Joan S. Tucker

Sniping: Homeless Youths' High-Risk Smoking Practice

Any intervention to help homeless youth quit smoking must also address 'sniping.' This high-risk activity involves scavenging cigarette butts and filters to make a 'new' cigarette.

FDA's New Tobacco Rules Go Far Enough—For Now

At this point, asking the FDA to restrict marketing or to ban flavored products would be premature. The base of scientific evidence is growing but it doesn't support additional regulatory action beyond what the FDA has already proposed.

Where There's Vapor, Is There Fire? We Need Evidence on E-Cigarettes

Currently, evidence for the safety, harmfulness, utility, and addictiveness of e-cigarettes is lacking. The questions that research needs to answer, however, are clear as day—particularly since business is booming.

Journal Article

A Latent Class Approach to Understanding Longitudinal Sleep Health and the Association with Alcohol and Cannabis Use During Late Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Persistent poor sleep health was associated with higher levels of alcohol and cannabis use and consequences, and greater increases in alcohol-related consequences during the transition from late adolescence to emerging adulthood.

Journal Article

Trajectories of Emerging Adults' Binge Drinking and Depressive Symptoms and Associations With Sexual Violence Victimization: Examining Differences by Sexual and Gender Minority Status

We examined longitudinal associations between binge drinking (BD), depressive symptoms, and sexual violence (sexual harassment and sexual assault) among sexual and gender minority (SGM) and non-SGM emerging adults.

Journal Article

Restructuring Personal Networks with a Motivational Interviewing Social Network Intervention to Assist the Transition Out of Homelessness: A Randomized Control Pilot Study

This study is the first pilot test of a Social Network Intervention (MI-SNI) customized for assisting the transition out of homelessness to test for personal network changes.

Journal Article

Loneliness and Multiple Health Domains: Associations Among Emerging Adults

We examine associations of loneliness with physical, behavioral, and health behavior outcomes, and investigate moderating effects by sex, race/ethnicity, and sexual/gender minority status.

Journal Article

Alcohol Use and Cannabis Use Trajectories and Sexual/Gender Minority Disparities in Young Adulthood

At the same levels of alcohol/cannabis use from middle school through young adulthood, SGM individuals show disparities in multiple domains compared to non-SGM peers. Efforts to reduce substance use and structural disadvantages experienced by SGM youths are needed.

Journal Article

Feasibility of a Computer-Assisted Social Network Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Reduce Substance Use and Increase Supportive Connections Among Emerging Adults Transitioning from Homelessness to Housing

Results suggest that a substance use intervention using Motivational Interviewing and social network visualizations is acceptable to youth transitioning to housing from and can be feasibly delivered by case managers during case management sessions.

Research Brief

Use of Tobacco Products Among Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness

To understand patterns of use and interest in quitting different types of tobacco products among youth experiencing homelessness, a RAND team surveyed these youth in Los Angeles County to inform efforts to reduce their use of tobacco products.

Journal Article

Longitudinal Associations of Sleep Problems with Alcohol and Cannabis Use from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

This study examined longitudinal associations of sleep problems with alcohol and cannabis use across six annual waves of data from adolescence to emerging adulthood.

Journal Article

Opioid Misuse During Late Adolescence and Its Effects on Risk Behaviors, Social Functioning, Health, and Emerging Adult Roles

We examined the association of opioid misuse from ages 18 to 20 with four domains at age 21–22: risk behaviors and consequences; health; social functioning; and emerging adult roles.

Journal Article

Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Text Messaging-Based Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among Young People Experiencing Homelessness

This is the first study to evaluate the feasibility of using a text messaging-based intervention (TMI) for behavior change with 18–25 year olds experiencing homelessness, and the first to test a TMI to provide ongoing support for smoking cessation.

Journal Article

Patterns of Substance Use and Associations with Mental, Physical, and Social Functioning: A Latent Class Analysis of a National Sample of U.S. Adults Ages 30–80

This study identifies distinct patterns (classes) of substance use among 30- to 80-year olds, identifies demographic subgroups with the highest probability of class memberships, and compares classes on key indicators of functioning.

Tool

Reducing Tobacco Use Among Young People Experiencing Homelessness: Recommendations for Service Providers

This manual contains an easy-to-use guide for service providers to deliver brief and inexpensive assistance to youth experiencing homelessness who want to stop using tobacco products.

Journal Article

Motivational Network Intervention to Reduce Substance Use and Increase Supportive Connections Among Formerly Homeless Emerging Adults Transitioning to Housing: Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This article describes a pilot test of a brief motivational network intervention for youth experiencing homelessness transitioning to a housing program reduce their substance use and strengthen their prosocial supportive connections.

Journal Article

Changes in Adult Alcohol Use and Consequences During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US

A national longitudinal survey of 1,540 adults ages 30-80 in 2019 and 2020 shows that people drank more frequently, and for women in particular, more heavily and with more negative consequences, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Journal Article

Tobacco/Nicotine and Marijuana Co-Use Motives in Young Adults: Associations with Substance Use Behaviors One Year Later

We conducted an analysis on 342 young adults with past-year co-administration of tobacco/nicotine and marijuana to determine how emergent classes of 16 co-use motives were associated with use of tobacco/nicotine and marijuana one year later.

Journal Article

Do Recent Experiences of Sexual Violence and Co-Occurring Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Predict Poorer Functioning One Year Later During the Transition to Young Adulthood?

This study suggests that past year experiences of sexual violence, along with concurrent depression and anxiety symptoms, can affect functioning across a variety of health domains one year later during early young adulthood.

Journal Article

Types of Cannabis and Tobacco/Nicotine Co-Use and Associated Outcomes in Young Adulthood

This study examined different types of co-use as a first step in understanding more detailed patterns of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use among young adults, an age group that has the highest rates of both cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use, as well as co-use of these products.

Journal Article

Locating Medical and Recreational Cannabis Outlets for Research Purposes: Online Methods and Observational Study

This paper describes the methods that build on previous efforts by providing a detailed methodology that can be replicated in large metropolitan areas that have legalized the sale of cannabis.

Journal Article

Co-use of Tobacco and Marijuana Among Young People Experiencing Homelessness in Los Angeles County

The present study is a first step in understanding the prevalence, types, and correlates of co-use in a probability sample of young tobacco users experiencing homelessness.

Journal Article

Associations of Tobacco Advertising Appeal With Intentions to Use Alternative Tobacco Products Among Young Tobacco Users Experiencing Homelessness

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between the appeal of advertising for five classes of tobacco product and future intentions to use those products, among youth experiencing homelessness who had some level of experience with it.

