In connection with developement of industrial production and with improving of living conditions the western civilisation has faced gradual increase of occurance of civilisation diseases including metabolical syndrome. The definition of the syndrom that is currently used in the Czech Republic is according to the Czech Institute of Metabolic Syndrome, which diagnozes the metabolical syndrome when more that three out of five risk factors are present- abdominal obesity, encreased level of HDL-cholesterole and decreased level of tricylglycerols, hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 or insuline resistence. Two aims were stated to process the thesis: 1) Knowledge of nonmedical healthcare staff about metabolical syndrome and its relation to civilisation diseases and particular risk factors influencing its emergence and its referential values, in connection with C/P education during the treating process. 2) Finding out whether the knowledge of nonmedical healthcarestaff about treatment, prevention and occurance of metabolical syndrom depends on level of education of a nurse. The dates for the research part of the thesis were collected in quantitative research- the method of questionnaire-the respondent were the general nurses. The hypotheses were analyzed as follows: H1: Knowledge of civilisation diseases belonging to the Metabolic Syndrome group increases together with nonmedical healthcare workers education. H2: Knowledge of referential values of Metabolic Syndrome risk factors increases with higher education of the nonmedical healthcare workers. H3: Knowledge of referential values of Metabolic Syndrome risk factors increases with the lenght of experience of the nonmedical healthcare workers. H4: Choice of further treatment when finding out Metabolic Syndrome risk factors increases with the level of education nonmedical healthcare workers. All hypotheses were proven on basis of statistical verification (Pearson?s x2 test) and proven. The results of the theses have contributed to mapping of the knowledge of nonmedical healthcare staff about the term of metabolical syndrome. The data analysis shows that the nonmedical healthcare staff is not sufficiently aware of the term of metabolical syndrome. The data can be used for teaching nomedical healthcare staff about medical syndrome education, for extension of the Czech Institute of Metabolical Syndrome websites by the section for nonmedical healthcare staff and also for the Centre of Civilisation Diseases Prevention as basis for educational materials for nonmedical healthcare workers.

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of factors associated with nonmedical anabolic steroid use among males ages 18-30 who do not participate in intercollegiate athletics. The Behavioral Intentions and Ergogenic Aid/Performance Enhancer use among non-intercollegiate athlete males survey instrument was developed, reviewed for content validity by a jury of experts, and pilot tested. The pilot testing results (n=25) demonstrated acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.74). The final version of the Behavioral Intentions and Ergogenic Aid/Performance Enhancer use among non-intercollegiate athlete males survey instrument was administered at two distribution sites which included Ford’s Fitness Center in Lexington, Kentucky and the Johnson Center on the University of Kentucky’s campus to non-intercollegiate athlete men between the ages of 18-30 (n=121). The final version of the survey instrument was also found to be reliable (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.86).Of the 121 respondents, 7 (5.9%) reported using nonmedical anabolic steroids at least 1-2 days a week or more. A total of 9 (7.4%) men reported intending to use nonmedical anabolic steroids within the next year. Age was found to have a statistically significant association with intention to use nonmedical anabolic steroids (p=.037).Perceived behavioral control (p=.029) was found to be the strongest predictor variable of study participants’ intention to use nonmedical anabolic steroids. Muscle mass builder use (p=.011) and muscle mass builder use in combination with multivitamin use (p=.000) were found to be significant predictors of actual nonmedical anabolic steroid use. Study participants were more likely to use nonmedical anabolic steroids if they were currently using a muscle mass builder or using a muscle mass builder in combination with a multivitamin. No decision about the effectiveness of the components of perceived behavioral control (self-efficacy and control) as a one or two part construct was possible because of the small number of study participants. Two additional demographic predictor variables were found to be statistically significant with predicting the intention to use nonmedical anabolic steroids. Being a competitive bodybuilder (p=.001) was positively correlated and being satisfied with body image (p=.025) was negatively correlated with the intention to use nonmedical anabolic steroids.

Little research exists on gender differences regarding prevalence or perceptions of risk associated with college students’ misuse, illegal consumption, and diversion of prescription stimulant medications. Data from Mississippi State University undergraduates (N = 1,714) were examined for gender differences in illicit behaviors and related risk perceptions. Men were more likely to report consumption and diversion, but not more likely to report misuse of their own prescription stimulants. Overall, men reported lower risk perceptions associated with consumption of others’ prescription stimulants. This finding held true for legal and health risk perceptions for those uninvolved in diversion or consumption, for health risk perceptions for those who report consumption, and for social risk perceptions for those who report diversion. Although some analyses were underpowered, results help clarify how researchers define and measure these behaviors, determine possible relationships between risk perceptions and illicit use of prescription stimulant medications, and identify potential targets for intervention.

