Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Police alcohol use'

The purpose of this study was to determine if a police officer's use of alcohol in his/her personal life affected their arrest decision in impaired driving cases. A survey was developed and reviewed by a jury of experts consisting of traffic safety specialists from across Indiana, to gather information concerning officer demographics, use of alcohol, and belief in the importance of impaired driving enforcement. Results indicated that sixty-one (61) officers fit the criteria of 1) patrolling during darkness hours throughout the year 2002, and 2) were complete the survey. Most officers were male (88%), between twenty-one and thirty-five years of age (79%), and had less than ten years of law enforcement experience (74%).The data were analyzed using univariate, bivariate, and ANOVA to test the null hypothesis. There was no statistical relationship between the decision to arrest and the personal use of alcohol by the officer. There was also no statistical relationship between the decision to arrest and any of the demographic categories. The only item that showed a statistical relationship was between the decision to arrest and an officer indicating they believed the problem of impaired driving was somewhat important.
Department of Physiology and Health Science

Police culture often valorises 'hard' drinking, and in NSW police label their heavy drinkers 'heroes'. It is queried if there is some relationship between occupational culture and drinking style.It is found that much of the current theorising about the origins and nature of problem drinking, such as psychological theorising about stress, is inadequate to explain and address the extraordinary level of high-risk drinking among police.This thesis explores alternative views such as critical and feminist perspectives on police culture, constructions of masculinity, and mechanisms of 'enabling', to discover whether these might prove more applicable and more productive. The research also explores the matter of whether a case can be made for taking alternative ideas and theories into account in designing intervention programmes for specific occupation contexts, and whether they raise any policy and practical implications for addressing problem drinking within the NSW Police Service.
Master of Science (Hons)

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how some college students become alcohol abusers and how, if at all, colleges can reduce such behavior. I will begin with a brief overview of the positive and negative economic impacts of alcohol consumption in the United States. Underage drinking is responsible for a significant portion of the negative impact, so the remainder of this thesis will focus on the negative role that alcohol plays during one of the most transformative times in young adults' lives: college. I will provide a review of the research that examines various risk factors for alcohol abuse in the college setting, the alcohol-related negative consequences, and an examination of explanations for why students consume alcohol. I will conclude with examples of three different actions that university administrators can take to reduce alcohol abuse.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present study stems from a concern with the possible occurrence of alcohol abuse on a university campus. The major focus is an exploration of the drinking habits of mostly undergraduate students. An adequate understanding of the above would simplify the task of the university authorities of formulating a relevant alcohol policy and action plan. The survey involves a self-completion questionnaire. The data analysis concentrated on Pearson's correlations and chisquare tests. Significant relationships between the level of alcohol use on the one hand and gender, residence, language, other substance abuse, sport participation, religion, moral values, and sexual activity on the other hand was found. Finally a profile of high-risk, heavier drinking students are provided.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige studie spruit uit 'n besorgdheid oor die voorkoms van alkohol misbruik op 'n universiteitskampus. Die primêre fokus is 'n verkenning van die drinkgewoontes van hoofsaaklik voorgraadse studente. 'n Omvattende begrip van bogenoemde sal die taak vergemaklik van die universiteitsowerhede om 'n toepaslike alkoholbeleid en -aksieplan te formuleer. Die ondersoekende studie behels 'n selfvoltooings vraelys. Die data-analise fokus op Pearson se korrelasies en chi-kwadraat toetse. Beduidende verbande is gevind tussen vlak van alkohol gebruik aan die een kant en geslag, verblyf, taal, ander substansgebruik, sportdeelname, godsdiens, morele waardes en seksuele aktiwiteit aan die ander kant. Laastens word 'n profiel van die hoë risiko, swaarder drinkende studente verstrek.