Journal Article

Roll-your-own Cigarette Smoking Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Roll-your-own cigarettes may encourage continued tobacco use among youth experiencing homelessness and pose additional health risks, despite users' beliefs to the contrary.

Journal Article

Health, Homelessness Severity, and Substance Use Among Sexual Minority Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Comparison of Bisexual Versus Gay and Lesbian Youth

We examined subgroup differences in homelessness severity, depression, physical health, and substance use, focusing on differences between bisexual and gay/lesbian youth, among homeless youth in Los Angeles.

Journal Article

Long-term Associations Between Substance Use-Related Media Exposure, Descriptive Norms, and Alcohol Use from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

This study uses advances in longitudinal modeling to extend our understanding of how exposure to substance-related media content, quantity of alcohol use, and perceived descriptive norms about alcohol use are reciprocally related over time.

Journal Article

Associations Between Young Adult Marijuana Outcomes and Availability of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and Storefront Signage

Among young adults in Los Angeles County, living near more MMDs is positively associated with more frequent use of marijuana within the past month and greater expectations of marijuana's positive benefits.

Journal Article

Associations of Longitudinal Sleep Trajectories with Risky Sexual Behavior During Late Adolescence

Insufficient sleep in adolescents may increase risk for sexual risk-taking and may set the stage for accelerated health risk trajectories into adulthood.

Journal Article

Correlates of Cigarette and Alternative Tobacco Product Use Among Young Tobacco Users Experiencing Homelessness

This study examines past month use and correlates of cigarettes and alternative tobacco products among young tobacco users experiencing homelessness.

Journal Article

Knowledge of Alternative Tobacco Products in Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

This study examined perceptions of factors that influence use and non-use of Alternative Tobacco Products (ATPs) among unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness.

Journal Article

Motivation to Quit Cigarettes and Alternative Tobacco Products: Prevalence and Correlates Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Use of alternative tobacco products, as well as regular cigarettes, is widespread among unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. However, little is known about their level of motivation for quitting use of these products, factors associated with motivation to quit, or how these might vary by type of tobacco product.

Journal Article

Patterns of Alternative Tobacco Product Use Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Findings suggest efforts to reduce the use of tobacco products among youth experiencing homelessness should focus on the combined use of these products and screen for substance use disorder and housing stability to include those that need help the most.

Journal Article

The Social Economics of Adolescent Behavior and Measuring the Behavioral Culture of Schools

We surveyed 1159 adolescents age 14–17 attending high school in low income neighborhoods of Los Angeles. School academic performance was associated with social culture regarding popular behaviors, monitoring of school rules, and school order.

Journal Article

Relative Influence of Perceived Peer and Family Substance Use on Adolescent Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use Across Middle and High School

Substance use prevention efforts that seek to counter peer pressures should begin prior to middle school and span high school, and address the role of peer and family environments.

Journal Article

Disentangling Within- and Between-Person Effects of Shared Risk Factors on E-cigarette and Cigarette Use Trajectories From Late Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Adolescents who use vaping products are more likely to smoke cigarettes and to increase their use of both products over time.

Journal Article

Healthcare Provider Counseling to Quit Smoking and Patient Desire to Quit: The Role of Negative Smoking Outcome Expectancies

The time devoted to counseling patients about smoking should include assistance to quit, such as recommending a product, prescription or program, and incorporate techniques to elicit patients' expectations of smoking.

Journal Article

Factors Associated with Drop-In Center Utilization Among Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Basic hygiene needs -- e.g. showers or clean clothes -- may encourage homeless youth to initially go to a drop-in center; knowing drop-in center staff or knowing friends who have recently used drop-in centers may encourage youth to keep coming back.

Journal Article

Planting the Seed for Marijuana Use: Changes in Exposure to Medical Marijuana Advertising and Subsequent Adolescent Marijuana Use, Cognitions, and Consequences Over Seven Years

Regulations on medical marijuana (MM) advertising—similar to those for tobacco and alcohol—may mitigate negative consequences of MM on adolescents. 

Journal Article

Perceived Need and Receipt of Behavioral Health Services at Drop-In Centers Among Homeless Youth

This survey of 273 homeless youth indicates that, despite one-third meeting criteria for behavioral health problems such as PTSD, depression, or substance use problems, only about half of those meeting criteria reported a need for services.

Journal Article

Predictors of Retention in an Alcohol and Risky Sex Prevention Program for Homeless Young Adults

Homeless young adults were less likely to complete an alcohol and other drug and risky sex prevention program if they had slept outside or received the program in an urban setting.

Journal Article

A Pilot Test of a Motivational Interviewing Social Network Intervention to Reduce Substance Use Among Housing First Residents

Helping formerly homeless people identify members of their social network who trigger alcohol and other drug (AOD) use may motivate them to reduce high-risk AOD use in the transition to permanent housing.

Journal Article

Assessment of Exposure to High-Performing Schools and Risk of Adolescent Substance Use: A Natural Experiment

We analyzed a natural experiment of 1270 students who applied to charter school lotteries in low-income communities in Los Angeles. Results provide evidence that school environments can improve risky behaviors for low-income minority adolescents.

Journal Article

Adolescent Peer Networks and the Moderating Role of Depressive Symptoms on Developmental Trajectories of Cannabis Use

Depression appears to reduce the effect of peer influence on marijuana use among adolescents participating in two separate studies.

Journal Article

Understanding Rates of Marijuana Use and Consequences Among Adolescents in a Changing Legal Landscape

Evidence suggests some health benefits for medical marijuana; however, initiation of marijuana use during adolescence is a risk factor for problem marijuana use later in life. 

Journal Article

Recruitment and Retention of Homeless Youth in a Substance Use and HIV-risk Reduction Program

Developing a series of strategies and tools to reach homeless youth makes it possible to conduct research with and provide outreach to this at-risk yet hard-to-reach population.

Journal Article

A Qualitative Study of Smoking Cessation Experiences and Perceptions Among Homeless Young Adult

Up to 70% of homeless youth smoke, but there is little information available on their smoking cessation experiences and perceptions to guide cessation intervention efforts.

Journal Article

Individual, Peer, and Family Factor Modification of Neighborhood-Level Effects on Adolescent Alcohol, Cigarette, E-Cigarette, and Marijuana Use

Supporting more social connections between neighbors and monitoring of adolescent deviant behaviors by neighbors may be effective in reducing cigarette, e-cigarette, and marijuana use.

Journal Article

Group Motivational Interviewing for Homeless Young Adults: Associations of Change Talk With Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behavior

Homeless young adults who engaged in greater talk of changing risky substance use and sexual behavior during group interviews were less likely to be heavy drinkers.

