Browsing by Subject "Alcoholism"
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- ItemOpen AccessAlcohol, binge drinking and associated mental health problems in young urban Chileans(Public Library of Science, 2015) Mason-Jones, Amanda J; Cabieses, BálticaObjective To explore the link between alcohol use, binge drinking and mental health problems in a representative sample of adolescent and young adult Chileans. METHODS: Age and sex-adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) for four mental wellbeing measures were estimated with separate conditional logistic regression models for adolescents aged 15-20 years, and young adults aged 21-25 years, using population-based estimates of alcohol use prevalence rates from the Chilean National Health Survey 2010. RESULTS: Sixty five per cent of adolescents and 85% of young adults reported drinking alcohol in the last year and of those 83% per cent of adolescents and 86% of young adults reported binge drinking in the previous month. Adolescents who reported binging alcohol were also more likely, compared to young adults, to report being always or almost always depressed (OR 12.97 [95% CI, 1.86-19.54]) or to feel very anxious in the last month (OR 9.37 [1.77-19.54]). Adolescent females were more likely to report poor life satisfaction in the previous year than adolescent males (OR 8.50 [1.61-15.78]), feel always or almost always depressed (OR 3.41 [1.25-9.58]). Being female was also associated with a self-reported diagnosis of depression for both age groups (adolescents, OR 4.74 [1.49-15.08] and young adults, OR 4.08 [1.65-10.05]). CONCLUSION: Young people in Chile self-report a high prevalence of alcohol use, binge drinking and associated mental health problems. The harms associated with alcohol consumption need to be highlighted through evidence-based prevention programs. Health and education systems need to be strengthened to screen and support young people. Focussing on policy initiatives to limit beverage companies targeting alcohol to young people will also be needed.
- ItemOpen Access
- ItemOpen AccessThe effects of piracetam on psychometric performance in chronic alcoholics(1984) Price, Anthony Edward; Du Preez, PeterA randomised, placebo-controlled double-blind crossover design was employed in assessing the effects of piracetam treatment on the functional capacities of abstinent chronic alcoholics. A sample of 63 subjects, selected for reliability (to counteract an anticipated high drop-out rate) and for a minimum period of abstinence from problem drinking of three months was drawn from the William Slater Hospital, Rondebosch and commenced the trial. The trial consisted of two 8-week periods, with daily dosages of 4,8gm of piracetam or placebo. Subjects were assessed on a psychometric battery yielding a total of 31 scores at baseline, crossover (8 weeks) and trial termination (16 weeks). The final sample size was 48 after drop-outs and noncompliance had been taken into account. Scoring of test data for these subjects was completed before breaking protocols. Results were analysed by means, of two way analysis of variance with repeated measures on the trials variable. Only two of the 31 analyses yielded significant differences between piracetam and the placebo. These yielded opposed results, and as this number of significant results could be expected due to chance alone, it was concluded that they were probably chance results and that no differences existed between the effects of piracetam and placebo on the functional capacities of chronic alcoholics.
- ItemOpen AccessHIV risk perception and behavior among medically and traditionally circumcised males in South Africa(2016) Zungu, N P; Simbayi, L C; Mabaso, M; Evans, M; Zuma, K; Ncitakalo, N; Sifunda, SAbstract Background In South Africa, voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) has recently been implemented as a strategy for reducing the risk of heterosexual HIV acquisition among men. However, there is some concern that VMMC may lead to low risk perception and more risky sexual behavior. This study investigated HIV risk perception and risk behaviors among men who have undergone either VMMC or traditional male circumcision (TMC) compared to those that had not been circumcised. Methods Data collected from the 2012 South African national population-based household survey for males aged 15 years and older were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate multinomial logistic regression, and relative risk ratios (RRRs) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) were used to assess factors associated with each type of circumcision relative no circumcision. Results Of the 11,086 males that indicated that they were circumcised or not, 19.5 % (95 % CI: 17.9–21.4) were medically circumcised, 27.2 % (95 % CI: 24.7–29.8) were traditionally circumcised and 53.3 % (95 % CI: 50.9–55.6) were not circumcised. In the final multivariate models, relative to uncircumcised males, males who reported VMMC were significantly more likely to have had more than two sexual partners (RRR = 1.67, p = 0.009), and males who reported TMC were significantly less likely to be low risk alcohol users (RRR = 0.72, p < 0.001). Conclusion There is a need to strengthen and improve the quality of the counselling component of VMMC with the focus on education about the real and present risk for HIV infection associated with multiple sexual partners and alcohol abuse following circumcision.
- ItemOpen AccessPost-alcoholic hypoglycaemia: a clinical and pathological study(1965) Naeme, Peter BreretonFor a number of years a history of sudden onset of coma, followed later by death, was noted amongst Africans at King Edward VIII hospital, Durban. Necropsy, where performed, revealed no cause in many of these patients. In 1957 after cerebrospinal fluid had been examined in some of the cases it was seen that the only abnormality present was a low cerebrospinal sugar. Hypoglycaemia was suspected and blood sugar estimation confirmed it. Further investigation failed to reveal the cause of the hypoglycaemia and in some cases because of a "flat" glucose tolerance curve organic hyperinsulinism was suspected. In one case total pancreatectomy was performed but thorough macroscopical and histological investigation failed to reveal a tumour or hyperplasia, and the patient subsequently suffered from diabetes. In August 1958, I admitted an African female patient, of 26 years, to the ward in coma.
- ItemOpen AccessThe 'dop' system around Stellenbosch--results of a farm survey(1998)OBJECTIVES: To document the number of farms operating a 'dop' system (payment of workers with alcohol instead of wages), to estimate the number of farm workers affected, to describe how the system operated and to characterise adverse social conditions on the farms. POPULATION: Farms served by the mobile clinics of the Cape Metropolitan Council's Health Department in the Stellenbosch area. METHODS: Cross-sectional prevalence survey. Nurses collected data from patients attending mobile clinics. RESULTS: A prevalence of 9.5% was detected in respect of farms operating the dop system, with an estimated 780 workers affected. The most common practice was a daily provision of 750 ml wine to male workers. Social conditions on the farms in question were poor and wages were low. Child malnutrition was the most common health problem identified. CONCLUSION: The dop system, although illegal, has been documented to occur in the Stellenbosch area. Programmes to address the dop system and alcohol abuse, based on a primary health care approach, are a priority in the rural areas of the Western Cape.
- ItemOpen AccessUnderstanding the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression(Public Library of Science, 2015) Kader, Rehana; Govender, Rajen; Seedat, Soraya; Koch, John Randy; Parry, CharlesThe objective of this study was to understand the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression among HIV patients. A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 1503 patients attending HIV clinics in Cape Town, South Africa were screened for problematic substance use. A sub-sample of 607 patients (303 patients who screened positive for problematic substance use and 304 who did not) participated in this study. Hazardous or harmful alcohol use and problematic drug use predicted missing and stopping ARVs which, in turn, was associated with a decrease in CD4 counts and more rapid HIV-disease progression and poorer health outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The findings of this study underscore the need for an integrated approach to managing substance-use disorders in PLWHA.