Richard O. Scott

Exposure to violence among inner-city youth

Interpersonal violence is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adolescents and young adults. In this study, 246 inner city, predominantly black youth (ages 14-23 years) were surveyed regarding their exposure to, and participation in, violent acts. An in-depth psychological interview was also completed. A total of 44% reported they could access a gun within one day, 42% have seen someone shot or knifed, and 22% have seen someone killed. In the preceding 3 months, 18% reported carrying a gun, and 32% had been in a physical fight; 34 subjects were rated by the psychologists as a high risk for involvement in violent acts. Those subjects were more likely to be of lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.01) and to have been physically abused (p < 0.001) but no more likely to be a witness to violent events. Inner-city youth are frequently exposed to violence. Those at risk for perpetration of violence were more likely to be at high risk for most other health-risk behaviors.

Validation of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test

Elder abuse is recognized as an underdetected and an underreported social problem. Difficulties in detecting elder abuse are compounded by lack of a standardized, psychometrically valid instrument for case finding. The authors examined the construct validity of the 15-item Hwalek- Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST). Nine items were found to discriminate significantly among three groups: (a) elders whose reported abuse was substantiated by adult protective services (APS) case workers, (b) elders whose reported abuse was not substantiated by APS workers, and (c) a community-based comparison group. The data suggest that this short, easy-to-administer screening device can be useful to service providers interested in identifying people at high risk of the need for protective services.

Reasons for Drinking Alcohol: Their Relationship to Psychosocial Variables and Alcohol Consumption

The present investigation was designed to gain a better understanding of the psychosocial factors that predict reasons for drinking alcohol and how these drinking motives differentially relate to alcohol consumption. Four distinct reasons for drinking alcohol scales were established through factor analysis: drink to cope, drink to be sociable, drink to enhance social confidence, and drink for enjoyment. Multiple regression analyses showed that 1) each reason for drinking was predicted by a somewhat different set of demographic and psychosocial variables, and 2) the reasons for drinking, in turn, differentially predicted multiple indicators of quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. Theoretical implications of the study results and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Serum cholesterol and colorectal polyps

Colorectal cancer and hypocholesterolemia have recently been associated, and colorectal polyps have a known relationship with colorectal cancer. In order to establish further evidence regarding the nature of the serum cholesterol-colorectal cancer relationship, this study investigated the hypothesis that men with colorectal polyps would have lower serum cholesterol levels than men without polyps. Of the 1380 men screened by sigmoidoscopy for colorectal polyps, 246 had at least one polyp. The men with polyps were older than those without, and also had higher cholesterol levels, but after controlling for age, there were no serum cholesterol differences. These data suggest that low serum cholesterol is not etiologically linked to cancer. Analyses of potentially confounding variables showed smoking to be strongly related to the presence of polyps.

Subjective, Social, and Physical Availability. II. Their Simultaneous Effects on Alcohol Consumption

Part I of this (this journal, Vol. 25, No. 8, pp. 889-910) series described the theoretical justification for this research, the methods and measures used, and the interrelationships between indicators of physical, subjective, and social availability. Part II explores the relationships between these variables and alcohol consumption using bivariate analyses and structural equation modeling. As predicted, for these metropolitan residents, physical distance from an outlet only indirectly related to alcohol consumption via its negative relationship to subjective availability. Indicators of both subjective and social availability positively related to alcohol consumption. The implications of these results for future availability research and prevention programming are discussed.

SUBJECTIVE, SOCIAL, AND PHYSICAL AVAILABILITY. I, THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The alcohol availability literature suggests that physical conditions which restrict alcohol availability reduce rates of alcohol consumption. Smart (1980) argued that the availability construct should be expanded to include subjective and social components. It was hypothesized that people who perceived alcohol to be subjectively and socially available would consume more alcohol than those who did not and that physical availability would only indirectly affect consumption. These hypotheses were examined using data from a telephone survey. In Part I, the interrelationships between physical, subjective, and social availability are described. In Part II (this journal, Vol. 25, No. 9), the relationships between these variables and alcohol consumption are explored.

Cholesterol Reduction among Volunteers in a Health Promotion Project

Behavioral contracting was used with moderate success as a primary intervention strategy in an urban clinic-based health promotion program designed to reduce serum cholesterol. Of the 223 adults screened, 144 had high serum cholesterol. One hundred and eighteen attended an interpretation/education session, and 51 participants agreed to sign a behavioral contract. Among those who signed contracts, adherence to American Heart Association dietary guidelines was significantly related to serum cholesterol changes. Eleven of the 46 adults who returned for the six-month clinical assessment reduced their cholesterol levels to recommended levels.