Jebose O. Okwumabua

Age of onset, periods of risk, and patterns of progression in drug use among american indian high school students

A sample of 277 Native American students (grades 7 to 12) was surveyed to examine the age of onset, patterns of progression, and periods of risk for drug use. Results suggest that Native American youth begin smoking cigarettes and marijuana, drinking, sniffing solvents, and using cocaine as early as 10 years of age. The period of risk for initiation of drug use was between the ages of 10 and 13 years. Implications for drug use prevention-education programming are presented.

Screening African-American Elderly for the Presence of Depressive Symptoms: A Preliminary Investigation

Several authors have reported that older African-Americans with multiple medical problems and decreased activities of daily living are at an increased risk of reporting symptoms of depression. African-Americans were more likely to report symptoms of anger, irritability, denial of illness, and to spontaneously report symptoms that did not reflect a change in mood, but rather forbearance of a difficult time or somatic complaints. This paper describes the results of a study to assess the presence of depressive symptoms in older African-American community residents. Anew instrument, the Baker Belief Scale, is compared with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and the association of medical illnesses, social network, and level of physical function in activities of daily living (ADL). Ninety-six African-American men and women, aged 60 years or older, with equal representation from urban and rural counties in western Tennessee comprised the sample. The sample was stratified, in each of the two counties, into three age categories; 60-69, 70-79, and 80 years and older. A screening battery consisting of the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the CES-D, the Lubben Social Network Scale, and the Katz ADL were administered to the sample. Current medical illnesses were recorded with demographic data. There was a significant association between the CES-D score and the BBS score for those who screened positive for symptoms of depression. In addition there was a significant relationship between CES-D score and specific medical illnesses, social network, physical function in ADL, and residence (urban vs. rural). Residents who screened positive (N = 19) for depressive symptomatology with CES-D scores of 16 or higher exhibited a higher frequency of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and circulatory problems than those who tested negative (N = 77). More urban residents (N = 13) than rural residents (N = 6) screened positive for symptoms of depression. Approximately 21% (N = 20) of the 96 respondents had scores of 20 or less on the Lubben Social Network Scale, suggesting a group “at risk” for social isolation.

Effects of a Preventive Alcohol Education Program after Three Years.

A three-year evaluation of Nebraska students (N = 130) was conducted to gauge the long-term influence of an initial preventive alcohol education intervention. The initial intervention was developed around the inoculation model of McGuire which proposes that individuals can be inoculated against persuasive verbal appeals and thus resist specific pressures. Students in the initial program were assessed and found to be highly susceptible to peer pressure to misuse alcohol. Subjects were followed through their junior year in high school and assessed on the following self-report alcohol-related behaviors: frequency of riding with drinking drivers; frequency of drinking and, frequency of drinking to excess. Cognitive areas assessed included items assessing the concept of tolerance to alcohol. Results suggest that after three years frequency of risky alcohol-related behavior between experimental and control students was not significantly different. Assessments of cognitive items revealed no statistically significant differences between experimental and control students. When viewed in context with prior evaluations of these subjects at two-weeks and six-months time, the findings are disappointing yet informative. The claim that specific “educational inoculation” strategies play a long-term role in delaying the initiation of risky health behavior in adolescents is discussed. The judicious integration of periodic, sequential, and meaningful booster components into school-based environments is recommended as a potential way to achieve a more lasting effect in preventive inoculation efforts.

Perspectives of Low-Income African Americans on Syphilis and HIV: Implications for Prevention

Infectious syphilis disproportionately affects African Americans living in poverty in metropolitan areas in the southeastern United States. In this population, where syphilis persists, the rates of HIV and AIDS are also persistently high. In an effort to facilitate the design of more effective prevention programs, the present investigation employed focus groups to obtain information from low-income African Americans concerning the determinants of high rates of syphilis and HIV/AIDS in their communities. The subjects were 36 African American men and women ages 18 to 56 residing in metropolitan Memphis and surrounding Shelby County, Tennessee. Overall, the authors found significant lack of awareness of the magnitude of HIV/AIDS and syphilis in African American communities and lack of knowledge about the etiology and transmission of syphilis. The investigation points to the important role of women and partnerships of community organizations in preventing the spread of HIV, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted diseases in this population.

Onset of Drug Use among Rural Black Youth

A sample of 362 Black students (grades 7 to 12) who reside in a rural county in Alabama was surveyed by teacher-administered questionnaire to examine the age of onset and periods of risk for drug use, and patterns of multiple drug use. A questionnaire was used also to obtain demographic parameters of drug use as well as information about the use of six categories of drugs. Results suggest that aggregately rural Black youth began drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and marijuana, and using smokeless tobacco and solvents by age 10 years, whereas initiation into cocaine use began by age 1 years. The period of risk for initiation of drug use was between ages 10 and 14 years. Approximately 65% of ever-users were single drug users, whereas 35% were multiple drug users at the period of initial experimentation.

Health Promotion Efforts in an Isolated Hispanic Community: The Mora Substance Abuse Prevention Project.

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Alcohol Education; Community Cooperation; *Community Involvement; Cultural Isolation; Drinking; *Drug Education; Drug Use; Ethnic Groups; Health Education; *Hispanic Americans; Marijuana; *Rural Areas; Rural Schools; Secondary Education; Secondary School Students; Small Schools IDENTIFIERS *Health Promotion; Isolation (Geographic); *New Mexico (Mora County); Substance Abuse

Anger Expression Mode, Depressive Symptoms, Hopelessness, and Decision Coping among African American Adolescents

This study examined the relationship between anger expression mode, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and decision coping patterns among a non-clinical community sample of 276 low-income African American adolescents (mean age = 14.47). Participants were students in sixth through tenth grades enrolled in health and wellness classes in two public schools in West Tennessee. They were asked to complete a battery of instruments including the Anger Style Inventory, Childrens Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale for Children, and Flinders Adolescent Decision Making Questionnaire. Findings indicate a significant association between anger expression mode, depressive symptomatology, hopelessness, and decision coping pattern among study participants. Gender and screening positive for depressive symptoms predicted participants anger response mode. Using multiple assessment scales may provide useful information toward preventing the onset of clinically significant emotional disorders among adolescents.

Promoting Health and Wellness in African American Males through Rites of Passage Training

The current work presents exploratory research findings related to the effectiveness of Let the Circle Be Unbroken, an African-centered “rites of passage” training program, to promote health and well-being in a sample of high-risk, African American males. An abbreviated version of the ADPRC-TADPOLE questionnaire was administered to 39 African American boys, between the ages of 8 and 16 years, who were participating in a community-based “rites of passage” training program. Findings suggest that the Let the Circle Be Unbroken training program is a viable program for improving self-esteem among young African American males. The implications of this research are relevant to the reduction of some health disparities observed among underrepresented populations, especially African American males.