Journal Article

Examination of Neighborhood Disadvantage and Sleep in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort of Adolescents

Greater perceived neighborhood-level social cohesion and lower neighborhood-level poverty were associated with better sleep outcomes in adolescents.

Journal Article

A Group-Based Motivational Interviewing Brief Intervention to Reduce Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Homeless Young Adults

A brief group-based motivational interview intervention was effective in helping homeless young adults make positive changes in their alcohol and condom use.

Journal Article

Frequency of E-cigarette Use, Health Status, and Risk and Protective Health Behaviors in Adolescents

Adolescents who use electronic cigarettes may engage in fewer risky behaviors than their tobacco smoking peers, but their physical health and engagement in protective health behaviors is not necessarily any better. 

Journal Article

The Role of Perceived Injunctive Alcohol Norms in Adolescent Drinking Behavior

Perceived injunctive norms (i.e., what behaviors peers find acceptable) should be targeted in prevention programs with youth because these perceptions are associated with multiple drinking outcomes, such as heavy drinking.

Journal Article

The Co-evolution of Bullying Perpetration, Homophobic Teasing, and a School Friendship Network

Schoolwide prevention and intervention efforts would benefit from addressing peer group dynamics when addressing bullying and homophobic teasing.

Journal Article

Ethnic Differences in Cigarette Use Trajectories and Health, Psychosocial, and Academic Outcomes

Cigarette smoking during adolescence appears to be more strongly associated withimpaired functioning across multiple domains for racial/ethnic minority youth in late adolescence compared with their white peers.

Journal Article

To Educate or to Incarcerate: Factors in Disproportionality in School Discipline

This study examined how demographic, individual, and family factors contribute to disparities in office referral and suspension/expulsion in high schools.

Journal Article

Pilot Evaluation of a Brief Intervention to Improve Nicotine Patch Adherence Among Smokers Living with HIV/AIDS

Smoking cessation programs that emphasize adherence to the nicotine patch may help more smokers quit.

Journal Article

Family Functioning and Predictors of Runaway Behavior Among At-Risk Youth

Adolescent runaway behavior is associated with a range of negative consequences in young adulthood. Therefore, this study aimed to examine predictors of running away in at-risk youth.

Journal Article

Alcohol Mixed with Energy Drinks: Associations with Risky Drinking and Functioning in High School

High school students who mixed alcohol with energy drinks were more likely to report drinking often and heavily and to experience negative consequences in school than students who did not.

Journal Article

Developing a Nicotine Patch Adherence Intervention for HIV-positive Latino Smokers

Helpful strategies for establishing consistent nicotine patch use include staying motivated to use a nicotine patch, linking patch use to daily routines, and managing expectations of what a patch can do.

Journal Article

Neighborhood, Family and Peer-Level Predictors of Obesity-Related Health Behaviors Among Young Adolescents

High scores on measures of peer social functioning and family connectedness predicted healthy behaviors among adolescents.

Journal Article

Longitudinal Associations of Homophobic Name-Calling Victimization with Psychological Distress and Alcohol Use During Adolescence

Homophobic name-calling victimization, specifically from nonfriends, can adversely affect adolescent well-being over time and should be addressed in school-based bullying prevention programs.

Journal Article

Sleepy Teens and Energy Drink Use: Results from an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Youth

The prevalence of energy drink use in a diverse sample of adolescents was low (18%), but use of energy drinks was associated with a higher risk of sleep disturbance.

Journal Article

Facilitators and Barriers of Drop-In Center Use Among Homeless Youth

Homeless youth use drop-in centers more than any other service, making the centers an important way to offer youth other services such as mental health care, substance use treatment, HIV/STI testing, and assistance with educational and employment needs.

Journal Article

Alcohol and Marijuana Use Trajectories in a Diverse Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents: Examining Use Patterns from Age 11 to 17 Years

Greater use of alcohol and marijuana is associated with worse functioning in high school for all youth, but non-white youth report worse outcomes.

Journal Article

Racial Differences in Cigarette Smoking Among Homeless Youth

Smoking prevention programs may benefit from incorporating a social network-based approach to help youth foster relationships with lower-risk peers; programs should also address other forms of substance use.

Journal Article

A Computer-Assisted Motivational Social Network Intervention to Reduce Alcohol, Drug and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Housing First Residents

This pilot study will assess whether coupling social network visualizations with motivational interviewing can help Housing First participants transition away from homelessness and high-risk behaviors, such as substance use and risky sexual activity.

Journal Article

Effectiveness of Parent–child Mediation in Improving Family Functioning and Reducing Adolescent Problem Behavior: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This study examines the effectiveness of parent-child mediation in improving family functioning.

Journal Article

Pilot Test of an Adapted, Evidence-Based HIV Sexual Risk Reduction Intervention for Homeless Women

This study reports on a pilot efficacy trial of a brief evidence-based intervention, Sister To Sister (STS), that we specifically adapted for homeless women in the temporary/emergency settings where they typically seek services.

Journal Article

Use of and Reasons for Using Multiple Other Tobacco Products in Daily and Nondaily Smokers: Associations with Cigarette Consumption and Nicotine Dependence

This study examined associations between cigarette consumption, nicotine dependence, and other tobacco product use in daily and nondaily smokers.

Journal Article

Early Substance Use and Subsequent DUI in Adolescents

This study longitudinally explores the influence of alcohol and marijuana (AM) use, AM beliefs, and peer and family factors (including familism) on DUI/RWDD in high school.

Journal Article

Associations Between Neighborhood Alcohol Availability and Young Adolescent Alcohol Use

An investigation into the association between alcohol outlet density and adolescent alcohol use, including whether this association differed by sociodemographic characteristics.

Journal Article

Predictors and Consequences of Prescription Drug Misuse During Middle School

This is the first study to examine the correlates of early NMPDU initiation during middle school, and how early initiation is associated with four domains of functioning in high school (mental health, social, academic, and delinquency).

Journal Article

Readjusting Our Priorities: Helping Homeless Youth Quit Smoking

This piece examines recent research into cigarette smoking among homeless youth.

Research Brief

Reducing Cigarette Smoking Among Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Most homeless youth smokers surveyed in Los Angeles County had tried to quit and were interested in receiving assistance with quitting. Homeless service providers are interested in providing smoking cessation assistance but face barriers to doing so.

Journal Article

Motivation to Quit and Interest in Cessation Treatment Among Homeless Youth Smokers

Approximately 70% of unaccompanied homeless youth are current smokers.

Journal Article

Moderated Mediation Analysis: An Illustration Using the Association of Gender with Delinquency and Mental Health

The goal of this study was to investigate parental respect as a potential mediator of the relationship between gender and delinquency and mental health, and to determine whether observed mediation is moderated by gender.

