Illicit drug use among young adults with genital herpes.

Although an association exists between illicit drug use and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in known high-risk populations such as prostitutes, gay men, and intravenous drug users, little is known with respect to middle-class, heterosexual populations thought to be at less risk. We examined findings related to illicit drug use among young adults with genital herpes from a larger study of young adults' adaptation to chronic disease. In this cross-sectional retrospective study, 70 subjects age 18 to 35 years were interviewed and asked to fill out questionnaires. The sample was predominantly white, heterosexual, employed, and college educated. Responses to open-ended questions related to illicit drug use were coded and compared with findings from two other surveys: a national household survey, Pacific region, metropolitan areas; and a household survey of a San Francisco Bay area county. All but eight subjects (88.6%) reported that they had used an illicit drug at some time in the past. The median number of drugs used was 4; the maximum number was 11. Only six drug-using subjects reported that they had restricted their use to marijuana. Those with genital herpes were more likely to report ever using an illicit drug at some time in the past, and, more specifically, in the past year, than subjects in the two comparison surveys. Such findings suggest that programs screen for illicit drug use as a risk factor in middle-class young adults with genital herpes and other STDs, and for STDs in persons referred for drug abuse treatment.

Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis.

There is evidence that the psychological attribute of perceived self-efficacy plays a role in mediating health outcomes for persons with chronic arthritis who take the Arthritis Self-Management Course. An instrument to measure perceived self-efficacy was developed through consultation with patients and physicians and through study of 4 groups of patients. Tests of construct and concurrent validity and of reliability showed that the instrument met appropriate standards. Health outcomes and self-efficacy scores improved during the Arthritis Self-Management Course, and the improvements were correlated.

The beneficial outcomes of the arthritis self-management course are not adequately explained by behavior change.

Evaluation of the Arthritis Self-Management Course revealed significant positive changes in the practice of behaviors that were taught and in health outcomes. However, utilizing a variety of statistical techniques, we were able to demonstrate only weak associations between changes in behavior and changes in health status. This suggests the need to examine the mechanisms by which health education affects health status.

A comparison of lay-taught and professional-taught arthritis self-management courses.

One hundred subjects with arthritis were randomized into lay-taught, or professional-taught 12-h arthritis self-management courses, or a control group. Outcomes, knowledge, exercise, relaxation, disability, pain, and number of physician visits were measured aat baseline and 4 months. Professional-taught groups demonstrated greater knowledge gain while lay-taught groups had greater changes in relaxation (p less than .01) and a tendency toward less disability. Although it is impossible to draw definitive conclusions, this study suggests that lay leaders can teach arthritis self-management courses with results similar to those achieved by professionals.

Estimated intelligence and long-term outcomes of opioid addicts.

This study estimated intellectual functioning based upon a demographic profile (DP) for Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Full Scale IQ in order to determine its relationship with variables representing initiation, continuation, relapse, and cessation of daily opioid use. The DP Estimated IQs were used to describe a large former opioid addict sample from the 12-year follow-up study of the Drug Abuse Reporting Program (DARP). Results were compared with those from previous studies using meta-analysis. In addition, a correlational analysis was performed. Average DP Estimated IQs for the DARP sample were comparable to mean IQs for both the WAIS-R standardization sample and previous studies. DP Estimated IQ was significantly related to length of addiction career; the higher the estimated IQ, the shorter the career. Other more complex relationships were found for variables used to represent intraindividual factors such as satisfaction with self or family, interpersonal factors such as family or peer influences, and other variables of interest.