This dissertation models the dynamics of alcohol use in the Russian Federation with an emphasis on identifying policy implications most likely to be effective at controlling alcohol use. Utilizing data from The Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey, models of alcohol consumption are estimated using both myopic and rational specifications via ordinary least squares, fixed effects two stage least squares and, the focus of this study, two-step system generalized method of moments. Alcohol consumption is studied both as a composite good and as a distinct beverage category (wine, beer, and hard liquor). Furthermore, equations stratified by gender and rural status are included to better identify effects specific to relevant subgroups of the sample. Strong evidence of myopic addiction in both the overall sample and the stratified subgroups are identified. Even so, alcohol does seem to follow the law of demand within the myopic specification indicating that consumers will still react to changes in price. No evidence for rational addiction is found in either the complete sample or its subgroups. Results from the sample subgroups (male/female, urban/rural) were consistent with the overall pattern observed in the full sample, but differed in magnitude. This would suggest that, although alcohol consumption in individuals is affected by similar factors, regardless of gender or geography, the extent to which these individuals are affected differs. This reality would lend credence to "targeted" public health interventions for specific subgroups of individuals, rather than a one size fits all approach.

Objective: The relationship between alcohol use and suicidal behaviors is well-accepted, but less is known about the contribution of its early initiation. This study was designed to test the association of early alcohol initiation versus later initiation with suicidal ideation and attempt in an ethnically diverse sample. Methods: The Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001-2003 (n = 20,013), database was used. A total of 13,867 participants were selected included 56.9% females and 43.1% males. Race and ethnicity were reported as 28.8% non-Hispanic White, 39.1% Black, 20.3% Latino, and 11.9% Asian. Logistic regression analyses tested the associations between early (< =14 years) and later (> =15) age alcohol initiation with suicide ideation and attempts. Alcohol initiation was indexed by self-report of the first time that any alcohol product was consumed. Potential confounders were controlled. Results: Early alcohol initiation was associated with higher odds (AOR = 3.64, 95% CI [2.51, 5.28]) of suicide ideation as compared with adults who had initiated > = age 15 (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI [1.46, 3.04]). Early age initiation was also associated with higher odds (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI [2.02, 7.18]) of lifetime suicide attempt versus later age initiators (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI [1.08, 3.79]). Significant differences were found between early and later age of initiation. Conclusion: Early age of alcohol initiation has profoundly increased odds of suicide ideation or attempt. It is critical that effective prevention programs for children and their caregivers be implemented to prevent or delay alcohol initiation and lessen the risk for future suicidal behaviors.

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Nos últimos tempos, observamos cada vez mais a discussão teórica sobre o uso problemático de drogas, sendo oportuno enfatizar a diferença entre os gêneros,a superação do preconceito presente nas estruturas ideo-políticas erguidas historicamente, que dificultam a busca de ajuda pelas mulheres e o reconhecimento que o álcool é a droga que mais ocasiona danos no mundo.OBJETIVO: examinar os transtornos por uso de álcool e outras drogas na trajetória de mulheres assistidas por um CAPSad em Salvador, Bahia, percebendo os impactos ocasionados ao longo de suas vidas.MATERIAL & MÉTODOS: trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de casos desenvolvida através da triangulação de dados, ou seja, da observação direta, da pesquisa documental (análise dos prontuários) e da realização de entrevistas, cujo formulário semiestruturado foi o instrumento elaborado pela pesquisadora. A análise dos dados coletados possibilitou a construção de oito categorias norteadoras, sendo que a interpretação dos dados requereu a revisitação às literaturas específicas para articular a discussão teórica com os achados empíricos. RESULTADOS: as especificidades do gênero, o espaço familiar e sociocultural, a ausência de apoio social e as vivências pregressas ao uso de drogas foram elementos determinantes para o surgimento dos transtornos por uso de álcool associado a outras drogas. CONCLUSÃO & RECOMENDAÇÕES FINAIS: os achados da pesquisa apontaram que a pauperização,a violência, a fragilidade dos laços familiares e as iniquidades sociais presentes na história de vida das mulheres estudadas foram condições objetivas para a exposição ao uso abusivo de substâncias psicoativas e que, em consonância a isto, é de suma importância o apoio e a articulação de variados segmentos sociais (família, CAPS,comunidade,Estado, igreja e outros atores sociais) na promoção de ações consistentes e resolutivas na prevenção e no enfrentamento deste fenômeno.
In recent times, there has been an increase in the theoretical discussion of the problematic about drug use. It is worth emphasizing the difference between the genders, overcoming this prejudice in the ideo-political structures historically erected that hinder women in search for help and for the recognition that alcohol is the drug that causes more damage in the world. OBJECTIVE: To examine the disorders of the alcohol and other drugs’ use in the path of women assisted by a CAPSad in Salvador, Bahia realizing the impacts caused over their lives. MATERIAL & METHODS: This is a qualitative case study developed through triangulation of data, i.e., direct observation, documents research (analysis of medical records) and interviews, which semi-structured form was the instrument developed by the researcher. The data analysis allowed the construction of eight guiding categories, and the interpretation of data required revisiting the specific literature to articulate the theoretical discussion with the empirical findings. RESULTS: the gender specificities of the family and socio-cultural space, lack of social support and stunted experiences with drug use were key elements for the development of disorders of the alcohol and other drugs’ use. CONCLUSION & FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS: The research findings showed that the impoverishment, violence, fragility of family ties and social iniquities present in the life story of the women who were studied were objective conditions for the exposure of the abuse of psychoactive substances.Along with this, the support and coordination of various social groups (family, CAPS, community, State, church and other social actors) is extremely important to promote consistent and resolute actions in preventing and confronting this phenomenon.