Journal Article

Sniping and Other High-Risk Smoking Practices Among Homeless Youth

Sniping and other high-risk smoking practices deserve further attention among homeless youth, particularly those already facing greater health threats due to factors such as nicotine dependence, lower income, and drug abuse.

Journal Article

Gateway to Curiosity: Medical Marijuana Ads and Intention and Use During Middle School

Prevention programs need to better explain medical marijuana to youth, providing information on the context for proper medical use of this drug and the potential harms from use during this developmental period.

Journal Article

Spreading the Word: A Process Evaluation of a Voluntary AOD Prevention Program

This paper summarizes efforts to evaluate process information for CHOICE, a voluntary after-school AOD prevention program for middle-school youth.

Journal Article

Developing an Assessment of the Adolescent Therapeutic Community Treatment Process Via Client Report

We developed and evaluated an instrument (DCI-A) to measure the adolescent therapeutic community (TC) treatment process.

Journal Article

Differences in Substance Use and Substance Use Risk Factors by Asian Subgroups

This study examined differences in lifetime use and initiation of substance use and associated risk factors for alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana among 7 subgroups of Asian American (AA) adolescents.

Journal Article

Befriending Risky Peers: Factors Driving Adolescents' Selection of Friends with Similar Marijuana Use

Adolescents often befriend peers who are similar to themselves on a range of demographic, behavioral, and social characteristics, including substance use.

Journal Article

Risk Evaluations and Condom Use Decisions of Homeless Youth: A Multi-Level Qualitative Investigation

Interventions targeting homeless youth should reflect multiple levels of risk behavior and evaluation in order to address the diversity of risk profiles.

Journal Article

Understanding Condom Use Decision Making Among Homeless Youth Using Event-Level Data

This is one of the first qualitative event-based studies to understand the various mechanisms through which multiple factors influence condom use decision making among homeless youth.

Journal Article

A Prospective Study of Marijuana Use Change and Cessation Among Adolescents

This study evaluates a range of neighborhood, family, peer network, and individual factors as predictors of marijuana use, change, and non-use over one year, and cessation over six years.

Journal Article

Alternative Tobacco Product Use and Smoking Cessation Among Homeless Youth in Los Angeles County

Approximately 70% of homeless youth smoke cigarettes, but their use of alternative tobacco products (ATPs) is unknown. This paper reports on ATP use among past month smokers in Los Angeles County.

Research Brief

Advancing Behavioral Health Measurement: The PROMIS® Smoking Assessment Toolkit

The PROMIS Smoking Initiative developed an assessment toolkit that enables the measurement of current adult smokers' standing in domains of importance to smoking research, including nicotine dependence and using smoking to cope with stress.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Coping Expectancies of Smoking Item Banks

Smoking is a coping strategy for many smokers who then have difficulty finding new ways to cope with negative affect when they quit. This paper describes analyses conducted to develop and evaluate item banks for assessing the coping expectancies of smoking for daily and nondaily smokers.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Health Expectancies of Smoking Item Banks

This paper describes the development and evaluation of item banks for assessing the health expectancies of smoking.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Negative Psychosocial Expectancies of Smoking Item Banks

This paper describes analyses conducted to develop and evaluate item banks for assessing psychosocial expectancies among daily and nondaily smokers.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Nicotine Dependence Item Banks

This article describes analyses conducted to develop and evaluate item banks for assessing nicotine dependence among daily and nondaily smokers.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Positive Emotional and Sensory Expectancies of Smoking Item Banks

This paper describes development of Positive Emotional and Sensory Expectancies of Smoking item banks that will serve to standardize the assessment of this construct among daily and nondaily cigarette smokers.

Journal Article

Development of the PROMIS® Social Motivations for Smoking Item Banks

This paper describes development of the PROMIS® Social Motivations for Smoking item banks, which will serve to standardize assessment of these social motivations among daily and nondaily smokers.

Journal Article

Methodology for Developing and Evaluating the PROMIS® Smoking Item Banks

The development of the PROMIS smoking item banks provides researchers with new tools for measuring smoking-related constructs.

Journal Article

The PROMIS® Smoking Initiative: Initial Validity Evidence for Six New Smoking Item Banks

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) Smoking Initiative has developed 6 item banks for assessing smoking behaviors and biopsychosocial correlates of smoking among daily and nondaily adult cigarette smokers.

Journal Article

Does Diversity Matter? The Need for Longitudinal Research on Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Use Trajectories

The existing research aimed at understanding alcohol and drug (AOD) use patterns from early to late adolescence typically does not examine samples with substantial racial and ethnic diversity.

Journal Article

Covariance Among Multiple Health Risk Behaviors in Adolescents

In a diverse group of early adolescents, this study explores the co-occurrence of a broad range of health risk behaviors: alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use; physical inactivity; sedentary computing/gaming; and the consumption of low-nutrient energy-dense food.

Journal Article

The Psychometric Development and Initial Validation of the DCI-A Short Form for Adolescent Therapeutic Community Treatment Process

The goal of this study was to use bifactor modeling to derive a unidimensional DCI-A short-form (DCI-A-SF) that would represent content from the original DCI-A factors.

Journal Article

Predisposing, Enabling and Need Correlates of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Homeless Men

This study examines factors associated with mental health care utilization among men experiencing homelessness. Need (PTSD/depression), predisposing and enabling factors were associated with recent mental health care utilization.

Journal Article

To Use or Not to Use: A Stage-Based Approach to Understanding Condom Use Among Homeless Youth

This study used a stage-based approach to understand condom use behavior in a representative sample of 309 sexually active homeless youth recruited from shelters, drop-in centers, and street sites in Los Angeles County.

Journal Article

Alcohol and Marijuana Use in Middle School: Comparing Solitary and Social-Only Users

Students who are solitary drug users are more likely to believe that alcohol and marijuana will help them relax, get away from their problems, and have more fun.

Journal Article

Proximal and Distal Social Influence on Alcohol Consumption and Marijuana Use Among Middle School Adolescents

Assesses the effects of perceived peer norms, best friend use, and being in the presence of others who use on middle school adolescents' consumption of marijuana and alcohol, and how the effects of these sources of social influence evolve over time.

Journal Article

Peer Influence on Marijuana Use in Different Types of Friendships

This study examines whether structural features of friendships moderate friends' influence on adolescent marijuana use over time.

Journal Article

Risk for Inhalant Initiation Among Middle School Students: Understanding Individual, Family, and Peer Risk and Protective Factors

Interventions to prevent inhalant initiation should target sixth and seventh graders, address influence by family and peers, and provide skills training to improve drug refusal self-efficacy.

