Browsing by Subject "Alcohol use"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Alcohol-Related Hot-Spot Analysis and Prediction
    (Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2017-05) Schneider, William H.; Stakleff, Brandon; Buser, Lauren
    This project developed methods to more accurately identify alcohol-related crash hot spots, ultimately allowing for more effective and efficient enforcement and safety campaigns. Advancements in accuracy came from improving the calculation of spatial autocorrelation and interpolation, the identification of spatio-temporal patterns, and the influence of geographical patterns on the spatial distribution of crashes. The project then used the location-based hot-spot maps created using these improved methods to develop a new method of patrolling for intoxicated drivers. This method guides officers to statistically significant locations where intoxicated drivers are most likely to be, allowing officers to be more accurate while patrolling. Additionally, this method allows officers to pass through more alcohol-related crash locations per minute and mile than current patrolling practices. By improving how officers patrol, individuals may be deterred from driving while intoxicated, and alcohol-related crashes may be ultimately reduced.
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    Data related to Genetic diversity fuels gene discovery for tobacco and alcohol use
    (2022-10-13) Saunders, Gretchen R B; Wang, Xingyan; Chen, Fang; Jang, Seon-Kyeong; Liu, Mengzhen; Wang, Chen; Liu, Dajiang J; Vrieze, Scott; saund247@umn.edu; Saunders, Gretchen R B
    We conducted a meta-analysis of 60 genome wide association studies (GWAS) in up to 3.4 million participants from four major ancestries on nicotine and substance use. Specifically, we targeted different stages and kinds of substance use from initiation (smoking initiation and age of regular smoking initiation) to regular use (drinks per week and cigarettes per day) to cessation (smoking cessation). Here we present the final set of filtered meta-analysis summary statistics and polygenic risk score weights excluding 23andMe. As per requirement and to ease dissemination of our results for other scientific endeavors, we are sharing our results here to facilitate downloading.
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    Effects of Alcohol on Motorcycle Riding Skills
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2007-12) Creaser, Janet; Ward, Nic; Rakauskas, Mick; Boer, E.; Shankwitz, Craig; Nardi, Flavia
    Alcohol is known to disrupt the effect of neurotransmitters and impair various psychomotor skills. Indeed, alcohol intoxication is a significant risk factor for fatal traffic crashes, especially when riding a motorcycle. At present, there is sparse research on the impairing effects of alcohol on skills involved in motorcycle control. This study was designed to measure the effect of alcohol (up to a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter) on a broad set of basic riding skills. These riding skills were assessed on a test track with task scenarios based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s training program. This study used a balanced incomplete block design to remove confounding artifacts (learning effects) by randomizing four BACs across three test days. Performance was characterized in terms of riding strategy used to cope with the effects of alcohol as a neurological stressor and the amount of resulting impairment with reference to specified performance standards. The analysis controlled for rider gender and age, riding skill, and drinking history. The results showed there were observable changes in motorcycle control and rider behavior in response to alcohol that are indicative of impairment. In general, intoxicated riders demonstrated longer response times and adopted larger tolerances leading to more task performance errors. Riders appeared to protect bike stability at the expense of other task performance and riders tried harder -- where possible -- to fully or partially compensate for the negative effects of alcohol. Most of the alcohol effects were evident at the per se BAC .08 g/dL level, but some of the effects were observed at the lower BAC .05. Given that this study used experienced riders performing highly practiced tasks with low to moderate levels of alcohol, the effect of alcohol on motorcycle control and rider behavior were modest except when task demand was high (offset weave), time pressure was high (hazard avoidance for near obstacles), and tolerances were constrained (circuit track). The practical significance of the findings was discussed in terms of study constraints.
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    Elucidating The Smoking Cessation Process Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Smokers With Serious Mental Illness
    (2018-03) Hammett, Patrick
    Introduction The decline in smoking prevalence has been paralleled by widening mental health and socioeconomic disparities in smoking rates.1 To identify points of intervention, this dissertation presents three studies that elucidate the smoking cessation process among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers with serious mental illness (SMI). Methods The following studies are secondary data analyses of the OPTIN study. ICD-9 codes categorized participants into SMI (n=1044) and non-SMI (n=1277) groups. The first study utilized mediation analysis to examine whether physician cessation treatment advice and physician bias mediate the association between SMI and treatment utilization. The second study utilized logistic regression to examine the intervention effect among smokers with and without SMI, and whether it was more effective for smokers with SMI. Using multinomial and linear regressions, the third study examined how smoking abstinence affects binge drinking and mental health among smokers with and without SMI. Results In the first study, smokers with SMI utilized treatments at higher rates than those without SMI. This effect was mediated by physician treatment advice (Proportion Mediated=11.7%), but not bias. In the second study, the intervention increased treatment utilization in the SMI (51.6% vs 38.1%) and the non-SMI group (38.6% vs 25.8%). The intervention increased abstinence in the non-SMI group (18.1% vs 12.8%) and the SMI group (14.7% vs 10.8%). There were no significant interactions. In the third study, smokers who quit had lower odds of binge drinking for more than 3 days per month in the SMI (OR = 0.26) and the non-SMI group (OR = 0.42). Smokers who quit had lower depression scores in the SMI (2.37 vs 2.71) and the non-SMI group (1.59 vs 1.75). In the SMI group, smokers who quit reported lower anxiety scores (55.61 vs. 59.03). Discussion These studies highlight the importance of healthcare providers in the cessation process, demonstrate that proactive outreach is effective for treatment utilization and abstinence, and provide evidence for beneficial effects of smoking abstinence in the domains of mental health and alcohol use. These findings underscore the need to facilitate access and utilization of cessation treatments among smokers with mental illness.
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    An exploration of alcohol use in Karen refugee communities in the context of conflict-related displacement
    (2013-07) McCleary, Jennifer Simmelink
    Refugees who are displaced due to political conflict often experience a range of traumatic events throughout displacement and resettlement including exposure to events such as imprisonment or gender-based violence, protracted periods of time in refugee camps or resettlement related stress. Refugees who are displaced across borders bring cultural beliefs and values with them, although often the structures that support culture such as family and community are disrupted due to displacement. All of these factors can influence patterns of alcohol consumption and the consequences of alcohol use. Traditionally, high levels of alcohol consumption in refugee communities have been explored using models of self-medication of trauma symptoms or acculturation (Ezard, 2011). There have been almost no studies conducted of refugee alcohol use that qualitatively explore refugees' perceptions and experiences of alcohol use from their own perspectives. This dissertation describes a qualitative that study drew from critical ethnographic and phenomenological methodologies to explore the experiences and perceptions of alcohol use in Karen refugee communities displaced by political conflict. I collected data through focus group and individual interviews (N=62) and participant-observation in two locations: refugee camps in Thailand and a resettlement community in St. Paul, Minnesota. Analyzing the data using domain analysis (Spradley, 1979), I found that both culture and displacement related traumatic experiences contributed to increased levels of problematic alcohol use and negative consequences of alcohol use after displacement. I also discovered that geographic location may have played an influencing role on patterns of alcohol use. Participants said that many cultural structures and patterns were disrupted during displacement and this disruption of culture led to increased problems related to alcohol. Finally, Karen participants described people with problematic alcohol use as people who had stopped thinking about community and family and had begun to think only of themselves, which is counter to traditional Karen ways of thinking communally. These findings contain knowledge that will contribute to the development of culturally relevant treatment programs that consider the cultural, historical and political factors that contribute to alcohol use in Karen refugee communities as well as the ways in which communal cultural values impact both use of alcohol and quitting problematic alcohol use.