The focus of the current investigation is to examine the temporal relationship of gambling onset and alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis initiation in adolescents and young adults (M age = 20.3 years) by examining the prevalence and pattern of onset for each substance and gambling pairing and the associated risk between gambling and each substance use. Data were drawn from the multiwave Missouri Family Study (n = 1,349) of African American (AA; n = 450) and White families (n = 317) enriched for risk for alcohol use disorder and includes those who were assessed for gambling behaviors and problems: AA (360 males, 390 females) and White (287 males, 312 females). Findings indicated racial differences in the overall prevalence of gambling behaviors and substance use as well as patterns of initiation-particularly within gambling/alcohol and gambling/tobacco for males. Survival models revealed some similarities as well as differences across race and gender groups in associations of gambling with initiation of substances, as well as substances with initiation of gambling. Alcohol use (AA males only) and cannabis use (AA males and White females) elevated the hazards of initiating gambling. In contrast, gambling significantly elevated the hazards of initiation alcohol across 3 of 4 groups and of cannabis use in AA males only. The results highlight some overlapping as well as distinct risk factors for both gambling and substance use initiation in this cohort enriched for vulnerability to alcohol use disorder (AUD). These findings have implications for integrating gambling prevention into existing substance use prevention and intervention efforts-particularly but not exclusively for young AA males.