Journal Article

Selection and Influence Mechanisms Associated with Marijuana Initiation and Use in Adolescent Friendship Networks

Friends are thought to influence adolescent drug use.

Journal Article

Shared Risk: Who Engages in Substance Use with American Homeless Youth?

Homeless youth in the United States are more likely to drink or use drugs with those who engage in multiple risk behaviors and who occupy influential social roles (popular, opinion leaders, support providers, sex partners).

Draft

Adolescent Friendship Networks and Trajectories of Binge Drinking

Examines how adolescent friendship networks are linked to binge drinking trajectories into young adulthood using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Journal Article

HIV Risk Behavior and Access to Services: What Predicts HIV Testing Among Heterosexually Active Homeless Men

This study examined the association between individual (HIV risk) and structural (service access) factors and past year HIV testing.

Journal Article

Masculinity and HIV Risk Among Homeless Men in Los Angeles

HIV continues to be a serious public health problem for men who have sex with women (MSW), especially homeless MSW.

Journal Article

Neighborhood Characteristics and the Initiation of Marijuana Use and Binge Drinking

Neighborhood characteristics such as a higher unemployment rate and greater perceptions of safety appear to influence initiation of marijuana use and binge drinking, respectively. The mechanisms appear to be distinct for each substance.

Journal Article

Peer Influence and Selection Processes in Adolescent Smoking Behavior: A Comparative Study

Adolescent smoking studies find evidence of active peer influence and selection processes.

Journal Article

Temporal Associations of Popularity and Alcohol Use Among Middle School Students

The goal of this study is to better understand the longitudinal cross-lagged associations between popularity, assessed through self-rating and peer nominations, and alcohol use among middle school students.

Journal Article

Understanding Heterosexual Condom Use Among Homeless Men

This study uses an event-based approach to examine individual, relationship, and contextual correlates of heterosexual condom use among homeless men.

Journal Article

Unprotected Sex Among Heterosexually Active Homeless Men: Results from a Multi-Level Dyadic Analysis

This research uses multi-level modeling to investigate the context of unprotected sex among heterosexually active homeless men in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles.

Journal Article

Cross-lagged Associations Between Substance Use-Related Media Exposure and Alcohol Use During Middle School

This study examines the reciprocal longitudinal associations between alcohol or other drug (AOD)-related media exposure and alcohol use among middle school students, and explores whether these associations differ by ethnicity or gender.

Journal Article

Implementation of Mindfulness Training for Adolescent Residential Clients

The purpose of this paper is to explore the degree to which mindfulness training can be implemented among adolescents undergoing residential substance abuse treatment.

Journal Article

A Longitudinal Examination of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cigarette Perceived Norms Among Middle School Adolescents

We examined changes in perceived norms of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes over a two-year period among a large and diverse sample of 6th and 7th grade youth.

Journal Article

Monogamy on the Street: A Mixed Methods Study of Homeless Men

In this study, we used a mixed methods approach to explore the determinants of relationship patterns and risky sex among homeless men living in downtown Los Angeles.

Journal Article

Sex Trade Behavior Among Heterosexually Active Homeless Men

This study provides a detailed examination of the sex trade-related attitudes and behaviors of homeless men.

Journal Article

Social Networks, Time Homeless, and Social Support: A Study of Men on Skid Row

Homeless men are frequently unsheltered and isolated, disconnected from supportive organizations and individuals. However, little research has investigated these men's social networks.

Journal Article

Understanding Pregnancy-Related Attitudes and Behaviors: A Mixed-Methods Study Homeless Youth

Effective and accessible pregnancy prevention and family planning programs for homeless youth are needed.

Journal Article

Are Social Network Correlates of Heavy Drinking Similar Among Black Homeless Youth and White Homeless Youth?

Understanding factors associated with heavy drinking among homeless youth is important for prevention efforts.

Journal Article

Toward a More Systematic Assessment of Smoking: Development of a Smoking Module for PROMIS®

The aim of the PROMIS® Smoking Initiative is to develop, evaluate, and standardize item banks to assess cigarette smoking behavior and biopsychosocial constructs associated with smoking for both daily and non-daily smokers.

Journal Article

Assessing Measurement Invariance of Familism and Parental Respect Across Race/Ethnicity in Adolescents

Familism and parental respect are culturally derived constructs rooted in Hispanic and Asian cultures, respectively.

Journal Article

Racial/ethnic Differences in the Influence of Cultural Values, Alcohol Resistance Self-Efficacy, and Alcohol Expectancies on Risk for Alcohol Initiation

Cultural values affect the likelihood that adolescents will begin to use alcohol.

Journal Article

If You Provide the Test, They Will Take It: Factors Associated with HIV/STI Testing in a Representative Sample of Homeless Youth in Los Angeles

Drop-in centers can play an important role in facilitating testing among homeless youth, including among injection drug users, but more outreach is needed to encourage testing in other at-risk subgroups.

Journal Article

Preventing Alcohol Use with a Voluntary After-School Program for Middle School Students: Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of CHOICE

A voluntary after-school program focused specifically on alcohol and drug use may be effective in deterring alcohol use among early adolescents.

Journal Article

Substance Use and Other Risk Factors for Unprotected Sex: Results from an Event-Based Study of Homeless Youth

This study of condom use among homeless youth in Los Angeles County found that a broad range of individual, relationship, and contextual factors play a role in condom use.

Journal Article

Bias and Variance Trade-Offs When Combining Propensity Score Weighting and Regression: With an Application to HIV Status and Homeless Men

There is a bias-variance tradeoff at work in propensity score estimation; every step toward better balance usually means an increase in variance and at some point a marginal decrease in bias may not be worth the associated increase in variance.

Journal Article

Resisting Smoking When a Best Friend Smokes: Do Intrapersonal and Contextual Factors Matter?

The strong link between having a best friend who smoked and increased adolescent smoking isn't affected by individual factors such as self-esteem, depressing and access to cigarettes.

Journal Article

Behavioral Health and Social Normative Influence: Correlates of Concurrent Sexual Partnering Among Heterosexually-Active Homeless Men

Sexual concurrency poses significant HIV/STI transmission risk.

Journal Article

Sex and Relationships on the Street: How Homeless Men Judge Partner Risk on Skid Row

Homeless men on LA's Skid Row use visual and behavioral cues, social reputation, feelings of trust, perceived relationship seriousness, and medically inaccurate ''folk'' beliefs to judge whether partners were risky and/or condom use was warranted.

Journal Article

Social Networks of Homeless Youth in Emerging Adulthood

Interventions need to recognize the importance of social networks of homeless youth in emerging adulthood by enhancing supportive bonds and reducing substance use and risky sex.

