E-Cigarette Use, Dependence, and The Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies: A Path Model.

: E-cigarettes have become a popular form of nicotine use. The use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) has been associated with less use of alcohol and fewer alcohol-related consequences. However, the relationship between PBS and e-cigarette-related outcomes have been understudied.

Methods for Vaping Cessation Among Young Adults in Southern California.

Introduction: Many young adults who vape develop nicotine dependence and have challenges with quitting nicotine use, but methods they use to successfully quit vaping have not been well described.

Methods: Self-report data were collected from June 2022-January 2023 from young adults enrolled a cohort study in Southern California (N=2,251). We examined prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of ever regularly vaping nicotine, currently vaping nicotine, any attempt to quit vaping, any success in quitting vaping, and, if successful, methods used to successfully quit.

A novel online vaping intervention and smoking prevention program for young adults who vape: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: E-cigarette use (i.e., vaping) is prevalent among young adults in the U.

Effects of a mobile mindfulness smartphone app on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and alcohol use problems for veterans: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Veterans returning from deployment have high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD). Current treatments for PTSD and AUD report high dropout rates, and many veterans report alcohol misuse to cope with symptoms of PTSD. The present study is a pilot randomized controlled trial in which veterans (N = 201) were randomized to receive a mobile mindfulness-based intervention enhanced with brief alcohol intervention content (Mind Guide) or an active stress management program.

Reducing Alcohol Misuse and Promoting Treatment Initiation Among Veterans Through a Brief Internet-Based Intervention: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Young adult veterans who served after the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 (ie, post-9/11) are at heightened risk for experiencing behavioral health distress and disorders including hazardous drinking, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression. These veterans often face significant barriers to behavioral health treatment, and reaching them through brief mobile phone-based interventions may help reduce drinking and promote treatment engagement.

Objective: Following a successful pilot study, this randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to further test the efficacy of a brief (ie, single session) mobile phone-delivered personalized normative feedback intervention enhanced with content to promote treatment engagement.

Order of Cannabis and Alcohol Use on Pregaming and Non-Pregaming Days Among College Students.

Objective: Pregaming is common among college students and is associated with heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences. The use of cannabis on pregaming days may exacerbate negative alcohol-related consequences, and the ordering of when cannabis is used on these days may buffer against or intensify these consequences. Considering the growing rates of simultaneous use of cannabis and alcohol among college students, it is necessary to examine the role of pregaming behaviors in the context of cannabis use and its effects on alcohol-related consequences.

A Deeper Dive into Young Adults' Experiences with E-Cigarettes, E-Cigarette Cessation, and Transitioning to Cigarette Smoking.

: E-cigarette use among young adults is prevalent, with some voicing their desire to quit using e-cigarettes but needing support to do so. Young adults who use e-cigarettes are at risk for progressing to smoking combustible cigarettes, placing them at risk for severe health consequences. Limited research exists describing young adults' lived experiences with using e-cigarettes, e-cigarette cessation, and progression to combustible cigarettes.

An Examination of Pregaming Behavior and Motives among Sexual and Gender Minority College Students.

Pregaming is a popular but high-risk drinking behavior common among college students. Although sexual and gender minority (SGM) college students are a vulnerable population with regards to hazardous alcohol use and alcohol consequences, there is currently limited research investigating the pregaming behavior of this group. The present study aimed to (1) examine mean level differences in pregaming behaviors and motives between SGM and non-SGM college students and (2) explore how SGM status was associated with pregaming behaviors and if SGM status moderated the association between motives and pregaming behaviors.

A latent profile analysis of social anxiety, depression, and pregaming motives among heavy-drinking college students.

Background: Pregaming is a high-risk drinking behavior that is associated with heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences. College students may engage in pregaming for several reasons, including to enhance social experiences or cope with negative affect. Research shows that associations between drinking, social anxiety, and depression are multifaceted.

Predictors of Housing Trajectories Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Los Angeles.