Background Harmful use of alcohol is the fifth leading risk factor for global burden of disease, disability and death. While the level of alcohol consumption varies around the world, it causes numerous preventable health and social issues in many countries and around 3.3 million deaths per year globally. In the UK alcohol consumption is decreasing; by contrast, alcohol consumption in Sri Lanka has been rapidly increasing over recent years. However, in both settings alcohol misuse represents a major public health concern. Therefore, it is important to evaluate existing alcohol control policies or contextual factors affecting alcohol consumption in these settings and to identify existing data sources that can be used for alcohol control policy evaluation. This thesis aimed to investigate the suitability of existing data sources in the UK, identify potentially suitable measures and use those measures to evaluate the impact of Licensing Act 2003 in England, which allowed flexible opening hours including 24-hour drinking at on-trade premises in England and Wales from November 2005 onwards. This thesis further aimed to apply the lessons learned from the UK to Sri Lankan context, identifying potential data sources and using these to evaluate the effect the end of conflict in 2009 on alcohol consumption in Sri Lanka. Methods A range of sources of data on alcohol consumption and consequences in the UK were reviewed to identify those appropriate for alcohol control policy evaluation, and in particular for time series analysis which requires consistent data collected at regular intervals for a long period of time. The suitability of UK primary care data on alcohol consumption was assessed by identifying the proportion of patients with a record of alcohol consumption status in the last year, as well as ever since their registration with a practice. The quality of alcohol consumption measures collected by English national surveys was assessed by comparing them with the international guidelines for measuring alcohol consumption in population surveys. Existing data sources on alcohol consumption and consequence in Sri Lanka were also identified and reviewed to identify their suitability for alcohol control policy evaluation. Interrupted time series analysis was then conducted on these measures to establish the effect of the Licensing Act 2003 on alcohol consumption among adults (age≥16) in England, and the end of the conflict on recorded alcohol consumption among adults (age≥15) living in the areas that were not directly affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka. Findings In the UK, there are numerous sources of alcohol consumption and consequence data. However, few provide frequently collected data from large samples over long time periods for time series analysis. The recording of alcohol consumption in primary care remains low, particularly when recent recording within a given year is considered. Moreover, alcohol consumption recording in primary care is higher among at-risk groups such as women in child bearing age, older men and women who are likely to have an illness linked to alcohol. Therefore, primary care data are currently unsuitable for alcohol control policy evaluation. Comparison of the alcohol data collected in English national surveys with recommendations from international guidelines showed that they have failed to maintain the consistency of data collection over time and to collect information on some of the key alcohol consumption measures such as the frequency of binge drinking. However, Health Survey for England (HSE) measured alcohol consumption on the heaviest drinking day of the last week consistently over time and this measure was available on a quarterly basis for a nationally representative sample. Interrupted time series analysis of HSE heaviest drinking day data from 2001 to 2013 showed that prior to the implementation of the Act alcohol consumption among adult male and female drinkers remained constant at around 8.3 units and 5.5 units of alcohol respectively. After the Act, there has been a gradual decline (less than 0.03 units per quarter) in the heaviest drinking day consumption among both male and female drinkers in England. However, it is difficult to attribute this decline in consumption to the Licensing Act as there was no step change in the consumption soon after the Act and the decline in heaviest drinking day consumption was small and gradual over a period of seven years. When compared with the UK, Sri Lanka has a limited number of data sources on alcohol consumption and alcohol consequences. The Department of Excise alcohol sales database was identified as the only data source that can be used for alcohol control policy evaluation in Sri Lanka. However, these population-level data cannot be used to identify the characteristics of people who drink and patterns of drinking such as binge drinking. Interrupted time series analysis showed that recorded alcohol consumption among Sri Lankans living in areas that were not directly affected by the armed conflict increased markedly after the end of the conflict in 2009, with a dramatic acceleration in the trend of adult per capita consumption. Annual adult per capita alcohol consumption among Sri Lankans increased from 1.59 litres of pure alcohol in 1998 to 2.56 litres of pure alcohol in 2013. Prior to the end of war in 2009 adult per capita alcohol consumption was increasing by 0.051 litres of pure alcohol per year (95% CI 0.029-0.074, p < 0.001). After 2009, it increased by 0.154 litres per year (95% CI 0.082-0.226, p=0.001). it increased by 0.166 litres of pure alcohol per year (95% CI 0.095-0.236, p < 0.001), almost a three-fold increment in the increase per year compared to the trend prior to the end of the conflict. Beer consumption showed the highest per capita growth compared with other beverages. Conclusions This thesis identified the existing data sources that can be used for alcohol control policy evaluation purposes in two settings; UK and Sri Lanka. It has highlighted the further improvements required in existing alcohol consumption related data sources in both countries and discussed the potential of applying lessons learned from the UK context to Sri Lankan context. Despite the current trend in alcohol consumption, both countries experience a significant public health burden due to alcohol misuse. Therefore, both countries will require formulation and implementation of new policy measures. However, Sri Lanka does not have high-quality individual level alcohol consumption data to support the monitoring and evaluation of alcohol control policies. Therefore, this thesis has emphasised the need to generate high-quality alcohol consumption data in Sri Lanka and carry out monitoring and evaluation of alcohol control policies to tackle the alcohol-related burden.

This thesis consists of four empirical essays. The first essay evaluates the impact on crime of a large scale experimental scheme in which all state monopoly alcohol stores in selected Swedish counties kept open on Saturdays. We show that the experiment significantly raised both alcohol sales and crime. The effect is confined to Saturdays and tentative evidence indicates a displacement of crime from weekdays to Saturdays. The experiment had no significant impact on crime over the entire week. The second essay examines the effect of income inequality on health for newly arrived refugees. The results reveal no statistically significant effect of income inequality on the risk of being hospitalized. This finding holds for most population subgroups and when separating between different types of diagnoses. The conclusions do not change when we consider long-term exposure to inequality. Our estimates are precise enough to rule out large effects of income inequality on health. The third essay examines the effect of relative income differences on criminal behavior. There is a positive effect on the propensity to commit property crime. The effect is small and mainly driven by past offenders, low educated and young individuals. I only find weak evidence that relative income differences increases the likelihood to commit violent crime. The empirical analysis further reveals that differences in gross labor earnings are more strongly related to crime than disparities in disposable income. The fourth essay describes the patterns of intergenerational transmission of education among immigrant mothers and their daughters. The results show that the persistence is slightly lower among immigrants compared to natives, and that the relationship is weaker among those who start out disadvantaged. I find large variations across different immigrant groups, but these differences are partly explained by the fact that groups belong to different parts of the educational distribution.