Journal Article

Association of Childhood Abuse with Homeless Women's Social Networks

The effects of childhood physical abuse should be more actively investigated in clinical settings, especially those frequented by homeless women.

Journal Article

Social Distance and Homophily in Adolescent Smoking Initiation

The association between peer smoking and adolescent smoking initiation appears to be due to both peer selection and direct influence.

Journal Article

Social Network and Individual Correlates of Sexual Risk Behavior Among Homeless Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

HIV prevention programs for homeless YMSM may warrant a multipronged approach that helps these youth strengthen their ties to prosocial peers, develop more positive condom attitudes, and access needed mental health and housing services.

Journal Article

Unprotected Sex of Homeless Youth: Results from a Multilevel Analysis of Individual, Social Network, and Relationship Factors

Investigates the multiple levels of influence on unprotected sex among homeless youth, including social network, individual, and partner level influences.

Journal Article

Voluntary After-School Alcohol and Drug Programs for Middle School Youth: If You Build It Right, They Will Come

This study describes CHOICE, a voluntary after-school program which targeted AOD use among middle school students.

Journal Article

Who Is Supporting Homeless Youth? Predictors of Support in Personal Networks

Homeless youth lack the traditional support networks of their housed peers, which increases their risk for poor health outcomes.

Journal Article

Romantic Attraction and Adolescent Smoking Trajectories

This analysis examines smoking behaviors across sexual orientation groups by describing how same- and opposite-sex romantic attraction, and changes in romantic attraction, are associated with trajectories of smoking over six years.

Journal Article

Multisite Cost Analysis of a School-Based Voluntary Alcohol and Drug Prevention Program

The large cross-school variation in the cost of implementing Project CHOICE (a voluntary after-school prevention program for adolescents) highlights the importance of collecting cost information from multiple sites.

Journal Article

Substance Use Among Middle School Students: Associations with Self-Rated and Peer-Nominated Popularity

More-popular middle school students are more likely to be cigarette smokers, drinkers, and marijuana users, as well as past-month drinkers, suggesting that popularity is a risk factor for substance abuse.

Journal Article

Nonexperts' Recognition of Structure in Personal Network Data

A patient's social environment in an important dimension of treatment for chronic illness; interventions intended to help individuals understand and change their social environments could benefit from incorporating visualizations of social networks.

Journal Article

Increased Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior Among Migratory Homeless Youth: Exploring the Role of Social Network Composition

Young homeless "travelers" engage in higher risk behavior than non-traveler homeless and may have different service needs and require different service approaches.

Journal Article

A Unified Framework for Smoking Assessment: The PROMIS Smoking Initiative

The PROMIS Smoking Initiative has the goal of developing, evaluating, and making widely available a set of items for assessing smoking behavior and the biopsychosocial constructs that can be used to predict smoking outcomes.

Journal Article

Predictors of Substance Abuse Treatment Need and Receipt Among Homeless Women

A strong social network, informational support from sex partners, and other social factors affect whether homeless women receive substance abuse treatment.

Journal Article

Providing Smoking Cessation Programs to Homeless Youth: The Perspective of Service Providers

This paper presents data from interviews with service providers from 23 shelters and drop-in centers serving homeless youth in Los Angeles County about their current smoking cessation programming.

Journal Article

Running Away from Home: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Risk Factors and Young Adult Outcomes

Risk factors for adolescent running away from home include lack of parental support, school disengagement, depression, and heavier substance use at Grade 9; runaways had higher drug dependence and more depressive symptoms at age 21 than non-runaways.

Journal Article

The Social Context of Homeless Men's Substance Use

Substance use among homeless men is associated with health problems and riskier personal networks. These findings underscore the importance of interventions that focus on improving mental health and mitigating the drug-using norms of personal networks.

Research Brief

The Influence of Personal, Family, and School Factors on Early Adolescent Substance Use

This study of middle school students in Southern California found that racial and ethnic variations in substance use among young adolescents are influenced by individual, family and school factors.

Journal Article

Racial/ethnic Differences in Adolescent Substance Use: Mediation by Individual, Family, and School Factors

Assessment of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use in a diverse sample of 5,500 seventh and eighth graders highlights the need to target individual, family, and school factors in efforts to reduce substance use among young minority adolescents.

Journal Article

Friendship Networks and Trajectories of Adolescent Tobacco Use

This article examines how friendship networks in adolescence are linked to tobacco use trajectories through a combination of analytic techniques that traditionally are located in separate literatures: social network analysis and developmental trajectory analysis.

Journal Article

Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Change in Smoking Status

Whether or not an adolescent stops or begins smoking is influenced by whether or not his/her romantic relationship smokes.

Journal Article

Is Substance Use a Barrier to Protected Sex Among Homeless Women? Results from Between- and Within-Subjects Event Analyses

This study used event-based analyses to examine how alcohol and drug use are associated with protected sex among women residing in temporary shelters in Los Angeles County.

Journal Article

Peer Influence and Selection Effects on Adolescent Smoking

The effects of peer influence and selection on adolescent smoking may be much weaker than earlier studies assumed.

Journal Article

Personal Network Correlates of Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use Among Homeless Youth

Youth with more substance users in their networks reported greater alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana consumption. Network-based interventions may be a means to enhance pro-social influences and reduce exposure to substance use for this population.

Journal Article

Sampling to Reduce Respondent Burden in Personal Network Studies and Its Effect on Estimates of Structural Measures

Interview time in personal network studies can be reduced by randomly sampling a smaller set of the alters named by the respondent and simulating the error that results when data are collected from the smaller group.

Journal Article

Unprotected Sex of Homeless Women Living in Los Angeles County: An Investigation of the Multiple Levels of Risk

Homeless women who have a high commitment to their partner and experience physical violence are more likely to have unprotected sex. Trust in condom efficacy and perceived low susceptibility to HIV make women less likely to engage in risky sex.

Journal Article

Creating a Developmentally Sensitive Measure of Adolescent Alcohol Misuse: An Application of Item Response Theory

This study, funded by the US National Institute of Drug Abuse, evaluates the usefulness of item response theory to create a developmental alcohol misuse scale.

Journal Article

Homeless Women's Personal Networks: Implications for Understanding Risk Behavior

The goal of this exploratory study was to examine the composition of homeless women's personal networks in order to better understand the social context of risk behavior in this vulnerable population.

Journal Article

The Social Context of Homeless Women's Alcohol and Drug Use

Homeless women with a greater proportion of heavy alcohol users in their personal networks had greater odds of engaging in binge drinking, and women with a greater proportion of drug users in their networks had greater odds of using marijuana, cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine or other amphetamines.

