In recognizing the role of stigma in preventing persons from seeking substance use treatment, advocates have called attention that particular terminology can fuel such stigma. To mitigate the negative effects of such stigmatizing language, the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE) recommends against using previously-used and possibly pejorative terminology for substance abuse and dependence, unless a particular scientific justification exists. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) present a concept analysis of the term substance misuse and (2) recommend an alternate term for substance misuse that is neither pejorative nor inadvertently stigmatizing: at-risk substance use.
Journal of Addictions Nursing, Jul 1, 2015
About one in every seven Americans is an older adult (13.7%). Almost half (41.7%) of this populat... more About one in every seven Americans is an older adult (13.7%). Almost half (41.7%) of this population reported current alcohol use in 2013 with a little more than 1 in 10 (11.2%) reporting at-risk use of alcohol, placing them at risk for adverse consequences associated with alcohol use such as injury, use of alcohol-interactive medications, and use of alcohol contraindicated in other comorbid medical and psychiatric diagnoses, underlying the importance of having reliable and valid methods to screening for at-risk alcohol use in older adults. The question is, ''are we making progress in this area?''. The purpose of this review is to present two publications, a decade apart, focused on systematically screening older adults to prevent or reduce the harms associated with alcohol use. In addition, this review includes an examination of the shift from focusing on identifying older adults with a possible alcohol use disorder to identifying alcohol-related health risks across the continuum of use in older adults.
A Comparative Review of Guides for Implementing Alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions Into Trauma and Primary Care Settings
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2015
The likelihood that a patient is currently using alcohol is high across all health care settings ... more The likelihood that a patient is currently using alcohol is high across all health care settings with almost one in four persons in the United States aged 12 years or over reporting excessive drinking on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is an evidence-based approach to help decrease alcohol-related harm among persons seeking health care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Committee on Trauma, American College of Surgeons, have provided guidelines for implementation of an SBI program within a health care organization. This column provides a comparative overview of three of these guides. These guides provide practical information to help nurses and other health care providers with the planning and implementation of alcohol SBI into routine practice.
BACKGROUND RESULTS METHODS CONCLUSIONS Purpose: Screening, brief intervention and referral to tre... more BACKGROUND RESULTS METHODS CONCLUSIONS Purpose: Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a set of clinical strategies recommended for use to identify and provide appropriate services to those at risk for alcohol and/or drug related consequences. The use of SBIRT by advanced practice nurses requires inclusion of SBIRT and related content in nursing curricula. While implementing SBIRT curricula in Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) programs, we conducted surveys with students prior to SBIRT training to identify baseline levels of importance, confidence, and current practice related to SBIRT. Methods: The cross-sectional survey was completed with 365 students in 7 APRN programs. Depending upon the mode of instruction for the APRN program (online or classroom) surveys were administered through an online data collection tool or on paper. Importance and confidence measures and current practice measures were asked separately for alcohol and drugs. Data were...
Changes in Nursing Students' Attitudes and Perceptions After Receipt of Enhanced Substance Use-Related Curricular Content
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2021
BACKGROUND Negative attitudes toward persons who use alcohol and other drugs contribute to subopt... more BACKGROUND Negative attitudes toward persons who use alcohol and other drugs contribute to suboptimal care. Nurses are in key roles to address the needs of this population, yet they lack the education needed to identify persons who may be at risk because of substance use and intervene accordingly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a substance-use-related curriculum on nursing students' attitudes and therapeutic commitment for working with patients with alcohol- and drug-use-related problems. METHODS Data were collected for four cohorts of 169 nursing students enrolled in a Master's Entry into Nursing program. Questionnaires included the Person-Centered Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire and the Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire, completed before and after completing the curriculum. Paired samples t test were used to examine pre/post differences for each measure's subscale. RESULTS Four of the seven Person-Centered Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire subscales showing significant increases were role adequacy, role support, role legitimacy, and general perceptions. Four of the five Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire subscales showing significant increases were role adequacy, role support, job satisfaction, and role legitimacy; there was a significant change in role-related self-esteem, however, in a negative direction. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to the growing evidence of the positive impact of providing evidence-based information and skill development, which enhance alcohol- and drug-related knowledge and competence for nurses entering professional practice.
Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2020
Aims Given the importance of addressing provider attitudes toward individuals with unhealthy alco... more Aims Given the importance of addressing provider attitudes toward individuals with unhealthy alcohol use and the current emphasis on person-centered language to help decrease stigma and mitigate negative attitudes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a contemporary version of the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (AAPPQ) that uses person-centered language and addresses the spectrum of alcohol use. Methods The authors created a person-centered version of the AAPPQ (PC-AAPPQ) and conducted a cross-sectional study of its psychometric properties in academic settings in the Northeastern United States. The PC-AAPPQ was administered to 651 nursing students. Reliability analysis of the new instrument was performed using the total sample. Only surveys with complete data (n = 637) were randomly split into two datasets, one used for the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n = 310) and the other for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n = 327)...
The Essentials Competencies
Nurse Educator, 2019
Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk f... more Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk for injury, noncommunicable disease, and premature death and contributes to the global burden of disease. Problem The morbidity and mortality rates among patients with at-risk substance use point to the need for future nurses to have the requisite knowledge and competencies to provide care for this population. Approach This article provides guidance for nurse educators in designing curricula that include content related to substance use, including screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. Outcomes Expected outcomes for baccalaureate, master's, and doctor of nursing practice programs are informed by the corresponding American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. Conclusion The overall goal of this guidance for nursing education is to advance the knowledge and competencies of the future nursing workforce to address the continuum of substance use and improve the...
Time-Conscious Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Students, Nurses, and Nurse Leaders
Journal of continuing education in nursing, 2018
Alcohol is the third leading cause of death and a preventable risk factor contributing to more th... more Alcohol is the third leading cause of death and a preventable risk factor contributing to more than 200 diseases and conditions. Unquestionably, health care practitioners should routinely screen and give patients brief feedback on alcohol consumption related to health outcomes; however, they rarely ask patients about alcohol use. Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI), a public health model of prevention and identification of at-risk alcohol use, has not been widely disseminated. The nursing profession, the largest and most trusted sector of the health care workforce, is perfectly poised to close this gap. This article describes the development of a two-university, grant-funded collaborative online educational program with unique and time-conscious simulation and testing components to increase the knowledge and skills of nurses. The goal of the program is to promote alcohol SBI as a standard of practice in all settings. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(10):467-473.
Journal of Professional Nursing, 2017
Cancer, Alcohol, and Aging
Alcohol and Aging, 2016
Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven m... more Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven million deaths per year, the majority of which occur in those 65 years of age and older. Adults 65 years of age or older with a history of at-risk alcohol use over their life time, particularly those with a history of tobacco use, should be routinely screened for alcohol-related cancers. Understanding the relationship between the metabolism of alcohol and cancer is essential knowledge for health care providers who care for older adults. In addition, applying appropriate interventions for older adults experiencing alcohol-associated cancers can assist with decreased alcohol use and pain management.
Inclusion of SBIRT strategies related to substance use on hospital nursing assessment forms
Purpose: In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSH... more Purpose: In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) the Joint Commission piloted four performance measures related to Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for substance use. In 2012 hospitals could select these measures to meet their four core measure set accreditation requirement. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which SBIRT components were included on nursing admission documents in acute care settings Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with the nursing assessment form as the unit of analysis. Chief nursing officers from acute care hospitals in Baltimore and Cincinnati metropolitan statistical areas were asked to submit copies of nursing assessment forms. The assessment forms were reviewed to see if they included items related to alcohol and other drug consumption, and the four elements of SBIRT. Data were extracted and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Of the 55...
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2006
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2008
Problem alcohol and drug use by adult homeless persons may put them at higher risk for other heal... more Problem alcohol and drug use by adult homeless persons may put them at higher risk for other health problems and impact their access to health care. The purpose of this study was to determine if those with a positive screen for problem alcohol or drug use were at increased odds for having a lower health status and less access to care than those without problem alcohol or drug use. This was a secondary analysis of health survey data from a study related to the health of homeless adults. The survey included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10) for evaluating problem substance use; health related quality of life, health care utilization, and medical history were also included. The impact of problem alcohol use or drug use on the odds of reporting lower general health status, a history of physical or mental illness, use of the emergency department (ED), and problems getting health care when needed, were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 112 adult homeless participants completed the survey. Participants with problem alcohol use tended to be less likely to obtain health care when needed (OR = 2.3, p = 0.05). Those with problem alcohol or drug use were not at increased odds of reporting a lower general health status, a positive medical history, or ED use. Problem alcohol use was associated with decreased access to health care when needed. Screening for problem alcohol use among homeless adults may not only help to identify those in need of interventions related to alcohol use but also help to identify those in need of help in accessing general health care.
