School Nurses Work to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse by Teens

The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has teamed up with PriCara®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., on a program called “Smart Moves, Smart Choices.” The national program addresses the rise in prescription drug abuse among middle and high school students. A national survey of more than 1,300 school nurses showed that almost 60% of…

Screening for Problem Drinking at the Doctor’s Office Saves Money

A 10-minute screening and talk with a doctor about problem drinking can be extremely cost-effective for the health system, according to a recent review published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. However, only 8.7% of problem drinkers report receiving such screening or advice from their doctors. The systematic review looked at data from randomized…

Girls Particularly Vulnerable to Peer Influence in Drinking Alcohol

A recent study has found that peers and gender can influence teen alcohol use. Girls, in particular, are vulnerable. The study, which used data from a population-based, longitudinal twin study of behavioral development and health-risk factors from Finland, found that the influence of risk factors associated with peers appeared to be stronger in girls. Researchers…

Young Workers Have Higher Rates of Drug Use and Least Access to EAPs

A recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that young adult worker are more likely than older workers to use illicit drugs. The younger workers are also less likely to have access to an employee assistance program (EAP), which can provide alcohol and drug education, prevention and treatment resources,…