This study investigated whether core beliefs about the world being safe and predictable (i.e. world assumptions) mediated the association between discrimination and internalizing and substance use problems among individuals from marginalized groups. Path analyses tested mediating effects of four types of world assumptions on the association between discrimination (race-, gender-, and sexual orientation-based) and anxiety, depression, alcohol and cannabis problems in college students (N = 1,181, agemean = 19.50, SD = 1.67). Limited support for mediation by world assumptions was found: among Asian students, race-based discrimination indirectly impacted anxiety symptoms through low perceived controllability of events. Direct effects across groups and discrimination types were also found.

During the past twenty years, extensive research has been conducted concerning the judgmental processes of labor arbitrators. Previous research, sometimes referred to as policy capturing, attempted to identify the criteria or standards used by arbitrators to support their decisions. Much of the research was qualitative. Due to the categorical nature of the dependent variables, log-linear models such as logit regression have been used to examine decisional relationships in more recent studies. The decision cues used by arbitrators in 249 published alcohol- and drug-related arbitration cases were examined. The justifications for arbitrators' decisions were fitted into Carroll Daugherty's "seven tests" of just cause. The dominant cues were proof of misconduct, the appropriateness of the penalty, and the business necessity of management's action. Foreknowledge of the rule by the grievant and the consequences of a violation, equal treatment of the grievant, and an appropriate investigation by management were also important decision cues. In general, grievants in alcohol and drug arbitration cases fared as well as grievants in any other disciplinary arbitrations. However, when the cases were analyzed based on the legal status of the drug, illicit drug users were at a considerable disadvantage.

One of the most pressing concerns that universities and colleges face today is the drug and alcohol abuse of students. In order to address this, there is a need to strengthen university policies in order to mitigate the increasing rate and cases of drug and alcohol abuse among students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between college students’ level of awareness of policy, procedure, and interventions on drug and alcohol abuse and their reported drug alcohol use in a selected university. Specifically, this study examined how aware 160 first- to fourth-year college students are regarding the drug and alcohol policies, procedures, and interventions implemented on their college campus. The researcher asked 14 research questions to determine the relationships between students’ reported alcohol and drug use and factors including: awareness of alcohol drug policies and procedures, year level in college, age, ethnic group, marital status, gender, current residence, working status, living arrangement, cumulative GPA, the availability of drugs and alcohol at college parties, student enrollment status, family history of alcohol, and time spent volunteering per month. The researcher administered the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey (CADS) to measure these variables. The results indicated that the factors that had a significant relationship with alcohol and drug use were the awareness of campus policies, marital status, availability of drugs and alcohol at parties, student status, and hours spent volunteering. The rest of the variables did not have a significant relationship to the students’ alcohol and drug use. These results will contribute to more effective alcohol and drug prevention and treatment programs for students that address these significant factors.

Despite the implementation of legal prohibitions and regulatory policies to limit the commercial availability of lottery products to minors, published research continues to document a high prevalence of participation in and ease of access to lottery playing amongst adolescents. This study systematically investigated the influence of individual-level factors in vendor compliance with youth access statutes and policies for lottery and alcohol products. Six underage youths each attempted to purchase a lottery ticket, a beer, or both products together in the same 313 convenience stores, for a total of 1,219 purchase attempts. The results revealed that only a moderate proportion of vendors surveyed in this study were compliant with existing statutes and policies, and that gender and vendor age variables playa significant role in youth purchasing of lottery tickets and alcohol. These findings were interpreted in terms of their implications for strengthening regulatory policies and future research.

