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ONLINE
PREVENTION NEWS
Information from the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources
__________________________________________________
Volume 3,
Issue 15
October 28, 2005
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Table
of Contents:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
RESEARCH UPDATES
Kids find certain elements
of alcohol ads appealing
Youth Use of Sleeping Pills
Rises Dramatically
Parenting Style Can Affect
Child's Marijuana Use
Children who care for adults
at risk for behavioral and other problems
Older drinkers use alcohol
to numb pain
Alcohol-related traffic fatalities
remain steady
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Heads Up: Real News About Drugs
and Your Body series
Freeze Frame: A Snapshot of
America's Teens
What Works, Wisconsin –
Approaches to the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency
HEADS UP!
The 100 Best Communities for
Young People
National Day to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy
December is National Drunk
and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
FUNDING ALERTS
Free New Logo Design
TRAINING/WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES
Healthy Teen Network 26th
Annual Conference
Building the Heart of Successful
Schools Conference
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
**RESEARCH UPDATES**
Kids find certain elements
of alcohol ads appealing
A recent study investigated the affective responses of youth toward
specific elements featured in television alcohol advertisements
(i.e., people character, animal character, music, story, and humor),
and the associations between advertising likeability and its potential
influence. Liking the specific elements featured in beer advertisements
significantly contributed to the overall likeability of these advertisements
and subsequently to advertising effectiveness indicated by purchase
intent of the product and brand promoted. Advertisements that focused
primarily on product qualities or send a message of legal drinking
age were rated less favorably and evoked less desire to purchase
the product. More information on the study can be found here . [Chen
MJ, et al. (2005) Alcohol advertising: what makes it attractive
to youth? Journal of Health Communication; 10(6): 553-65.]
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
Youth
Use of Sleeping Pills Rises Dramatically
Use of prescription sleeping pills by people under age 20 rose 85
percent between 2000 and 2004, according to research from a managed-care
company. During the same period, use of prescription sleep medications
by adults doubled. The
New York Times reported that Medco
Health Solutions made the estimate by examining its own
prescription-drug data. Fifteen percent of the prescriptions were
for young patients who also receive medication for attention-deficit
and hyperactivity disorder. The FDA has not approved any use of
sleep medications for children under age 18. Older patients were
more likely to take sleeping pills than younger ones, and females
were twice more likely to get the drugs than males. Some experts
tied the increase in use to increased marketing of prescription
sleep aids by pharmaceutical companies.
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TO CONTENTS]
Parenting
Style Can Affect Child's Marijuana Use
Research has shown that parents play a key role in preventing adolescent
drug use, but a recent study supported by the National Institute
on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that parents who are involved in their
children's lives and set limits in a caring environment are better
able to prevent their children from trying marijuana. A team of
scientists from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of
Public Health followed 1,222 youth from elementary school through
young adulthood to determine if early parenting practices protect
youth from early onset of marijuana use. Three parenting styles
were measured, including parenting-parental monitoring; parental
involvement/reinforcement; and coercive parental discipline parenting,
which attempts to correct child behavior through threats such as
physical and nonphysical punishment. The study revealed that children
with the lowest levels of parental monitoring and parental involvement/
reinforcement were almost 30 percent more likely to try marijuana
for the first time than the most highly monitored children. Similarly,
children with higher levels of coercive discipline were more likely
to try the drug for the first time than children raised with other
parenting styles. Overall, researchers noted that parental involvement/
reinforcement, when practiced throughout early adulthood, can delay
and reduce marijuana use among teens. This study was published in
the June 2005 issue of Pediatrics. For more details, visit www.nida.nih.gov/newsroom/05/NS-09.html
(scroll down to A Healthy Start: Some Parenting Practices May Protect
Youth from Early Marijuana Use) or http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/115/6/1631
. [Chen, Chuan-Yu, et al. (2005) Influences of Parenting Practices
on the Risk of Having a Chance to Try Cannabis. Pediatrics, 115:
1631-1639.]
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
Children
who care for adults at risk for behavioral and other problems
A new study titled Young Caregivers in the U.S. has found
that as many as 1.4 million 8- to 18-year-olds in the U.S. are responsible
for caring for a parent, grandparent, or other adult. The study,
issued by the National Alliance on Caregiving and the United Hospital
Fund and funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging, found these
children tend to live in lower-income homes and are less likely
to live with both parents. Researchers also found these child caregivers
are at increased risk for a variety of problems, including anxiety
and depression; behavior problems, such as bullying and not getting
along with teachers; and academic problems, such as missing school
or homework deadlines. Read the full article at www.caregiving.org/ycrelease.pdf.
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
Older
drinkers use alcohol to numb pain
Many older adults suffer from pain and a significant proportion
has unhealthy alcohol use. To examine the relationship between pain
and alcohol problems among the elderly, researchers studied 401
community-dwelling older adults (aged 62-72 years) at baseline and
three years later. A greater proportion of problem drinkers reported
moderate to very severe pain and functional impairment from pain.
