MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'demographics'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:11:08 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960334&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fbetter-treatment-for-women-alcoholics%2F Early treatment for women with alcohol addiction (EWA) reduces mortality: a randomized controlled trial with long-term register follow-up.Gjestad R., Franck J., Lindberg S. et al. Request reprint Alcohol and Alcoholism: 2011, 46(2), p. 170–176.Compared to usual treatment, over the next 27 years introduction of a comprehensively serviced female-only alcohol treatment unit in Sweden substantially extended the lives of its patients – a uniquely convincing demonstration that improving treatment can save lives.Summary Alarmed by rising numbers of alcohol dependent women and their high death rate, in the 1980s Sweden established a female-only unit at a hospital alcohol treatment centre in the capital Stockholm. Compared to ‘treatment as usual’ wards and clinics, the Early Treatme... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960334 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:22:09 +0100 4960334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945263&cid=t_133428_175_f&fid=39258&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FInsidePaTraining%2F%7E3%2F0f0O1GkZghI%2Ftypical-physician-assistant If you’re trying to get a grasp of the physician assistant profession, you should probably know what the typical physician assistant looks like.  I just read the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ most recent census of the nation’s PAs (2009 data), and learned a few things:   The typical physician assistant is female (About 65% [...]Visit us at Inside PA Training - Becoming A Physician Assistant (Source: Inside PA Training) Inside PA Training blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945263 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:22:21 +0100 4945263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4545011&cid=t_133428_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F03%2Fmechanical-turk-to-the-rescue-of-psychology-research%2F One of the problems faced with psychology research — really, with all medical research — is finding enough appropriate subjects to study. Subjects have to be obtained in a way that is representative of the population as a whole for research findings to be generalizable. Which is a real problem, because as I noted back in August 2010, there are literally thousands of psychology studies based upon nothing more than a bunch of college students from a single campus at a university in the U.S. While young adults who are attending college may indeed help us understand some aspects of human behavior, you can’t just assume that the behaviors you observed in those studies apply to 60-year-old women and men too. Enter Amazon.com’s Mechanical Turk service to the rescue. Can te... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4545011 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:21:54 +0100 4545011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139349&cid=t_133428_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FxLZj9ZGW-Rg%2F Discussions >Industry Activity from October 2010 (Posit Science, Dakim, Zeo, NovaVision, Lumosity) >Pearson starts to promote Cogmed working memory training (press release) Research & Policy Discussions >New report on workplace mental/physical health >Non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain can improve numerical abilities >JAMA trial finds no evidence of DHA Supplementation impacting on cognitive decline in Mild to Moderate Comment of the week Philip Toman on the potential of computer-administered CBT and heart-rate variability (HRV) biofeedback Idea of the week We now have a very fun Ideas feature that allows Council Members to submit and to vote on ideas and suggestions on anything that crosses your mind. Please visit the new Ideas section and challenge you... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139349 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 04:28:40 +0100 4139349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139485&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FIkuGqc1QQGo%2F CONCLUSIONS: Dental schools should develop effective programmes to educate students about responsible use of alcohol and other licit and illicit drugs. Schools should also inform students about their susceptibilities to substance abuse and dependency. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001 Feb;29(1):48-54. Substance use among Dutch dental students. Plasschaert AJ, Hoogstraten J, van Emmerik BJ, Webster DB, Clayton RR. See also; Brief-TSF can assist people cease alcohol consumption. Twelve-Step Programs as an Adjunct to Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by e-Mail           Counseling for Relapse Preventionby Terence T. Gorski, Merlene Miller Read more about this title… Double Trouble in RecoveryBing... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139485 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 15:05:33 +0100 4139485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025785&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FlJW0rhx6m3I%2F Special populations in Alcoholics Anonymous. The vast majority of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members in the United States are white, and only a few studies have investigated the program’s effectiveness for ethnic minorities. Other demographics need to be examined. Project MATCH, a multisite research study aimed at developing guidelines for assigning alcoholics to appropriate treatment approaches, also assessed AA effectiveness for minority clients. Some differences in AA attendance existed among white, African-American, and Hispanic Project MATCH participants who had received some inpatient treatment before entering the study, but not among participants who had not received inpatient treatment. Further analyses of white and Hispanic Project MATCH participants demonstrated that althoug... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025785 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:46:30 +0100 4025785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899641&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FeOsY1JP9UaU%2F If you continue to attend AA and not drop out you have nearly double chance of remaining abstinent. Estimated Alcoholics Anonymous Membership 1991-1992 New members during past year – 0.9 million On-going members – 1.5 million Total membership – 2.4 million Continuation Rate in Alcoholics Anonymous In 1991-1992 4.8 million respondents reported ever attending an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, for reasons related to their drinking, prior to the last 12 months and 31% reported continued AA attendance during the last 12 months. Rate of continued AA attendance was associated with years since first AA meeting 1-4 years since first AA meeting – 36% remained 5-9 years since first AA meeting – 30% remained 10-19 years since first AA meeting – 29% remained ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899641 Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:06:06 +0100 3899641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899642&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2Fhm3FqYJRLBg%2F Substance abuse among the elderly: A growing problem In her early years, Eva would probably have been called a "teetotaler." Except for an infrequent sip of wine on special occasions, she never drank alcoholic beverages. But after her children moved away and her husband and many of her close friends died, Eva turned to the bottle for escape and companionship. Now in her late 70s, Eva is an alcoholic. Harry has had problems with substance abuse since his late teens. Although drinking binges were often followed by periods of sobriety, he inevitably returned to his addictive ways. At 75, he is on several prescription medications, some of which should not be taken with alcohol. His children, long ago burned out from trying to persuade him to get help, have come to believe that you re... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899642 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:00:52 +0100 3899642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740831&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FBEp_28lOq1E%2F A Study of Readiness to Change Profiles in Alcohol and Other Drug Abusers. The purpose of the study was to measure readiness to change profiles of alcohol and other drug abusers, information which is needed in the individual tailoring of treatment. The subjects (N = 780) were Finnish alcoholics and polydrug users receiving inpatient treatment. The instrument used to measure readiness to change was the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA). In the cluster analysis the subjects were placed in groups. The results revealed wide differences in readiness to change profiles, yet not between alcoholics and polydrug users. Higher education, female gender, living with minor children and marital state were consistently associated with better readiness to change. Those coming on ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740831 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:47:56 +0100 3740831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672042&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2F3tMC2Gcwpe8%2F 12 Step Programs Offer Broad Benefits, Study Says A study of Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step oriented self-help programs finds that they can help most people recover from alcoholism, even those who are not religious or have mental-health problems. The Pacific Institute on Research and Education (PIRE) reported that researchers tracked a group of 227 alcoholics over three years and found that those who had attended AA or other self-help programs after treatment had higher rates of abstinence, and drank less if they did relapse. The results cut across gender and religious lines and held regardless of psychiatric history or whether the patient had previously attended AA or other similar programs. "Here’s a widespread, chronic disorder that seems to respond well to an inex... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672042 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:36:45 +0100 3672042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635686&cid=t_133428_85_f&fid=34924&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baggas.com%2Fposts%2F2010%2F06%2F07%2Fepidemiology-and-demography%2F Just finished my Epidemiology exam this morning which means (assuming I passed) that I am now three quarters of the way through my Masters degree. I got most of it done last year but have slowed things down a bit this year, as I’ve had a lot of other things requiring my attention – especially the adoption process (for which we are still waiting to hear if we have been approved to be adoptive parents) and church stuff (helping keep the church going without a Senior Pastor and working through all the job applications we’ve received) and music ministry stuff. Anyway I obviously haven’t quite got all the epi stuff out of my system, as this afternoon I found myself browsing a site with detailed demographic data for our local area. This may sound incredibly boring or nerd... Baggas' Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635686 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:11:18 +0100 3635686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3547009&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FNWhb9hjvZa4%2F : is it different in onset and outcome compared to men? Abstract; Onset and course of alcohol dependence show gender related differences suggesting that women are more vulnerable to chronic alcohol consumption. Known as the telescoping effect where women have greater and faster alcohol related effect. This raises the question whether the differences are associated with a different treatment outcome as well. We hypothesized, that alcohol dependent women with a telescoping course show a less favourable treatment outcome compared to men. We investigated 212 alcohol dependent patients; matching 106 consecutively admitted women with 106 men drawn from a total sample of 343 male patients. The treatment program consisted of a 6 week inpatient treatment and 12 months of outpatient aftercare. We as... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3547009 Fri, 07 May 2010 07:42:47 +0100 3547009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3547016&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2Fb7X1u2eY_Xo%2F Alcohol consumption and the CAGE questionnaire in Korean adults: results from the Second Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Korean Med Sci. 2008 Apr;23(2):199-206. Park JT, Kim BG, Jhun HJ. We evaluated alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in Korean adults by evaluating alcohol consumption and responses to the CAGE questionnaire obtained from the second Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The age-adjusted prevalence of males who consumed 0, 0.1-20, 20.1-40, or >40 g/day of alcohol were 28.0, 51.5, 12.5, and 8.0%, respectively; 26.9% of male drinkers were CAGE-positive (> or =2 affirmative responses to the CAGE). The age-adjusted prevalence of females who consumed 0, 0.1-10, 10.1-20, or >20 g/day of alcohol were 67.7, 26.6, ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3547016 Sun, 02 May 2010 07:07:05 +0100 3547016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3522829&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2F1wDPZcis6gc%2F November 30, 2009 Nurses, doctors, dentists and other health professionals in California who are in treatment for alcohol and other drug problems will now be subject to stricter oversight and could be immediately removed from practice should they relapse, the Los Angeles Times reported. Health workers will now be required to take more than 100 drug tests during their first year in treatment. One positive drug test result will be enough to have a health professional be temporarily suspended from practice. All restrictions to licenses will be posted online for public access. The new standards were created by the state legislature last year to address the way recovery programs for doctors were being handled. The Medical Board of California ended its diversion program in 2008 after several a... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3522829 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:20:03 +0100 3522829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3479898&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FIMFrFkjTp3I%2F Epidemiology of Alcoholics Anonymous participation. This chapter draws on AA membership surveys, US general population surveys, and longitudinal treatment data to compile profiles of those ever exposed to AA in their lifetime, those who no longer report AA meeting attendance, and those who attend AA meetings currently. We consider demographics (gender, age, ethnicity, marital status), receipt of specialty treatment, and short- and long-term abstinence rates among these AA exposure groups. Results suggest stability in the representation of women and minorities among the AA membership, but a decline among youth. Fully one-half of those completing AA’s most recent membership survey reported that they had been abstinent for more than 5 years. Those receiving specialty treatment any g... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3479898 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:35:29 +0100 3479898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443917&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34995&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.discovermagazine.com%2Fgnxp%2F2010%2F04%2Fa-few-americas%2F The Best Jobs Report In a Long Time: Less than a high school diploma: 14.5% High school with no college: 10.8% Some college or associates degree: 8.2% Bachelor’s or higher: 4.9% (this is near full employment from an economic perspective). If you read the media sometimes it seems like the past recession was total hell in the white-collar sector, but really it wasn’t (comparatively). For what it’s worth, 84% of readers of my weblogs have university degrees or higher…. (Yes, I know the issues in regards to underemployment, part-time employment and those who have dropped out of the labor force, but all the issues seem more relevant to those with less education from what I’ve seen. Correction with data welcome) (Source: Gene Expression) Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443917 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 18:18:05 +0100 3443917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3437938&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FD8dCMa38Ffc%2F CONCLUSIONS: When compared to the general population, healthcare professionals appear to drink less, however, these findings also suggest that dentists use significantly more alcohol than most other groups of healthcare professionals. Together these findings address significant knowledge gaps that exist surrounding the prevalence of and pathways promoting alcohol use and misuse by healthcare professionals. Research; Drug Alcohol Depend. 2004 Jul 15;75(1):107-16. Alcohol use by healthcare professionals. Kenna GA, Wood MD. See also; Brief-TSF can assist people cease alcohol consumption. ABC’s of Recovery Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by e-Mail           Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatmentby Marc A. Sc... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3437938 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:45:57 +0100 3437938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3370676&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2F9SLUf7UAC08%2F CONCLUSIONS: in the long-term TSF may be the treatment of choice for alcohol-dependent clients with networks supportive of drinking; involvement in AA should be given special consideration for clients with networks supportive of drinking, irrespective of the therapy they will receive. Research; Longabaugh R, Wirtz PW, Zweben A, Stout RL. Network support for drinking, Alcoholics Anonymous and long-term matching effects.Addiction. 1998 Sep;93(9):1313-33. Subscribe to regular RSS feeds. Related Reading: Share/SaveRandom ArticlesRole of Self Help ProgramsAbstinence rates in AAMore AA meetingsEarly outpatient alcohol rehabilitation worksBrief-TSF ASSESSMENT (Source: Twelve Step Facilitation.com) Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3370676 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:40:12 +0100 3370676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3370681&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2Fzq13ho7H55A%2F CONCLUSIONS: The Chilean version of the AUDIT is a valid and reliable tool for identifying adolescents with hazardous, harmful, and dependent alcohol use. The suggested cut-off points make screening with the AUDIT more accurate for adolescent populations. Research; Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009 Aug 1;103(3):155-8. Epub 2009 May 6. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a screening instrument for adolescents. Santis R, Garmendia ML, Acuña G, Alvarado ME, Arteaga O. See also; 12-Step Treatment More Effective than Alternative Brief-TSF ASSESSMENT Brief-TSF can assist patients cease alcohol consumption. Learn about the disease Youth With Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Escape from Bondage (Helping Youth With Mental, Physical, and Social Challenges) by Kenneth McIntosh ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3370681 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:53:36 +0100 3370681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3302644&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FoOGM0cR8XQI%2F Alcoholism Is Not Just A “Man’s Disease” Anymore A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women. Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women – beginning with those born in the United States after World War II. Cross-sectional studies, which collect information at a single point in time, generally find that young Americans report having more lifetime alcohol problems than older Americans, despite having had less time to develop these problems.  But these studies are hampered by the fact that people of different ages may remember or report problems to different degrees.  A new examination of data, collected on similarly aged g... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3302644 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:02:03 +0100 3302644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3201904&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FuQxC7heAxqY%2F A healthy dentist is one of the most important ingredients in a successful dental practice. An ingredient not to be taken for granted. Professionals, dentists included, can and do experience illnesses and problems that can disrupt or impair a practice. In addition to the vulnerabilities of the human condition–addictive disorders, psychiatric illnesses, infectious disease, family and relationship problems, or the many varieties of human misery–dentists have undergone a powerful process of socialization into their professional role that makes it difficult to seek help for themselves. Stigma about addictive and psychiatric illnesses continues to be a problem despite significant advances in scientific understanding of these disorders. Many people, especially those in positions of c... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3201904 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:01:56 +0100 3201904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3120614&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fstricter-sobriety-standards-for-california-health-professionals%2F November 30, 2009 Nurses, doctors, dentists and other health professionals in California who are in treatment for alcohol and other drug problems will now be subject to stricter oversight and could be immediately removed from practice should they relapse, the Los Angeles Times reported. Health workers will now be required to take more than 100 drug tests during their first year in treatment. One positive drug test result will be enough to have a health professional be temporarily suspended from practice. All restrictions to licenses will be posted online for public access. The new standards were created by the state legislature last year to address the way recovery programs for doctors were being handled. The Medical Board of California ended its diversion program in 2008 after several a... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3120614 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:18:11 +0100 3120614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092862&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F12%2Fsettlers-immigrants.php A few weeks ago I referenced Campbell Gibson's paper, The Contribution of Immigration to the Growth and Ethnic Diversity of the American Population, which estimated that ~1990 50% of the population of the United States could be attributed to those enumerated in the Census of 1790. In other words, the first generation of white settlers who were citizens of an independent republic, and the free and enslaved blacks. More specifically, 61.4% were British & Irish (mostly English), 11.6% of continental origin (2/3 German) and 19.3% were black. In Gibson's analysis he does take into account mixing. He notes that the probability of a given "Old Stock" American having only American ancestors ~1800 is very low (the inverse situation, where a "white ethnic" has only immigrant grandparents or grea... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092862 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:09:00 +0100 3092862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3019172&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F11%2Ftale-of-two-nations.php One of the mantras of the new age is that European nations have to deal with diversity, something that's new to them. This actually ahistorical. Some military units in the Austro-Hungarian Empire actually used English as the lingua franca because of their ethnic diversity (due to those who returned from the United States, see 1848: Year of Revolution), while the French language and identity as dominant within the political unit of France is an artifact of the 19th century (see The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography). But one point which was brought home to me was the diversity of the United Kingdom in 1800. I knew of course that Ireland before the famine was 1/3 of the population of the United Kingdom, but I hadn't thought through the political ramifications. In The Cousins' Wars:... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3019172 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:18:00 +0100 3019172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3004094&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Falcohol-misuse-among-the-elderly%2F An Opportunity for Prevention Abstract: Current US census estimates predict that by the year 2020, 18% of the population will be 65 years or older. As most adults in this age group have health care needs, it is vital that clinicians are competent in identifying and intervening in the most common health issues among older adults. The article in this issue by Blazer and Wu again reminds us that alcohol use, including binge drinking, is common among older adults and that despite popular culture, alcohol misuse does not disappear as one ages. As noted in the article, the findings are very consistent with other epidemiological literature. Blazer and Wu found that 13% of men and 8% of women reported at-risk drinking and that 14% of men and 3% of women reported binge drinking. This is not to sugg... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3004094 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:57:31 +0100 3004094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2752147&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fidentifying-teen-alcohol-abuse-or-dependence%2F CONCLUSIONS: The Chilean version of the AUDIT is a valid and reliable tool for identifying adolescents with hazardous, harmful, and dependent alcohol use. The suggested cut-off points make screening with the AUDIT more accurate for adolescent populations. Research; Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009 Aug 1;103(3):155-8. Epub 2009 May 6. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a screening instrument for adolescents. Santis R, Garmendia ML, Acuña G, Alvarado ME, Arteaga O. See also; 12-Step Treatment More Effective than Alternative Brief-TSF ASSESSMENT Brief-TSF can assist patients cease alcohol consumption. Learn about the disease http://alcoholcoach.com/5-stages-of-alcoholism/ Youth With Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Escape from Bondage (Helping Youth With Mental, Physical... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2752147 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:41:40 +0100 2752147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630176&cid=t_133428_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F22%2Fbirth-order-and-personality%2F Quick! Tell me what order you are in the family and what that means to you. Were you the youngest, the baby, who was taken care of, protected (perhaps spoiled) and not left to make your own decisions? Were you the oldest, who had all the pressure and demands placed on you to “set an example?” Or were you a middle, or lost child, who kind of fell through the cracks? You weren’t really special on either end of the spectrum, were you? You may have even been the peacemaker as the middle child, trying to maintain the calm in a family that was otherwise a little chaotic. Some experts believe that birth order is an important tool in shaping how you turn out as an adult. It determines how you see the world, how you expect the world to treat you, and how you treat others. If you are the baby,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630176 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:43:18 +0100 2630176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626286&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Ftarget-populations%2F TSF TARGET POPULATIONS Clients Best Suited for This Counseling Approach TSF has been utilized in controlled outcome studies with alcohol abusers and alcoholics and with persons who have concurrent alcohol-cocaine abuse and dependency. It has been used with clients of diverse socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds and a range of maladjustment. Clients Poorly Suited for This Counseling Approach Individuals who have severe symptoms of addiction to cocaine or opiates, who are unemployed, and who also have no source of spousal or other family support appear to have the poorest prognosis. That is not to say that alternative treatments have proven effective with that group of individuals. When treating addiction to cocaine, it is recommended that sessions be scheduled twice a week f... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626286 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:15:25 +0100 2626286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405835&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fis-world-getting-more-religious.php I was in the bookstore and decided to look through God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith Is Changing the World. The authors work at The Economist, so I assumed it was going to be more reportage than a popular distillation of scholarship. I haven't read the whole thing, but that seems about right, skimming through I kept picking up errors or tendentious assertions. The very title is, in my opinion, only tenuously rooted in any factual secular trend. Secularization theory's overreach has given rise to a huge counter-literature which argues for the progressively more fervent religiosity of the world. But much of this has little to do with scholarship. Just as George Lakoff knows his audience, and so tailors his "scientific" message in the interests of getting his ideas out there throug... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405835 Wed, 13 May 2009 07:40:00 +0100 2405835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2090027&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fteen-birth-rates-up-but-nothing-to.php After declining pretty steadily from 1991 to 2005, in 2006 teen birth rates showed a slight uptick. Rather than swallow what the mass media and doomsaying blogosphere infers, read the report for yourself -- what you want to know is contained in the first 5 to 10 pages. Since most people worry about the long-term trend, and where things are going, I've taken data from the report's tables and put them into easy to understand time-series graphs, broken down by race and ethnicity. I'll then address a few of the larger issues.All birth rates are live births per 1000 women in a given group. I'll only look at births to 15 - 17 year-olds because mothers younger than that are even rarer, and people freak out less about mothers at or above the age of majority. The 18 - 19 graphs look similar, and yo... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2090027 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:48:00 +0100 2090027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039840&cid=t_133428_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Fevaluating-cross-community-work-in-holme-wood-making-connections%2F considers the possibilities and challenges of promoting cohesion and meaningful interaction between different groups in a particular setting. Holme Wood in Bradford has traditionally been populated by people from white British ethnic backgrounds. This is gradually changing. The report covers: the importance of taking the local context into account when designing interventions; the tendency of ‘newcomers’ from different cultural backgrounds to be isolated; the importance of bringing these isolated newcomers together for mutual support, while also developing their opportunities for wider relationships; the significance of the challenges, including: the time-consuming nature of relationship-building work; and potential tensions between developing opportunities for mutual suppor... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039840 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:01:51 +0100 2039840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039842&cid=t_133428_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2F1952%2F This report looks at levels of cohesion in a single housing estate with low numbers of minority ethnic groups. It examines the experience of new residents from minority backgrounds recently housed in the area, as well as service providers and long-term residents. The report covers: the priorities of local services; the perception of change in population measured through the changing nature of services; perception of levels of racism on the estate; specific nature of hostility to new communities, if any; and community cohesion, key local issues and future outlook. Posted in Deprivation, Diversity, Environment, Equity, Poverty, Social Capital, Social Exclusion   Tagged: Demographics, Deprivation, Equity, Ethics, Grey Literature, Poverty, Racism, Social Capital, Social Inclus... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039842 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:01:29 +0100 2039842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2019589&cid=t_133428_83_f&fid=38207&url=http%3A%2F%2Fharrybig.medbrains.net%2F2008%2F11%2F16%2Ffuture-challenges-in-european-orthopaedics%2F Throughout most of the European Union, we are seeing greater caseloads in nearly every specialty area within orthopaedic surgery, especially in sports medicine and joint reconstruction. We can attribute this largely to the increased numbers of patients needing orthopaedic services because they are choosing to lead more active lives well into their “Golden Years.” Many patients want to remain physically and in some cases athletically active well into their 50s, 60s, 70s and even their 80s after their surgery. Add to that the fact that the “baby boomers”  are getting older and are adding to the senior population. In many countries, the senior population is the fastest-growing age group. These patients will require and demand good medical care, including orthopaedic services. Meeting... Harry Bigwood Orthopod blogger blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2019589 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:57:01 +0100 2019589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1788796&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fkoreans-drink-excessively%2F Alcohol consumption and the CAGE questionnaire in Korean adults: results from the Second Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Korean Med Sci. 2008 Apr;23(2):199-206. Park JT, Kim BG, Jhun HJ. We evaluated alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in Korean adults by evaluating alcohol consumption and responses to the CAGE questionnaire obtained from the second Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The age-adjusted prevalence of males who consumed 0, 0.1-20, 20.1-40, or >40 g/day of alcohol were 28.0, 51.5, 12.5, and 8.0%, respectively; 26.9% of male drinkers were CAGE-positive (> or =2 affirmative responses to the CAGE). The age-adjusted prevalence of females who consumed 0, 0.1-10, 10.1-20, or >20 g/day of alcohol were 67.7, 26.6, ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788796 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:15:15 +0100 1788796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664331&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F07%2Fdavid-brooks-misses-pink-elephant-in.php Brooks sets out to share his wisdom on the root causes of America's past success and why we're faltering of late. He writes: As Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz describe in their book, "The Race Between Education and Technology," America's educational progress was amazingly steady over those decades, and the U.S. opened up a gigantic global lead. Educational levels were rising across the industrialized world, but the U.S. had at least a 35-year advantage on most of Europe. In 1950, no European country enrolled 30 percent of its older teens in full-time secondary school. In the U.S., 70 percent of older teens were in school.America's edge boosted productivity and growth. But the happy era ended around 1970 when America's educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educati... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664331 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:51:00 +0100 1664331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692252&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Ftsf-brief-tsf-target-populations%2F TARGET POPULATIONS Clients Best Suited for This Approach Twelve Step Facilitation has been utilized in controlled outcome studies with alcohol abusers and alcoholics and with persons who have concurrent alcohol-cocaine abuse and dependency. It has been used with clients of diverse socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds and a range of maladjustment. Clients Poorly Suited for This Approach Individuals who have severe symptoms of addiction to cocaine or opiates. That is not to say that alternative treatments have proven effective with that group of individuals. Subscribe to regular updates by RSS feed. Brief-TSF manual US$9.95 Buy Now with Paypal, Visa or Mastercard Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by Email (Source: Twelve Step Facilitation.com) Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692252 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:13:21 +0100 1692252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522017&cid=t_133428_127_f&fid=34828&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrclouthier.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fkids-count-data.html This was a really interesting website I came across that can give you some interesting information about how we compare in Texas to National Averages in child demographics. We compare good in some areas and not so well in others. (Source: Dr. Steve Clouthier) Dr. Steve Clouthier blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522017 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:25:00 +0100 1522017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1501482&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Faa-and-na-works-for-youth-too%2F This study examined how helpful AA and NA may be for adolescents, finding long-term benefits even though many youth discontinue attendance after time. Results will be published in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. “It is difficult to evaluate the efficacy of mutual-help organizations like AA through randomized controlled experiments because the AA ‘intervention,’ being a community organization based on anonymity, cannot be directly under the control of the researcher in the usual way,” explained John F. Kelly. Yet their popularity and cost-effectiveness cannot be denied, added Kelly. “AA and NA are explicitly focused on abstinence and addiction recovery, they are widely available across most communities, they provide entry to a social network... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1501482 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:05:20 +0100 1501482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1488265&cid=t_133428_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F303252269%2Fwhats_with_the_reader_question.php If you've been conscious while reading my blog, you'll notice that I have started the summer by adding a few reader questions to my left sidebar for you to answer. Because I am a scientist, I love to collect data. But I am collecting this data for another reason: I am working on a book and would like to know more about who my readers are, so you can help me by answering these questions. Your answers are anonymous, but you also can add a comment to each poll that you answer by clicking on the "view" button for each question and using the comment section there, or you can comment here, or you can send me comments in email! (I promise I won't bite). Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488265 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:33:49 +0100 1488265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1482090&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F05%2Ffrench-more-fecund-than-irish.php Walker's World: French births soar:The second development to note is that INED, France's National Institute of Demographic Studies, has done some detailed research and concluded that France's immigrant population is responsible for only 5 percent of the rise in the birthrate and that France's population would be rising anyway even without the immigrant population....In fact in France, like everywhere else in Europe, the birthrate among immigrant mothers drops quickly toward the local norm in less than two generations. The measure most commonly used in international statistics is the Total Fertility Rate, which seeks to measure the number of children born to the average woman in her fertile years...In France, the TFR has risen from 1.66 in 1993 to 2.0 in 2003 and 2.1 last year. If maintaine... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1482090 Sat, 31 May 2008 20:34:00 +0100 1482090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423359&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Falcoholism-a-womans-disease-too%2F Alcoholism Is Not Just A “Man’s Disease” Anymore A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women. Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women – beginning with those born in the United States after World War II. Cross-sectional studies, which collect information at a single point in time, generally find that young Americans report having more lifetime alcohol problems than older Americans, despite having had less time to develop these problems.  But these studies are hampered by the fact that people of different ages may remember or report problems to different degrees.  A new examination of data, collected on similarly aged groups one decade a... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423359 Tue, 06 May 2008 11:25:44 +0100 1423359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1404136&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fsubstance-use-among-dutch-dental-students%2F CONCLUSIONS: Dental schools should develop effective programmes to educate students about responsible use of alcohol and other licit and illicit drugs. Schools should also inform students about their susceptibilities to substance abuse and dependency. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001 Feb;29(1):48-54. Substance use among Dutch dental students. Plasschaert AJ, Hoogstraten J, van Emmerik BJ, Webster DB, Clayton RR. See also; Brief-TSF can assist people cease alcohol consumption. Twelve-Step Programs as an Adjunct to Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by e-Mail           Counseling for Relapse Preventionby Terence T. Gorski, Merlene Miller Read more about this title… Brief-TSF manual US$9.95 Buy N... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1404136 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:33:22 +0100 1404136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1391125&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fsafeguarding-the-health-of-dental-professionals%2F A healthy dentist is one of the most important ingredients in a successful dental practice. An ingredient not to be taken for granted. Professionals, dentists included, can and do experience illnesses and problems that can disrupt or impair a practice. In addition to the vulnerabilities of the human condition–addictive disorders, psychiatric illnesses, infectious disease, family and relationship problems, or the many varieties of human misery–dentists have undergone a powerful process of socialization into their professional role that makes it difficult to seek help for themselves. Stigma about addictive and psychiatric illnesses continues to be a problem despite significant advances in scientific understanding of these disorders. Many people, especially those in positions of c... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1391125 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:08:18 +0100 1391125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1391126&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fquality-articles-on-twelve-step-facilitationcom%2F  Al-Anon offers new life AA’s 12-Step Recovery Program Alcohol and Anxiety Alcohol Problems Database Alcoholic Defence Mechanisms Alcoholics Anonymous and Nursing An Introduction to Medication for Alcohol Dependence Anti-craving Drugs Binge Drinking & Brain Damage Brain Damage & Cirrhosis Brief-TSF Description Brief-TSF Learning Objectives Characteristics of Children of Alcoholic Controlled drinking? Counselling and the 12 Steps of AA Counsellor Characteristics Craving Reduction Depression & 12-Step Programs Effects of Gambling Addiction Elderly Substance Abuse Families, Mental Health & Alcohol abuse Female Victims of Child Abuse Five Alcoholism Subtypes Free Training Alcoholism Anti-craving Medications Gender Matching Hypothesis in Alcohol Treatment Healing through ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1391126 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:26:59 +0100 1391126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1386088&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Falcohol-use-by-healthcare-professionals%2F CONCLUSIONS: When compared to the general population, healthcare professionals appear to drink less, however, these findings also suggest that dentists use significantly more alcohol than most other groups of healthcare professionals. Together these findings address significant knowledge gaps that exist surrounding the prevalence of and pathways promoting alcohol use and misuse by healthcare professionals. Research; Drug Alcohol Depend. 2004 Jul 15;75(1):107-16. Alcohol use by healthcare professionals. Kenna GA, Wood MD. See also; Brief-TSF can assist people cease alcohol consumption. ABC’s of Recovery Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by e-Mail           Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatmentby Marc A. Sc... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1386088 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:34:37 +0100 1386088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1276042&cid=t_133428_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F03%2Fsocial-equilibrium.php My old cyber-friend, "Georg Kantor" has a new English-language blog (his native language is Spanish): Social Equilibrium, which might be of interest to GNXP readers. In particular, check out his demo tool, introduced on this post, "designed to produce transparent and easy population projections for non-professional users". (Source: Gene Expression) Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1276042 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:57:00 +0100 1276042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1046737&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Faa-works-for-ethnic-groups%2F Special populations in Alcoholics Anonymous. The vast majority of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members in the United States are white, and only a few studies have investigated the program’s effectiveness for ethnic minorities. Other demographics need to be examined. Project MATCH, a multisite research study aimed at developing guidelines for assigning alcoholics to appropriate treatment approaches, also assessed AA effectiveness for minority clients. Some differences in AA attendance existed among white, African-American, and Hispanic Project MATCH participants who had received some inpatient treatment before entering the study, but not among participants who had not received inpatient treatment. Further analyses of white and Hispanic Project MATCH participants demonstrated that althoug... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1046737 Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:42:48 +0100 1046737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1035666&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fdrinking-peers%2F CONCLUSIONS: in the long-term TSF may be the treatment of choice for alcohol-dependent clients with networks supportive of drinking; involvement in AA should be given special consideration for clients with networks supportive of drinking, irrespective of the therapy they will receive. Research; Longabaugh R, Wirtz PW, Zweben A, Stout RL. Network support for drinking, Alcoholics Anonymous and long-term matching effects.Addiction. 1998 Sep;93(9):1313-33. Subscribe to regular RSS feeds. Brief-TSF manual US$9.95 Buy Now with Paypal, Visa or Mastercard Subscribe to Twelve Step Facilitation by Email (Source: Twelve Step Facilitation.com) Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1035666 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:49:53 +0100 1035666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=893338&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Freadiness-to-change-profiles%2F A Study of Readiness to Change Profiles in Alcohol and Other Drug Abusers. The purpose of the study was to measure readiness to change profiles of alcohol and other drug abusers, information which is needed in the individual tailoring of treatment. The subjects (N = 780) were Finnish alcoholics and polydrug users receiving inpatient treatment. The instrument used to measure readiness to change was the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA). In the cluster analysis the subjects were placed in groups. The results revealed wide differences in readiness to change profiles, yet not between alcoholics and polydrug users. Higher education, female gender, living with minor children and marital state were consistently associated with better readiness to change. Those coming on ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=893338 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 09:37:20 +0100 893338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=880271&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fwhat-is-brief-tsf%2F Brief-TSF can be used with males, females and youth of any age and is readily adaptable to various cultures or lifestyles. Brief-TSF is ideally suited to primary care as well inpatient clinics, outpatient clinics or office practice. Brief-TSF incorporates screening and assessment instruments and methods for differentiating between alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Brief-TSF is ideally suited for counseling that is a required component of craving reduction medication prescribing. The generic spiritual principles are acceptable to most treatment organizations and religions. The basic Brief-TSF principles can be adapted and applied to drug addiction, excessive gambling, eating disorders and emotional problems that have psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual and mental aspects. Brief-TSF i... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=880271 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:34:57 +0100 880271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=852150&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Felderly-substance-abuse%2F Substance abuse among the elderly: A growing problem In her early years, Eva would probably have been called a "teetotaler." Except for an infrequent sip of wine on special occasions, she never drank alcoholic beverages. But after her children moved away and her husband and many of her close friends died, Eva turned to the bottle for escape and companionship. Now in her late 70s, Eva is an alcoholic. Harry has had problems with substance abuse since his late teens. Although drinking binges were often followed by periods of sobriety, he inevitably returned to his addictive ways. At 75, he is on several prescription medications, some of which should not be taken with alcohol. His children, long ago burned out from trying to persuade him to get help, have come to believe that you re... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=852150 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:58:51 +0100 852150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=789252&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Faa-v-professional-treatment%2F This study examined the influence of self-selection on the duration of professional treatment and participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the influence of social causation on alcohol-related outcomes. A sample of alcoholics was surveyed at baseline and 1, 3, and 8 years later. Participants completed an inventory at each survey that assessed participation in treatment and AA since the last assessment and alcohol-related functioning. There were divergent processes of self-selection and social causation with respect to the duration of participation in professional treatment and AA. Individuals with more severe alcohol-related problems obtained longer episodes of professional treatment, but this self-selection process was much less evident for AA. Longer participation in professional tr... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=789252 Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:35:16 +0100 789252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=788249&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Faa-can-help-most-alcoholics%2F 12 Step Programs Offer Broad Benefits, Study Says A study of Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step oriented self-help programs finds that they can help most people recover from alcoholism, even those who are not religious or have mental-health problems. The Pacific Institute on Research and Education (PIRE) reported that researchers tracked a group of 227 alcoholics over three years and found that those who had attended AA or other self-help programs after treatment had higher rates of abstinence, and drank less if they did relapse. The results cut across gender and religious lines and held regardless of psychiatric history or whether the patient had previously attended AA or other similar programs. "Here’s a widespread, chronic disorder that seems to respond well to an inex... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=788249 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:24:50 +0100 788249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=775443&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fspirituality-and-aa%2F Spirituality and Alcoholics Anonymous. What can be confidently said about AA in general and about the role of spirituality in AA in particular? First, there is convincing evidence that alcoholism severity predicts later AA attendance. Second, atheists are less likely to attend AA, relative to individuals who already hold spiritual and/or religious beliefs. However, belief in God or a Higher Power before AA attendance does not offer any advantage in AA-related benefits, and atheists, once involved, are at no apparent disadvantage in deriving AA-related benefits. Third, the spiritually-based principles of AA appear to be endorsed in AA meetings regardless of the perceived social dynamics or climate of a particular meeting, eg, highly cohesive or aggressive. Fourth, significant increases in ... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=775443 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:18:52 +0100 775443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=774215&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fabstinence-rates-in-aa%2F If you continue to attend AA and not drop out you have nearly double chance of remaining abstinent. Estimated Alcoholics Anonymous Membership 1991-1992 New members during past year - 0.9 million On-going members - 1.5 million Total membership - 2.4 million Continuation Rate in Alcoholics Anonymous In 1991-1992 4.8 million respondents reported ever attending an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, for reasons related to their drinking, prior to the last 12 months and 31% reported continued AA attendance during the last 12 months. Rate of continued AA attendance was associated with years since first AA meeting 1-4 years since first AA meeting - 36% remained 5-9 years since first AA meeting - 30% remained 10-19 years since first AA meeting - 29% remained 20 years or more since first AA meet... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=774215 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:47:10 +0100 774215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=773360&cid=t_133428_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F139761237%2Freader_poll_results.php The results of last week's reader poll, along with a few thoughts from me, is available below the fold. Thanks for participating! I will say that I was somewhat surprised buy the results, so maybe you can contribute your own thoughts to these poll results. I have a new poll for you to answer on the left sideboard, so be sure to add your data point to the collection. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=773360 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:45:30 +0100 773360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=757962&cid=t_133428_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F137374717%2Ffiction_or_nonfiction_which_do.php This week's reader poll results are posted below the fold. These results were not at all surprising to me, although I am interested to read your comments. As always, I'd like to thank you for taking these polls, they are very informative. I also include a link to a new poll that you can take, or you can scroll down to find the same poll on my left sidebar. Note that you can choose more than one answer on this particular poll. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=757962 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:40:57 +0100 757962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=747690&cid=t_133428_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Falcoholism-in-women%2F : is it different in onset and outcome compared to men? Abstract; Onset and course of alcohol dependence show gender related differences suggesting that women are more vulnerable to chronic alcohol consumption. Known as the telescoping effect where women have greater and faster alcohol related effect. This raises the question whether the differences are associated with a different treatment outcome as well. We hypothesized, that alcohol dependent women with a telescoping course show a less favourable treatment outcome compared to men. We investigated 212 alcohol dependent patients; matching 106 consecutively admitted women with 106 men drawn from a total sample of 343 male patients. The treatment program consisted of a 6 week inpatient treatment and 12 months of outpatient aftercare. We as... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=747690 Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:01:19 +0100 747690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=743336&cid=t_133428_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F135111104%2Fwhat_age_and_sex_are_you_poll.php First of all, I would like to thank my readers for participating in my little polls. I am collecting poll results from you because I am writing a book proposal right now, and would like to have a clearer idea of the demographics of my readers so I can include these data in my book proposal. Since this particular book will focus on the special physiological and behavioral qualities of animals and what they teach us humans about our own biology and behavior, I think that my blog readers represent a nice cross-section of who might be interested in reading my book. The results from the last week's poll are under the fold, along with a few thoughts from me. Your comments are most welcome, as always. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientifi... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=743336 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:51:24 +0100 743336