The New South Wales Medical Board established a Health Programme for the assessment and rehabilitation of doctors whose clinical performance was impaired by alcohol or psychoactive substance use, mental or physical illness. This programme was developed to be individualized to the needs of each registrant. The present study has three aims: 1. To describe those doctors who participated in the Board???s Health Programme. 2. To chart the duration of involvement of these doctors through the programme. 3. To examine the outcomes associated with this programme. The study is based on the prospective cohort of all 181 impaired doctors who participated in the Health Programme between July 1st 1993 and April 30th 2001. Information on each registrant was collected at the time of the initial assessment and at each review conducted as part of the programme. Additional qualitative data was also collected and supplemented by a file audit conducted in August and September 2001. One hundred and eighty-one doctors were prospectively monitored as part of this study. The largest source of impairment was psychiatric illness (45.3%), 77% of the doctors were male. The average age of the cohort was 41.6 (sd 11.1) years. Impaired doctors were more likely to be working in emergency medicine or psychiatry and be based in a rural area. Of those who had finished their involvement in the programme, successful graduates participated for a mean of 38.2 (sd 22.3) months. In general outcomes of involvement were positive, 64 of 113 (56.6%) of doctors successfully graduated from the programme. One hundred and ten of 168 (65.5%) improved during the period of their involvement and 111 of 126 (88.1%) were working in medicine. Five, 2.8% of the participants died during the period of this study. Measures of registrant insight and support tended to increase during the period of involvement with the Health Programme. Future studies will need to establish evidence for the most appropriate interventions with impaired doctors. This process would be strengthened by the collection of standardized data across intervention programmes, supplemented with functional assessments and the collection of qualitative data.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school policies aimed to reduce adolescent alcohol and marijuana use. More specifically, the study investigated whether more severe school policy measures are related to the increased or decreased instances of overall alcohol and marijuana use on and beyond school grounds among grade 10 and 12 students. I used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). After controlling for a number of prior measures of environmental and demographic factors that are significant predictors of adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, the school policy measures showed no impact on either alcohol or marijuana use at any level of its consumption. This was true for both grade 10 and grade 12 students. The study’s findings suggest that instead of constructing punitive policy measure, policymakers should develop prevention and intervention programs that more specifically target the needs of adolescents, peers, parents, and teachers.

Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive drug on earth and continues to be responsible for a substantial burden of death and disability. Mitigating these harms is an important focus of any healthful society. Population-level alcohol policy strategies may be employed to decrease these harms and improve population health. To assist towards these goals, this dissertation has two research objectives relating to the estimation and mitigation of alcohol harms: (1) to complete a series of studies regarding the Alcohol Total Consumption Model (TCM) and (2) to specify and test a novel alcohol health harms estimator and alcohol policy scenario modeler, the International Model of Alcohol Harms and Policies (InterMAHP). The TCM is an important theory in alcohol studies and connects alcohol policies, per capita alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable (AA) harms in a unified social theory. In brief, policies are expected to reflect on population-level consumption, which in turn is the most important predictor of alcohol harms. The TCM theorizes that change should flow directionally through the model – a policy expected to decrease consumption would be predicted to decrease alcohol harms. This theory has been critical towards informing alcohol control policies in the past five decades. In this dissertation, a series of studies were conducted to test the assumptions of the TCM, to test their continued viability. Study A is a comprehensive systematic review and series of meta-analyses that established the link between alcohol policies influencing day/hours of sale and outlet density and per capita consumption. Study B is a primary research study that examined the direct effect of a changed alcohol policy on alcohol-related ED visits, in the context of Saskatchewan. Studies C and D establish the link between alcohol consumption and AA mortality and morbidity through mathematical specification of InterMAHP. Next, the model was applied to the exemplar of AA mortality in Canada in 2016. Last, Study E extended InterMAHP functionalities to include modeling changes in AA harms expected from potential or realized per capita consumption changes resulting from policy change. An application was provided in the context of Québec. The results of this dissertation research provide some support, in a modern context, to the relationships defined in the TCM. The findings suggest that the TCM continues to be a largely appropriate conceptual model in consideration of alcohol policy-making. InterMAHP provides global alcohol researchers with a novel model towards estimating the health harms of alcohol.
Graduate
2020-04-09