Alcohol Consumption and Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2007
Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) consists of two components, an acute life threatening disorder k... more Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) consists of two components, an acute life threatening disorder known as Wernike's encephalopathy (WE) and a chronic condition known as Korsakoff Psychosis (KP). The...
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 1999
The objective of this study was to assess whether duration rather than quantity or frequency of m... more The objective of this study was to assess whether duration rather than quantity or frequency of maternal smoking during pregnancy significantly accounted for the explained variance in birth weight. The study was a prospective descriptive study using a convenience sample. The study took place in two prenatal clinics located in two mid-Atlantic innercity teaching hospitals. Participants were 165 maternal-infant pairs. The main outcome measures were birth weights adjusted for baby's sex, race, and length of gestation. Fifty-seven (34.6%) of the mothers reported a history of smoking prior to pregnancy. Of these, 40 continued to smoke during pregnancy. A significantly larger proportion of smoking mothers had infants in the 10th percentile for birth weight (z =-2.965; p < 0.003). The overall regression model was significant, and the only significant predictor of birth weight was duration of maternal smoking during pregnancy (R = 0.237; F[ 1.1631 = 9.723; p < 0.01). Initial prenatal assessments must include a history of maternal smoking. For mothers identified as smokers, nursing interventions should include smoking cessation programs as early as the first prenatal visit. Furthermore, since pregnancy recognition normally occurs at or after 6 weeks, prevention efforts should focus on smoking cessation programs for women throughout their childbearing years.
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2009
Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 2012
Nursing roles in addressing addiction
Cancer, Alcohol, and Aging
Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven m... more Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven million deaths per year, the majority of which occur in those 65 years of age and older. Adults 65 years of age or older with a history of at-risk alcohol use over their life time, particularly those with a history of tobacco use, should be routinely screened for alcohol-related cancers. Understanding the relationship between the metabolism of alcohol and cancer is essential knowledge for health care providers who care for older adults. In addition, applying appropriate interventions for older adults experiencing alcohol-associated cancers can assist with decreased alcohol use and pain management.
The Essentials Competencies
Nurse Educator, Jun 12, 2020
Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk f... more Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk for injury, noncommunicable disease, and premature death and contributes to the global burden of disease. Problem The morbidity and mortality rates among patients with at-risk substance use point to the need for future nurses to have the requisite knowledge and competencies to provide care for this population. Approach This article provides guidance for nurse educators in designing curricula that include content related to substance use, including screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. Outcomes Expected outcomes for baccalaureate, master's, and doctor of nursing practice programs are informed by the corresponding American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. Conclusion The overall goal of this guidance for nursing education is to advance the knowledge and competencies of the future nursing workforce to address the continuum of substance use and improve the health of the nation.
A Concept Analysis of Substance Misuse to Inform Contemporary Terminology
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, Dec 1, 2017
Previous diagnostic categories of substance abuse and dependence have given way to the current vi... more Previous diagnostic categories of substance abuse and dependence have given way to the current view that substance use disorders occur on a continuum with a broad range of severity. This current view is featured in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM V). In recognizing the role of stigma in preventing persons from seeking substance use treatment, advocates have called attention that particular terminology can fuel such stigma. To mitigate the negative effects of such stigmatizing language, the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE) recommends against using previously-used and possibly pejorative terminology for substance abuse and dependence, unless a particular scientific justification exists. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) present a concept analysis of the term substance misuse and (2) recommend an alternate term for substance misuse that is neither pejorative nor inadvertently stigmatizing: at-risk substance use.
Journal of Addictions Nursing, Jul 1, 2015
About one in every seven Americans is an older adult (13.7%). Almost half (41.7%) of this populat... more About one in every seven Americans is an older adult (13.7%). Almost half (41.7%) of this population reported current alcohol use in 2013 with a little more than 1 in 10 (11.2%) reporting at-risk use of alcohol, placing them at risk for adverse consequences associated with alcohol use such as injury, use of alcohol-interactive medications, and use of alcohol contraindicated in other comorbid medical and psychiatric diagnoses, underlying the importance of having reliable and valid methods to screening for at-risk alcohol use in older adults. The question is, ''are we making progress in this area?''. The purpose of this review is to present two publications, a decade apart, focused on systematically screening older adults to prevent or reduce the harms associated with alcohol use. In addition, this review includes an examination of the shift from focusing on identifying older adults with a possible alcohol use disorder to identifying alcohol-related health risks across the continuum of use in older adults.
