Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for military spouses experiencing alcohol and substance use disorders: a literature review.

This paper provides an overview of alcohol and substance use issues in military spouses, and explore how the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model may enable health care providers to identify individuals at risk for developing substance use related disorders. The information presented is based on a broad literature scan relating to the characteristics of the military lifestyle, health infrastructure, screening and intervention processes, and the uses of SBIRT in military and civilian settings. Current literature suggests that military spouses, and families, tend to be at different points in their life course than civilian families of similar ages. Marrying earlier and having children sooner coupled with military lifestyle stressors place them at increased risk for developing adverse coping mechanisms, particularly during deployment. SBIRT has been recognized as an effective method among civilian patients although there is limited research on the efficacy of SBIRT for military spouses at risk of or experiencing substance use problems.

Diet-specific social support among rural adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The relationships among primary sources of social support in adolescents' environments (family and friends) and eating behaviors (fat and fiber consumption) were examined in a sample of rural adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional baseline health surveys were administered in classrooms as part of a larger randomized trial evaluating a cancer education program. SETTING: Data were collected in middle schools drawn from 22 rural counties in Virginia and New York. PARTICIPANTS: 1942 sixth graders with a modal age of 12 years, roughly equal gender distribution, and racially diverse (53% white, 37% black). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Variables included a 10-item scale of social support from family and friends for healthy eating, a brief food frequency questionnaire estimating daily grams of fat and fiber intake, and demographics (age, gender, race). ANALYSIS: Hierarchical multiple regressions and analyses of variance (ANOVAs). RESULTS: Controlling for demographics, family and friend support were found to significantly predict fat (P < .05) and fiber (P < .01) intake. Black respondents reported higher support from friends than did white adolescents (F = 47.49, P < .01). IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: Support for healthful eating was related to healthful dietary practices and differed among racial subgroups. Identifying and fostering sources of positive support for healthful eating is critical to developing effective health promotion programs targeting high-risk adolescents.