Journal Article

When, Where, Why and with Whom Homeless Women Engage in Risky Sexual Behaviors: A Framework for Understanding Complex and Varied Decision-Making Processes

Impoverished women worldwide are at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. This study explores how homeless women make risky sex decisions and the role that alcohol and drugs play in this process.

Journal Article

Growing Up in a Permissive Household: What Deters At-Risk Adolescents from Heavy Drinking?

Permissive households (based on parental knowledge of whereabouts, curfew, and predicted response to child drinking or use of marijuana) are associated with adolescent heavy drinking. Alcohol prevention programs can target prodrinking influences.

Journal Article

Reducing Early Smokers' Risk for Future Smoking and Other Problem Behavior: Insights from a Five-Year Longitudinal Study

Finds risk and protective factors during adolescence that predict future regular smoking and multiple problem behavior among youth who had tried smoking by grade 7. Protective factors include good grades and parental disapproval of smoking/drug use.

Journal Article

Stability of Physical Activity Across the Lifespan

Examines physical activity stability across extended time periods. Results showed that activity levels are somewhat stable from childhood through middle and late adulthood.

Journal Article

Temporal Associations of Cigarette Smoking with Social Influences, Academic Performance, and Delinquency: A Four-Wave Longitudinal Study from Ages 13-23

Prosmoking peer and family influences were risk factors for future smoking throughout adolescence. Youth smoking was associated with peer smoking and poor grades, with youth smoking as a stronger antecedent than consequence for these factors.

Journal Article

Understanding Differences in Substance Use Among Bisexual and Heterosexual Young Women

Examines developmental factors that may contribute to higher substance use rates among bisexual than heterosexual women. Adolescent bisexual women were more likely to have been current and solitary substance users and reported poorer mental health.

Research Brief

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues Among People with HIV: Lessons from HCSUS

This research brief describes findings from HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study surveys on the prevalence of mental health and substance abuse problems for persons with HIV, access to appropriate care, and ability to adhere to treatment.

Research Brief

New Perspectives on Marijuana and Youth: Abstainers Are Not Maladjusted, but Lone Users Face Difficulties

This research brief describes evidence RAND researchers use to challenge findings from 1990 report on marijuana use and emotional and social adjustment in teens.

Journal Article

A Discrete Time Hazards Model of Smoking Initiation Among West Coast Youth from Age 5 to 23

The impact of demographic and family influence factors on smoking initiation varies over time. However, the maximum risk for initiation is during the early teen years, and the range of considerable vulnerability is during middle school and high school.

Report

Relationship Commitment and Its Implications for Unprotected Sex Among Impoverished Women Living in Shelters and Low-Income Housing in Los Angeles County

Finds that relationship commitment among impoverished women predicts more frequent engagement in unprotected sex with their partners, even after controlling for type of relationship.

Journal Article

Sexual Risk Among Impoverished Women: Understanding the Role of Housing Status

The goal of this study is to enhance understanding of the association between housing status and having multiple sex partners, by investigating how housing status differences can be accounted for by hypothesized explanatory factors.

Journal Article

Treatment Process in the Therapeutic Community: Associations with Retention and Outcomes Among Adolescent Residential Clients

Study highlights components of the treatment process that may be particularly important for practitioners to consider and monitor in their clients

Draft

A Discrete Time Hazards Model of Smoking Initiation Among West Coast Youth from Age 5 to 23

Models smoking initiation among youth by age, demographic/familial factors, and interactions with other youths: Demographic and family influences vary over time; children are most at risk in early teens; and are vulnerable in middle and high school.

Journal Article

Affective and Behavioral Responses to Health-Related Social Control

Social control has the potential to encourage engagement in a healthy lifestyle, its effectiveness may depend on the nature of the influence attempt.

Journal Article

Are Drug Experimenters Better Adjusted Than Abstainers and Users? A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Marijuana Use

Results refute idea that adolescents who abstain from substance use are maladjusted, and suggest they function better than experimenters later in life

Journal Article

Cigarette Smoking from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Women's Developmental Trajectories and Associates Outcomes

Women with certain patterns of smoking from age 13-23 are at heightened risk for early transitions to sexual activity and parenthood.

Journal Article

Does Solitary Substance Use Increase Adolescents' Risk for Poor Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes? A 9-Year Longitudinal Study Comparing Solitary and Social Users

Results indicate the importance of better understanding and addressing the needs of this understudied group of high-risk youth.

Journal Article

Predictors of Unprotected Sex with Non-Cohabitating Primary Partners Among Sheltered and Low-Income Housed Women in Los Angeles County

This study investigated associations of substance use, relationship abuse and HIV self-protective behavior with unprotected sex among 290 impoverished women with a non-cohabitating primary partner.

Report

Social Control of Health Behavior: Associations With Conscientiousness and Neuroticism

Explores how conscientiousness and neuroticism are related to health status behaviors.

Report

Toward a More Comprehensive Understanding of Violence Against Impoverished Women

Reports on physical, sexual, and psychological violence among women were randomly sampled from temporary shelter settings and low-income housing in Los Angeles County and finds that they experienced notable rates of violence during the past 6 months.

Journal Article

Victimization and Health Among Indigent Young Women in the Transition to Adulthood: A Portrait of Need

This study highlights striking rates of victimization and its association with physical and behavioral health problems among indigent young women.

Research Brief

HIV Testing Among Indigent Women: Who Gets Tested?

Among a random sample of 460 homeless (sheltered) women and 438 women living in low-income housing (housed women) in Los Angeles County, 83 percent reported that they had been tested for HIV at least once: 88 percent of sheltered women versus 80 percent of housed women.

Journal Article

Reemphasizing the Context of Women's Risk for HIV/AIDS in the United States

HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic that is increasingly affecting women on every continent.

Journal Article

Predictors of Attempted Quitting and Cessation Among Young Adult Smokers

Different risk and protective factors are relevant to understanding why smokers attempt to quit vs. why they are able to quit for 6 months or longer.

Journal Article

Concurrent Use of Alcohol and Cigarettes from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: An Examination of Developmental Trajectories and Outcomes

Importance of curbing smoking behavior among adolescents before it becomes habitual.

Journal Article

Experiencing Interpersonal Violence: Perspectives of Sexually Active, Substance-Using Women Living in Shelters and Low-Income Housing

As part of a larger study, the authors investigated experiences of recent violence among sexually active, substance-using women.

Journal Article

Longevity Following the Experience of Parental Divorce

Long-term effects of parental divorce and reasons why the stress of parental divorce in childhood need not lead to negative later-life outcomes.

Journal Article

A Prospective Study of Risk and Protective Factors for Substance Use Among Impoverished Women Living in Temporary Shelter Settings in Los Angeles County

Effective substance use programs may need an integrative approach that addresses other types of risk behaviors.