A Comparative Review of Guides for Implementing Alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions Into Trauma and Primary Care Settings
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2015
The likelihood that a patient is currently using alcohol is high across all health care settings ... more The likelihood that a patient is currently using alcohol is high across all health care settings with almost one in four persons in the United States aged 12 years or over reporting excessive drinking on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is an evidence-based approach to help decrease alcohol-related harm among persons seeking health care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Committee on Trauma, American College of Surgeons, have provided guidelines for implementation of an SBI program within a health care organization. This column provides a comparative overview of three of these guides. These guides provide practical information to help nurses and other health care providers with the planning and implementation of alcohol SBI into routine practice.
BACKGROUND RESULTS METHODS CONCLUSIONS Purpose: Screening, brief intervention and referral to tre... more BACKGROUND RESULTS METHODS CONCLUSIONS Purpose: Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a set of clinical strategies recommended for use to identify and provide appropriate services to those at risk for alcohol and/or drug related consequences. The use of SBIRT by advanced practice nurses requires inclusion of SBIRT and related content in nursing curricula. While implementing SBIRT curricula in Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) programs, we conducted surveys with students prior to SBIRT training to identify baseline levels of importance, confidence, and current practice related to SBIRT. Methods: The cross-sectional survey was completed with 365 students in 7 APRN programs. Depending upon the mode of instruction for the APRN program (online or classroom) surveys were administered through an online data collection tool or on paper. Importance and confidence measures and current practice measures were asked separately for alcohol and drugs. Data were...
Changes in Nursing Students' Attitudes and Perceptions After Receipt of Enhanced Substance Use-Related Curricular Content
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2021
BACKGROUND Negative attitudes toward persons who use alcohol and other drugs contribute to subopt... more BACKGROUND Negative attitudes toward persons who use alcohol and other drugs contribute to suboptimal care. Nurses are in key roles to address the needs of this population, yet they lack the education needed to identify persons who may be at risk because of substance use and intervene accordingly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a substance-use-related curriculum on nursing students' attitudes and therapeutic commitment for working with patients with alcohol- and drug-use-related problems. METHODS Data were collected for four cohorts of 169 nursing students enrolled in a Master's Entry into Nursing program. Questionnaires included the Person-Centered Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire and the Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire, completed before and after completing the curriculum. Paired samples t test were used to examine pre/post differences for each measure's subscale. RESULTS Four of the seven Person-Centered Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire subscales showing significant increases were role adequacy, role support, role legitimacy, and general perceptions. Four of the five Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire subscales showing significant increases were role adequacy, role support, job satisfaction, and role legitimacy; there was a significant change in role-related self-esteem, however, in a negative direction. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to the growing evidence of the positive impact of providing evidence-based information and skill development, which enhance alcohol- and drug-related knowledge and competence for nurses entering professional practice.
Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2020
Aims Given the importance of addressing provider attitudes toward individuals with unhealthy alco... more Aims Given the importance of addressing provider attitudes toward individuals with unhealthy alcohol use and the current emphasis on person-centered language to help decrease stigma and mitigate negative attitudes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a contemporary version of the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (AAPPQ) that uses person-centered language and addresses the spectrum of alcohol use. Methods The authors created a person-centered version of the AAPPQ (PC-AAPPQ) and conducted a cross-sectional study of its psychometric properties in academic settings in the Northeastern United States. The PC-AAPPQ was administered to 651 nursing students. Reliability analysis of the new instrument was performed using the total sample. Only surveys with complete data (n = 637) were randomly split into two datasets, one used for the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n = 310) and the other for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n = 327)...
The Essentials Competencies
Nurse Educator, 2019
Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk f... more Background The use of substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs increases the risk for injury, noncommunicable disease, and premature death and contributes to the global burden of disease. Problem The morbidity and mortality rates among patients with at-risk substance use point to the need for future nurses to have the requisite knowledge and competencies to provide care for this population. Approach This article provides guidance for nurse educators in designing curricula that include content related to substance use, including screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. Outcomes Expected outcomes for baccalaureate, master's, and doctor of nursing practice programs are informed by the corresponding American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. Conclusion The overall goal of this guidance for nursing education is to advance the knowledge and competencies of the future nursing workforce to address the continuum of substance use and improve the...