The research attempts to evaluate the maintaining of the chain of evidence as a process of effective collection, handling and preservation of evidence. The concept "chain of evidence" refers to the process of collecting, handling and preservation of evidence until its presentation in court, as part of the investigation process. Evidence is anything that tends logically to prove or disprove a fact at issue in a judicial case. Evidence essentially consists of oral evidence, documentary evidence and real evidence. The value of evidence cannot be underestimated as evidence can make or break a case. It is therefore important that evidence is correctly and properly collected, handled and preserved to establish a strong link between an individual and a specific act.
Police Practice
Thesis ((M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation) Police Practice))

Tese de doutoramento em Economia, apresentada à Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra
In the current economic context, the stabilisation of public health expenditures is a cause of concern. The prevention of avoidable diseases, and thus the expected reduction of the need and demand for medical services, can be an important tool to achieve the necessary cost saving to sustain health expenditures. Unhealthy lifestyles are the major causes of avoidable diseases worldwide and have become the central focus of the public health. Tobacco and alcohol are listed among the 10 leading risk factors of death and disability in the world. If effective prevention policies are implemented deaths and diseases could be avoided, and health expenditures can be reduced. In Portugal, empirical evidence concerning health risk behaviours is sparse. Therefore, national prevention policies will benefit from new economic analysis on this topic. Moreover, this dissertation gives a contribution to health policy in general and aims to provide important insights to discuss future responses to reduce unhealthy habits. This study aims to contribute to empirical evidence, supporting prevention policies that focus on unhealthy and addictive behaviours, specifically on tobacco and harmful alcohol use. In more detail, this dissertation has the following main purposes: to identify smoking and drinking determinants; to discuss the more opportune moment to intervene to reduce tobacco consumption, considering the duration of the smoking habit; to analyse interactions between health risk behaviours; to study alcohol addiction’s effect. The data used was extracted from the Portuguese wave of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), in 2011. Econometric models were applied to address the above investigation questions. Parametric and non-parametric duration models were used to analyse smoking life cycle, based on the duration of the smoking habit. In parallel, a conceptual policy framework was developed to discuss the best moment to adopt prevention policies related to tobacco use. A bivariate probit model was used to simultaneously identify the variables that influence the decision to smoke and drink, identifying potential correlations between the error terms of alcohol and tobacco equations. Addiction’s effect on the current alcohol consumption was assessed by using an ordered probit model. Framed in the conceptual policy framework developed to discuss the best moment to adopt prevention policies, the empirical results revealed policies implemented in the first 25 years of smoking habit are, possibly, more effective on quitting. From the parametric estimates, the results also suggest the need to explore synergies among different areas, such as between health policy and social and education policies, due to the positive impact of unemployment and higher education on smoking duration. Policies could further be differentiated based on gender and marital status. The results also showed the error terms of alcohol and tobacco equations are not correlated, which can reveal different addiction degrees associated with distinct risk behaviours. Age, gender, marital status, education, health status and health-related habits are characteristics that influence the decision to, simultaneously, consume alcohol and tobacco, as well as the decision to smoke among alcohol consumers. Finally, we have found that drinking problems in the past do not discourage current consumption. Past drinking problems have a positive effect on the probabilities of consuming alcohol less than once a month up to six days a week, but reduce the probability of reporting the highest category of consumption. This dissertation stresses some difficulties in measuring health-related behaviours. There is a lack of clear concepts and of valid instruments to measure these behaviours. Further studies can benefit from health policy discussion on the appropriate measurement techniques and valid instruments. No contexto económico atual, a estabilização da despesa pública em saúde é uma das principais problemáticas. A prevenção de doenças evitáveis poderá ser uma ferramenta importante para a diminuição de custos e garantia da sustentabilidade das despesas em saúde. Os estilos de vida pouco saudáveis são a maior causa de doenças evitáveis no mundo, e tornaram-se o foco central da saúde pública, com o tabaco e o álcool a figurarem entre os 10 primeiros fatores de risco para a saúde. Nesse âmbito, políticas de prevenção efetivas contribuirão para a diminuição da prevalência de doenças, e para a redução da necessidade de cuidados de saúde associados, com impacto nas despesas em saúde. Em Portugal, a evidência empírica relacionada com comportamentos de risco para a saúde é escassa, pelo que as políticas de prevenção nacionais irão beneficiar de novas análises económicas neste tópico. Esta dissertação pretende contribuir para a política de saúde em geral, através da disponibilização de informação de apoio à discussão das respostas futuras para redução dos comportamentos de risco. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo fornecer evidência empírica de suporte a políticas de prevenção, com foco no consumo de tabaco e de álcool, considerando que são ambos bens aditivos e de risco para a saúde. Em concreto, esta dissertação pretende: identificar as determinantes de fumar e beber excessivamente; discutir o momento mais oportuno da intervenção para promover a cessação tabágica, considerando a duração do hábito; analisar interações entre comportamentos de risco para a saúde; estudar o efeito da adição no consumo de álcool. Os dados utilizados advêm do Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), recolhidos em Portugal em 2011. Foram aplicados modelos econométricos para responder às questões apresentadas. Para analisar o consumo de tabaco ao longo da vida, foram implementados métodos de duração paramétricos e não paramétricos. Em paralelo, foi desenvolvido um modelo conceptual de política, com o intuito de discutir o melhor momento para adotar políticas de prevenção do tabagismo. Para identificar as variáveis que influenciam simultaneamente o hábito de fumar e beber, e estudar as potenciais correlações entre os termos de erro das equações do tabaco e do álcool, foi utilizado um modelo probit bivariado. O efeito da adição no consumo corrente de álcool foi analisado com recurso a um modelo probit ordenado. Tendo por base o modelo conceptual de política, os resultados empíricos revelaram que políticas implementadas nos primeiros 25 anos de duração do hábito de fumar são, provavelmente, mais efetivas na promoção a cessação tabágica. As estimativas paramétricas sugerem o aproveitamento de sinergias entre diferentes áreas de política, designadamente entre a saúde, a educação e a área social, pelo impacto positivo do desemprego e do ensino superior na duração do hábito. Destaca-se ainda a necessidade de intervenções distintas com base no género e no estado civil. Os resultados também denotam existirem diferentes graus de adição associados a comportamentos de risco distintos, pois os termos de erros das equações do tabaco e do álcool não estão correlacionados. A idade, o género, o estado civil, a educação, o estado de saúde e os estilos de vida influenciam simultaneamente o hábito de fumar e beber, bem como a decisão de fumar na subamostra de consumidores de álcool. Por último, problemas relacionados com o consumo excessivo de álcool no passado, classificados neste estudo com adição, não dissuadem o indivíduo de consumir no presente. Com efeito, o consumo problemático no passado impacta positivamente nas probabilidades de consumir álcool menos do que uma vez por mês até seis dias por semana, embora reduzam a probabilidade do indivíduo reportar a categoria mais alta de consumo. Esta dissertação enfatiza dificuldades em medir os comportamentos de risco para a saúde. Constatou-se existir uma lacuna de conceitos claros e de instrumentos válidos para medir estes comportamentos. Assim, estudos futuros poderão beneficiar da discussão, no contexto da política de saúde, das técnicas e instrumentos de medida apropriados.