Prescription drug abuse is a public health problem of epidemic proportions in the United States. Provider-patient communication underpins many initiatives aimed at preventing and reducing the public health burden of prescription drug abuse. The characteristics of and factors contributing to this interpersonal process, however, have not been fully explored. The purpose of this research was to examine: 1) the overall problem of prescription drug abuse and provider-patient communication about prescription drug abuse from the patient perspective; and 2) provider-patient communication about prescription drug abuse from the prescriber perspective. In 2014-2015, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 patients from primary care and addiction medicine and 10 prescribers from multiple health professions and medical fields in Central and South Central Appalachia. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis, facilitated by qualitative data analysis software, was used to generate themes. Patients perceived prescription drug abuse as a problem, both in terms of its prevalence and contribution to negative consequences. Patients connected abuse to accessibility, identifying routes of access, routine practices, and rationales involved in the acquisition and distribution of prescription drugs for abuse. With regard to provider-patient communication, patients reported different levels of engagement in prescription drug abuse-related communication with healthcare providers—active, passive, and no/limited. Prescribers likewise reported different patterns of prescription drug abuse-related communication with patients—informative, counteractive, and supportive. Collectively, patients and prescribers described a range of factors—personal and environmental—that positively and negatively influence provider-patient communication and, by association, prescriber delivery and patient receipt of healthcare related to prescription drug abuse. When comparing the perspectives of patients and prescribers, multiple similarities in their prescription drug abuse-related communication perceptions and behaviors were identified. The findings of this research have implications for: 1) clinical practice to mitigate prescription drug abuse and improve patient prescription drug abuse-related communication behaviors; 2) patient- and prescriber-targeted interventions to improve provider-patient communication about prescription drug abuse; and 3) future research to continue to advance understanding of provider-patient communication about prescription drug abuse.

No description available.

High rates of nonmedical use of pain relievers and stimulants have been documented in the United States, putting substance abusers at risk of addiction and possible arrest for illegal possession and use. Treatment programs can help stop patterns of abuse. This thesis explores the factors impinging on substance abuse treatment seeking for nonmedical pain reliever and stimulant users. Data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health 2014 were analyzed in order to find the most recent patterns of pain reliever and stimulant abuse and potential determinants of receiving treatment. Descriptive statistics about the population reporting nonmedical use of pain relievers and/or stimulant use are first presented. Logistic regression analyses are then conducted on one dependent variable: respondents stating if they ever received treatment. Possible determinants that may influence one’s potential to receive treatment included income, insurance coverage, race/ethnicity, age, sex, psychological state, and metro/nonmetro residency status.

Research suggests that non-medical prescription drug (NMPD) use is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly among adolescents. A critical step towards developing effective intervention efforts requires identifying adolescents who are at risk for NMPD use. An extensive literature suggests that both adolescents and adults with elevated anxiety sensitivity (AS) are at greater risk for problematic substance use, and a small body of work has identified similar links with NMPD use specifically among adults. However, most of this literature combines all prescription drugs into a single category, and no work has evaluated the relation between AS and NMPD use among adolescents. The current study endeavors to further this area of research by examining the relation between AS (overall and subscales) and NMPD use among adolescents. The project evaluated 276 adolescents (age 9-19 years) enrolled in a residential treatment program on level of AS, including sub-dimensions (i.e., cognitive, physical, and social), and NMPD use across three categories of drugs: analgesic (e.g., Vicodin®), anxiolytic (e.g., Xanax®), and stimulant (e.g., Adderall®). A series of logistic regression models indicated that overall AS predicted nonmedical analgesic use, but not anxiolytic/sedative or stimulant use. A closer investigation of the AS subscales demonstrated that only the AS social subscale significantly predicted nonmedical analgesic and anxiolytic/sedative use. These results suggest that AS is related to NMPD use among adolescents, highlighting the need for future work to disaggregate the assessment of NMPD use into specific drug classes and explore the subscale dimensions of AS.

The goal of this study was to determine the extent, motivations, and justifications of nonmedical prescription stimulant use among the population at a large public university in the North Texas region. Participants consisted of 526 undergraduate students enrolled at the studied university during the spring and summer 2014 semesters. The findings of the study suggest that the nonmedical use by students was higher than the findings in much of the current literature, but was within the parameters established in the literature. The primary motivation for nonmedical use was academic in nature and was justified by moderation of nonmedical use to strategic academic times.

Nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use is a well-documented problem among college students, but few studies have examined nursing students' attitudes regarding NMPD. The purpose of this study was to compare nursing and non-nursing students' attitudes, risk factors, and current substance use. This descriptive, comparative design utilized a convenience sampling and social media to reach students over 18 years of age and enrolled in a Midwestern university. Twenty-nine students, 14 non-nursing and 15 nursing students, participated in this online survey. Substance use attitudes were measured using the Drug Attitude Scale (DAS). Risk factors for substance use were used as demographic questions and current drug use was measured using the Drug Abuse Screening Tool (DAST). Logistic regression (Chi-Square/Fisher's Exact) analyses were used to observe the association between risk factors for substance abuse and nursing/non-nursing students. Additionally, a Simple Linear Regression (Two-Sample T-tests) was used to assess the relationship between DAS and DAST scores between nursing/non-nursing students. Prior to discussing the results of the statistical tests, descriptive statistics of the demographic variables of the participants are presented. Data analysis revealed no significant difference in attitude, risk factors, and substance use among nursing students and non-nursing students. Limitations included the low number of participants and access to students via social media only. The fact that nursing students receive additional training in pharmacology, we presume these students know the risks of drug use, therefore nursing students would have a lower rate of substance use; however, this study revealed no significant difference in attitudes or current substance use among nursing and non-nursing students.

No description available.