Journal Article

Substance Use Trajectories from Early Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: A Comparison of Smoking, Binge Drinking, and Marijuana Use

Over the past several years, there has been growing interest in identifying distinct developmental trajectories of substance use.

Report

Trauma, Depression, Coping, and Mental Health Service Seeking Among Impoverished Women

Examines the relationship among trauma, coping, depression, and seeking mental health services in a probability sample of sheltered homeless and low-income housed women.

Journal Article

Antecedents and Outcomes of Marijuana Use Initiation During Adolescence

Results emphasize the importance of early intervention and identify a wide range of potentially modifiable risk factors that may be targeted.

Research Brief

Classroom Drug Prevention Works: But Left Unchecked, Early Substance Use Haunts Older Teens and Young Adults

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are in the nation's schools, sidetracking kids from getting a good education and from building a solid foundation for a productive, healthy life.

Report

A Cross-Lagged Model of Psychiatric Problems and Health-Related Quality of Life Among a National Sample of HIV-Positive Adults

Responses from a sample of HIV-positive adults at 2 time points approximately 8 months apart provide evidence for a reciprocal relationship between symptoms of psychiatric disorder and physical aspects of HRQOL.

Journal Article

Developmental Trajectories of Cigarette Smoking and Their Correlates from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Smoking initiation typically occurs in adolescence and increases over time into emerging adulthood.

Report

From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Smoking

The authors used data gathered from 6259 youths between the ages of 13 and 23 years to compare trends in smoking among 4 racial/ethnic groups.

Journal Article

Interpersonal Violence, Substance Use, and HIV-related Behavior and Cognitions: A Prospective Study of Impoverished Women in Los Angeles County

This 6-month prospective study investigated associations of recent violence and substance use with HIV-related sexual behaviors and cognitions.

Journal Article

Physical Violence Against Impoverished Women: A Longitudinal Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors

Violence represents a significant threat to the health of impoverished women.

Journal Article

Prevalence and Co-Occurrence of Violence, Substance Use and Disorder, and HIV Risk Behavior: A Comparison of Sheltered and Low-Income Housed Women in Los Angeles County

Violence against women, substance use and disorder, and HIV represent three significant threats to the health of women, yet little is known about the extent of these epidemics among indigent women. This study investigates and documents differences in the prevalence and co-occurrence of physical and sexual violence, substance use and disorder, and HIV risk behavior in sizable probability samples of sheltered homeless and low-income housed women.

Journal Article

Psychosocial Mediators of Antiretroviral Nonadherence in HIV-positive Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Problems

Investigates causes of nonadherence to ARV medications among patients with mental health and substance use problems.

Journal Article

Social Control of Health Behaviors: A Comparison of Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

Social control can positively influence health behaviors, but changes in social networks over time may result in less health-related social control.

Journal Article

Combination Antiretroviral Therapy and Improvements in Mental Health: Results from a Nationally Representative Sample of Persons Undergoing Care for HIV in the United States

ART appears to be responsible for both a treatment-specific and global improvement in the mental health of HIV+ patients.

Report

Five-Year Prospective Study of Risk Factors for Daily Smoking in Adolescence Among Early Nonsmokers and Experimenters

Results point to the importance of adapting prevention efforts to the special needs of early nonsmokers and experimenters.

Report

Health Risk Appraisals and Medicare

Reviews the effectiveness of Health Risk Appraisals among the Medicare population for a number of variables, including exercise habits, use of cancer screenings, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, health status, and psychological state.

Journal Article

HIV Risk Behaviors and Their Correlates Among HIV-positive Adults with Serious Mental Illness

HIV risk behaviors and their correlates were examined in a sample of 154 HIV-seropositive and seriously mentally ill adults.

Report

Patterns and Correlates of Binge Drinking Trajectories from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Patterns and Correlates of Binge Drinking Trajectories from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Journal Article

Patterns and Correlates of HIV Testing Among Sheltered and Low-Income Housed Women in Los Angeles County

Few women reported lack of money, transportation, or access to testing facilities as primary barriers to being tested.

Journal Article

Personal and Psychosocial Characteristics Associated with Psychiatric Conditions Among Women with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

This study presents information on correlates of mental health and substance abuse problems among women with human immunodeficiency virus

Journal Article

Predictors of the Transition to Regular Smoking During Adolescence and Young Adulthood

To identify predictors of the transition from experimentation to regular smoking in middle adolescence, late adolescence, and young adulthood.

Journal Article

Substance Use and Mental Health Correlates of Nonadherence to Antiretroviral Medications in a Sample of Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Mental health and substance use problems are common among patients infected with HIV and may impede adherence to antiretroviral regimens.

Journal Article

Ten-year Prospective Study of Public Health Problems Associated with Early Drinking

To compare early nondrinkers, experimenters, and drinkers on the prevalence of problem behaviors at grades 7 and 12 and at age 23

Research Brief

Does Early Smoking Signal Later Problems?

Whereas earlier studies focused on older adolescents, we have examined the trajectory of smoking from the middle school years to the end of high school and have assessed the association between early smoking and other concurrent high-risk behaviors as well as later behaviors.

Journal Article

Health-Related Social Control Within Older Adults' Relationships

Size and composition of older adults' social control networks and behavioral and affective responses to the experience of social control.

Journal Article

A Life Course Perspective on Childhood Cheerfulness and Its Relation to Mortality Risk

Follows up the inverse relation between childhood cheerfulness and longevity found among 1,215 men and women first assessed as children by Lewis Terman in 1922.

Report

Prospective Risk Factors for Alcohol Misuse in Late Adolescence

Prospective Risk Factors for Alcohol Misuse in Late Adolescence

Journal Article

Smoking Cessation During the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

The psychosocial and behavioral determinants of smoking cessation from late adolescence to early adulthood were investigated.

Report

High-Risk Behaviors Associated with Early Smoking: Results From a 5-Year Follow-Up

Purpose: To compare grade 7 nonsmokers, experimenters, and smokers on the basis of prevalence of other problem behaviors at both grade 7 and grade 12.

Report

Sex Differences in Predictors of Adolescent Smoking Cessation

Sex differences in predictors of smoking cessation were investigated among 337 male and 490 female participants in the RAND adolescent panel study.

Journal Article

Social Control of Health Behaviors in Marriage

These results suggest that current conceptualizations of the health-relevance of social control are in need of revision.

Journal Article

Age-related Changes in Associations of Social Network Ties with Mortality Risk

Age-related changes in the associations of social network ties with mortality risk were investigated using data from the Terman Life-Cycle Study.