A greater proportion of problem drinkers used alcohol to manage
pain, and these proportions were higher among those with moderate
to very severe pain. Use of alcohol to manage pain predicted more
chronic health problems and injuries in men and more drinking problems
in women at the three-year follow up, particularly among those with
more alcohol problems at baseline. [Brennan PL, et al. (2005) Pain
and use of alcohol to manage pain: prevalence and 3-year outcomes
among older problem and non-problem drinkers. Addiction,
100(6): 777-786.]
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TO CONTENTS]
Alcohol-related
traffic fatalities remain steady
The percentage of alcohol-related traffic fatalities remains at
around 40%, according to data from the National Highway Transportation
Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System
(FARS). Thirty-nine percent of the 42,636 traffic fatalities that
occurred in the United States in 2004 were alcohol related, consistent
with percentages from the past seven years. While this percentage
indicates room for improvement, it is markedly lower than rates
in past years; between 49% and 60% of all traffic fatalities in
the 1980s were alcohol related. Many factors have likely influenced
this decline, including the enactment of stricter alcohol-impaired
driving legislation. In August, Minnesota became the last state
to lower its blood alcohol threshold for impaired driving from .10
to .08, ending two decades of state impaired driving legislation
reform. [Adapted by the Center for Substance Abuse Research from
NHTSA, FARS. Available online at www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov.]
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TO CONTENTS]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
**RESOURCES/MATERIALS**
Heads
Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body series
To help educate young people about the
harmful effects of methamphetamine on the brain and body, the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and Scholastic have developed science-based
materials that will help teachers incorporate substance abuse education
into their classroom sessions. Articles about the impact of meth,
and the environmental and social impact of its manufacture, will
be featured in the fall 2005-06 issues of several Scholastic Classroom
Magazines, including Junior Scholastic; Science World;
CHOICES, SCOPE, ACTION; and UPFRONT. The materials
are part of an aggressive outreach effort by NIDA and Scholastic
targeted toward middle and early high school students and teachers.
They form part of a series entitled, Heads Up: Real News About Drugs
and Your Body, designed for use in the classroom. Through new in-school
educational materials, Heads Up teaches students about the effects
of drugs on the developing teen brain and body, decision making,
and science. In addition to the article inserts for the 2005-2006
school year, a popular teaching poster produced in Heads Up's first
year featuring the medical consequences of drugs on various parts
of the body will be produced in English on one side and Spanish
on the other. This will be distributed free in December 2005 to
several thousand resource contacts in schools nationwide that have
at least 25 percent Hispanic/Latino students. In addition, multiple
free copies will be available from the National Clearinghouse for
Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) in December 2005. Free compilations
of both student and teacher inserts from Years 1 and 2 also will
be available from NCADI in December 2005. For more information on
these and other NIDA science education initiatives, visit www.backtoschool.drugabuse.gov
and www.teens.drugabuse.gov.
You can also check with the Wisconsin Clearinghouse Prevention Resource
Center as these materials become available, or for other related
resources.
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
Freeze
Frame: A Snapshot of America's Teens
Produced by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, in
conjunction with Child Trends, Freeze Frame: A Snapshot of America's
Teens presents data on a wide variety of topics, from teens'
sexual behavior to their religious beliefs. The data are grouped
into seven areas of influence: health; family; peers and partners;
school; community; media and consumer behavior; and religious and
spiritual beliefs. The 112-page chart book is intended to help correct
the common misconceptions about teens, as well as provide adults
and those working directly with teens a more textured understanding
of this group. For the complete report, go to www.teenpregnancy.org/works/pdf/FreezeFrame.pdf.
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
What
Works, Wisconsin – Approaches to the Prevention of Juvenile
Delinquency
A new report released by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and
the University of Wisconsin-Extension synthesizes the latest research
on what works in preventing and reducing juvenile delinquency. For
What Works, Wisconsin: What Science Tells Us About Cost-Effective
Programs for Juvenile Delinquency Programs investigators synthesized
three decades of evidence on crime prevention programs from original
research, research reviews, and program registries sponsored by
government agencies and professional organizations. The most cost-effective
programs had economic returns that far exceeded the initial investment.
Among the programs with the greatest benefits were preschool programs,
intensive home visiting, school-based socio-emotional learning,
therapeutic interventions, and targeted diversion programs. These
programs are much less expensive than the costs associated with
juvenile crime. The report identifies research-based principles
for effective delinquency prevention and juvenile offender programs;
stresses the need to educate both policymakers and professionals
about the importance of using evidence-based programs and the value
of cost-benefit analysis in program decisions; and recommends Wisconsin
create policies encouraging cross-agency collaboration and funding
for prevention. Specific proposals include formation of a state-level
prevention commission; creation of a public/private endowment; issuance
of state bonds to finance targeted prevention initiatives; and development
of a tax deductible check-off box on the state income tax form.
To read the full report, go to http://oja.state.wi.us/docs_view2.asp?docid=5036.