The status of athletic department ATOD policies has received limited attention. Few studies have examined the extent to which athletic trainers are currently involved in developing and revising their drug education and prevention policies. This study compared the perceptions of head athletic trainers from NCAA member Divisions I, II and III toward the status of their current ATOD policies and what they would ideally like to see in their athletic departments. Policy issues were related to each of the following four domains, 1) policy implementation; 2) educational programs; 3) ATOD policy enforcement; 4) athletic trainer participation in developing and evaluating ATOD policies. A web-based questionnaire was designed to collect data. Responses were collected from (353) head athletic trainers at three NCAA member institutions. Conveying ATOD policies to visiting student athletes related to the use of drugs banned by the NCAA during recruitment visits was the highest priority among HATS in three NCAA divisions. Athletic trainers from all divisions wanted to see ATOD education programs scheduled closer to athletic events when the potential for drug use could increase. Drug enforcement policies related to the consequences of testing positive for using a banned drug after a second or a third time by athletes was a high priority for Division I and III HATS. Division II trainers reported that mandatory drug testing was also a high priority. More Division I NCAA member institutions had evaluated their ATOD policies during the past year compared to Division I and III members. Participation in developing and revising athletic department and team ATOD policies was an important priority for head athletic trainers. HATS who were more involved in developing ATOD policies mentioned that they gained a better understanding of drug abuse and drug testing issues when they were part of their athletic departments' policy making process.
Graduation date: 2004