Time-Conscious Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Students, Nurses, and Nurse Leaders
Journal of continuing education in nursing, 2018
Alcohol is the third leading cause of death and a preventable risk factor contributing to more th... more Alcohol is the third leading cause of death and a preventable risk factor contributing to more than 200 diseases and conditions. Unquestionably, health care practitioners should routinely screen and give patients brief feedback on alcohol consumption related to health outcomes; however, they rarely ask patients about alcohol use. Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI), a public health model of prevention and identification of at-risk alcohol use, has not been widely disseminated. The nursing profession, the largest and most trusted sector of the health care workforce, is perfectly poised to close this gap. This article describes the development of a two-university, grant-funded collaborative online educational program with unique and time-conscious simulation and testing components to increase the knowledge and skills of nurses. The goal of the program is to promote alcohol SBI as a standard of practice in all settings. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(10):467-473.
Journal of Professional Nursing, 2017
Cancer, Alcohol, and Aging
Alcohol and Aging, 2016
Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven m... more Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen and has been attributed to almost seven million deaths per year, the majority of which occur in those 65 years of age and older. Adults 65 years of age or older with a history of at-risk alcohol use over their life time, particularly those with a history of tobacco use, should be routinely screened for alcohol-related cancers. Understanding the relationship between the metabolism of alcohol and cancer is essential knowledge for health care providers who care for older adults. In addition, applying appropriate interventions for older adults experiencing alcohol-associated cancers can assist with decreased alcohol use and pain management.
Inclusion of SBIRT strategies related to substance use on hospital nursing assessment forms
Purpose: In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSH... more Purpose: In partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) the Joint Commission piloted four performance measures related to Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for substance use. In 2012 hospitals could select these measures to meet their four core measure set accreditation requirement. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which SBIRT components were included on nursing admission documents in acute care settings Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with the nursing assessment form as the unit of analysis. Chief nursing officers from acute care hospitals in Baltimore and Cincinnati metropolitan statistical areas were asked to submit copies of nursing assessment forms. The assessment forms were reviewed to see if they included items related to alcohol and other drug consumption, and the four elements of SBIRT. Data were extracted and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Of the 55...
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2006
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2008
Problem alcohol and drug use by adult homeless persons may put them at higher risk for other heal... more Problem alcohol and drug use by adult homeless persons may put them at higher risk for other health problems and impact their access to health care. The purpose of this study was to determine if those with a positive screen for problem alcohol or drug use were at increased odds for having a lower health status and less access to care than those without problem alcohol or drug use. This was a secondary analysis of health survey data from a study related to the health of homeless adults. The survey included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10) for evaluating problem substance use; health related quality of life, health care utilization, and medical history were also included. The impact of problem alcohol use or drug use on the odds of reporting lower general health status, a history of physical or mental illness, use of the emergency department (ED), and problems getting health care when needed, were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 112 adult homeless participants completed the survey. Participants with problem alcohol use tended to be less likely to obtain health care when needed (OR = 2.3, p = 0.05). Those with problem alcohol or drug use were not at increased odds of reporting a lower general health status, a positive medical history, or ED use. Problem alcohol use was associated with decreased access to health care when needed. Screening for problem alcohol use among homeless adults may not only help to identify those in need of interventions related to alcohol use but also help to identify those in need of help in accessing general health care.
Alcohol Consumption and Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2007
Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) consists of two components, an acute life threatening disorder k... more Wernike Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) consists of two components, an acute life threatening disorder known as Wernike's encephalopathy (WE) and a chronic condition known as Korsakoff Psychosis (KP). The...
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 1999
The objective of this study was to assess whether duration rather than quantity or frequency of m... more The objective of this study was to assess whether duration rather than quantity or frequency of maternal smoking during pregnancy significantly accounted for the explained variance in birth weight. The study was a prospective descriptive study using a convenience sample. The study took place in two prenatal clinics located in two mid-Atlantic innercity teaching hospitals. Participants were 165 maternal-infant pairs. The main outcome measures were birth weights adjusted for baby's sex, race, and length of gestation. Fifty-seven (34.6%) of the mothers reported a history of smoking prior to pregnancy. Of these, 40 continued to smoke during pregnancy. A significantly larger proportion of smoking mothers had infants in the 10th percentile for birth weight (z =-2.965; p < 0.003). The overall regression model was significant, and the only significant predictor of birth weight was duration of maternal smoking during pregnancy (R = 0.237; F[ 1.1631 = 9.723; p < 0.01). Initial prenatal assessments must include a history of maternal smoking. For mothers identified as smokers, nursing interventions should include smoking cessation programs as early as the first prenatal visit. Furthermore, since pregnancy recognition normally occurs at or after 6 weeks, prevention efforts should focus on smoking cessation programs for women throughout their childbearing years.
Journal of Addictions Nursing, 2009
Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 2012