[Submitted by study co-author, Steven Small, Professor of Human
Development & Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison.]
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TO CONTENTS]
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**HEADS UP!**
The
100 Best Communities for Young People
America's Promise
Alliance for Youth has announced the top communities for young people.
Ranging from small towns to urban neighborhoods, each keeps five
essential promises to young people: caring adults who are actively
involved in their lives; safe places in which to learn and grow;
a healthy start toward adulthood; an effective education that builds
marketable skills; and opportunities to help others. For the full
list of winners, media resources, and other "100 Best"
news, go to www.americaspromise.org/100Best/update.cfm.
[Note: two communities in Wisconsin were named to this list: Appleton/Fox
Cities and Green Bay. Way to go!]
[BACK TO CONTENTS]
National
Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Plans for the
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy's fifth annual "National
Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy" are gearing up! Next year's
National Day will be held on May 3, 2006. The purpose of the National
Day is to focus the attention of teens on the importance of avoiding
teen pregnancy and other serious consequences of sex. On the National
Day teens nationwide are asked to take a short, online quiz that
asks them to reflect on the best course of action in a number of
tough sexual situations. In a special study with teens who took
the 2005 National Day Quiz 84% said the Quiz made them think about
what they might do in such situations; 66% said the Quiz made the
risks of sex and teen pregnancy seem more real to them; 61% said
some of the situations in the Quiz were things they or their friends
had faced; and 60% said the Quiz made them think about things they
hadn't thought about before. For additional information, visit www.teenpregnancy.org/national
.
[BACK TO CONTENTS]
December
is National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
Since 1981, every
President of the United States has demonstrated his commitment to
preventing impaired driving by proclaiming December as National
Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Month. This year is no exception.
This year's primary message is "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive
Drunk—Designate a Sober Driver." Many states will also
be increasing enforcement of impaired driving laws through use of
sobriety checkpoints. The 3D Month holiday planner includes tools
to support the You Drink & Drive, You Lose message. Regardless
of which message you might choose to use, the 3D Planning Guide
will be helpful. Find it online through the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/StopImpaired/HolidayPlanner/index.htm
and find out more about the National Commission Against Drunk Driving
(NCADD) and National 3D Month at http://www.3dmonth.org/
[BACK TO CONTENTS]
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**FUNDING ALERTS**
Free
New Logo Design
North American
nonprofits can apply to get a new logo designed gratis by the internet
logo-design firm LogoBee.com. LogoBee will donate design services
worth about $425 each to three nonprofits. Business card and stationary
design also is included. Groups do not need a current logo or a
design to apply. The deadline for entry is November 28, 2005. See
www.logobee.com/contact/contest.htm
for more details.
[BACK TO CONTENTS]
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**TRAININGS/WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES**
Healthy
Teen Network 26th Annual Conference
The Healthy Teen Network 2005 Annual Conference, "Leading the
Charge: Making a Difference in the Lives of Teens and Young Families,"
will be held on November 16-19, 2005, at The Fairmont Hotel in Chicago,
IL. The conference theme is inspired by the old activist adage that
if the people lead, leaders will follow. Join the "people,"
advocates of teens and their families, for three-and-a-half days
of networking and sharing, and be on the forefront of the latest
in science-based programs, policy, and research. Focus areas of
the conference include: pregnancy prevention/sexuality education;
young families (teen parents and their children); science-based
programs/practice; family involvement and engagement; male involvement;
and state and local coalitions. For more information and to register,
go to the Healthy Teen Network website or call (202) 547-8814.
[BACK
TO CONTENTS]
Building
the Heart of Successful Schools Conference
The Seventh Annual Building the Heart of Successful Schools Conference
will be held on December 8-9, 2005, at the Kalahari Resort and Convention
Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI. This program-sharing conference will
provide educators with practical examples from Wisconsin schools
that have embraced the shared responsibility and commitment to provide
students with the tools they need to build bright futures. The conference
will feature useful ideas and practical models to achieve the goal
of providing every child in Wisconsin the opportunity for a quality
education. Teachers, administrators, pupil services professionals,
AODA coordinators, health professionals, law enforcement officers,
prevention professionals, parents, and school board members are
encouraged to attend. For more information and to register, go to
http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/bldhrtcon.html.
Contact Linda Carey at (608) 267-9354 or linda.carey@dpi.state.wi.us
with further questions.
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TO CONTENTS]
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This
update has been brought to you by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for
Prevention Resources.
Online
Prevention News welcomes potential submissions of information, but
the list owners reserve the right to make decisions regarding the
information that is chosen. Submissions that are judged to fall
outside the mission and scope of this update may be refused or edited
based on content, relevance, and/or clarity.
Online
Prevention News may direct users to resources and websites maintained
by institutions over which the Wisconsin Clearinghouse has no control.
WCH makes no representation that the information contained on such
sites is accurate or current. Information provided on third-party
web sites does not reflect any official policy or position of WCH.
Web site links are provided as a convenience, and not as an endorsement
by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse.
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