Experiencing homelessness during young adulthood is associated with negative health outcomes and understanding housing trajectories of young adults experiencing homelessness may aid in the development of evidence-based public health programs designed to serve this at-risk age group. In the present study, the authors examined baseline predictors of 24-month trajectories of housing stability and unsheltered housing among a sample of 271 young adults aged 18 to 25 recruited from drop-in centers in Los Angeles. In multivariate models, the authors found that identifying as multi-racial/other and better friendship quality at baseline were associated with less steep increases in the likelihood of stable housing over time.

Barriers and Facilitators to Behavioral Healthcare for Women Veterans: a Mixed-Methods Analysis of the Current Landscape.

Women veterans have historically faced barriers to behavioral health treatment, particularly through the VA. In conjunction, there have been changes in behavioral healthcare delivery resulting from efforts to improve care for women veterans and the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g.

Informing the development of interventions for e-cigarette use and prevention of transition to cigarette smoking in young adults: A qualitative study.

E-cigarette use in young individuals may increase risk for cigarette smoking initiation. Over half of young adults who use e-cigarettes voiced their desire to quit e-cigarettes. Mobile-based interventions may allow for an easy-to-use platform to engage young adults in cessation services and reduce risk for cigarette uptake.

Preliminary development of the protective behavioral strategies for vaping scale.

Objective: Exploring factors that may mitigate the harms of e-cigarette use (i.e., vaping) among college students may provide insights for prevention/intervention efforts.

Cigarette Smoking and Depression Among U.S. Veterans: Longitudinal Associations With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Introduction: Cigarette smoking and depression are associated with morbidity and mortality. Among veterans, approximately 22% are current smokers and 11%-15% have been diagnosed with depression. Although prior research suggests a strong association between smoking and depression among veterans, little research has examined trajectories of smoking and depressive symptoms and their correlates over time in this population.

Development of a mobile mindfulness smartphone app for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use problems for veterans: Beta test results and study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are highly prevalent, and co-occurring among post-9/11 veterans. Mobile health (mHealth) applications, specifically those focused on mindfulness-based techniques, may be an effective avenue to intervene with veterans who cannot or will not seek care at traditional in-person settings. Thus, to address areas of improvement in mHealth for veterans, we developed Mind Guide and prepared it for testing in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with veterans.

A mobile-based pregaming drinking prevention intervention for college students: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Pregaming is among the riskiest drinking behaviors in which college students engage, often leading to elevated blood alcohol levels and negative alcohol-related consequences. Yet, tailored interventions to reduce risk associated with pregaming are lacking. The present study was designed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a brief, mobile-based intervention targeting heavy drinking during pregaming among college students, called Pregaming Awareness in College Environments (PACE).

High Spirits? Exploring "Halloweekend" Alcohol and Cannabis Use Among Heavy-Drinking College Students.

Objective: Specific events are associated with heavier and riskier substance use behaviors among college students, including holidays like Halloween, which may include several days of themed parties/events ("Halloweekend"). The current study compared drinking, pregaming (i.e.

E-Cigarette Use: The Effects of Psychological Vulnerabilities, Perceptions, and Intentions to Use E-Cigarettes.

Little research has examined the effects that psychological vulnerabilities (i.e., difficulty with emotion regulation, depressed mood, distress tolerance) have on the perceptions of e-cigarettes, intent to use e-cigarettes, and actual e-cigarette use.

Mental health treatment-seeking behaviors in medical students: A mixed-methods approach.

Background: Healthcare professionals can experience problems regarding mental health and emotional well-being (e.g. burnout) at a higher degree compared to their non-physician counterparts.

Evaluating Providers' Prescription Opioid Instructions to Pediatric Patients.

Receiving an opioid prescription during childhood increases the risk of hazardous prescription opioid (PO) use during emerging adulthood. Instruction on how to safely use POs plays an essential role in pediatric patients’ capacity to utilize as well as to discontinue POs appropriately. This study aimed to evaluate pediatric PO label instructions provided to a large sample of pediatric outpatients.

Changes in perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among American veterans.

American veterans are a population that suffer from both context specific stressors as well as many population-specific major-life events. The present exploratory study utilises a longitudinal cohort of 1230 U.S.

Childhood adversity, combat experiences, and military sexual trauma: a test and extension of the stress sensitization hypothesis.

Background: U.S. veterans report high rates of traumatic experiences and mental health symptomology [e.