Behavior change among intravenous drug users: The role of community-based interventions.

Discusses the role of the community and reviews 4 models of preventing AIDS among drug users: drug treatment, clinic-based interventions, community-based interventions, and community-level interventions. Interventions at the community level are needed to change social norms and to maximize the prospect of preventing AIDS. The obstacles to these interventions include poverty, lack of social capital, multiple social problems in communities where drug use is prevalent, and lack of community consensus about appropriate types of action. To overcome these impediments, psychologists in the addictions can identify the strengths in these communities and catalyze participation in community-level interventions to prevent the spread of AIDS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A randomized trial comparing day and residential drug abuse treatment: 18-month outcomes.

Extending an earlier report of 6-month outcomes, this study reports 12- and 18-month follow-up data for clients (N?=?188) entering a therapeutic community drug treatment program who were randomly assigned to day or residential treatment conditions. Outcomes included Addiction Severity Index composite scores and measures of depression, psychiatric symptoms, and social support. Both groups showed significant change over time. The pattern of change indicated decreased problem severity in the 1st 6 months and then maintenance of lowered problem severity. Comparisons between groups indicated greater improvement for residential treatment clients on social problems and psychiatric symptoms but no differences on the remaining outcomes. Although residential treatment may offer some specific advantages, the conclusion here is that improvement among day treatment clients was not significantly different from that of residential treatment clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Drug abuse day treatment: a randomized clinical trial comparing day and residential treatment programs

Clients entering a therapeutic community (TC)-oriented drug treatment program were randomly assigned to day or residential conditions and interviewed at 2 weeks and 6 months after admission. Outcomes included Addiction Severity Index composite scores and summary scores for the Beck Depression Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and a social support scale. Only clients who remained in treatment for at least 2 weeks were included. The mean age of the sample (N = 261) was 32.9 (SD = 6.7 years) and the mean education level was 12.1 years (SD = 1.9 years); 30% were women. Comparison of outcome scores at 6 months between groups, while controlling for baseline values, indicated greater improvement for residential clients on social problems and psychiatric symptoms. The groups were similar on the 8 remaining outcomes, including measures of alcohol and drug problems. Overall, the level of improvement among day treatment clients was not significantly different from that of residential clients.     

Optimization of the finite element mesh for the solution of fracture problems

A study is presented concerning the effect of mesh geometry upon the accuracy of finite element solutions for fracture problems. Suggestions are given for the determination of the optimum mesh for several types of problems using linear displacement and quadratic displacement quadrilateral demonstrated that merely using smaller elements will not necessarily improve solution accuracy.     

The finite element method vs the edge function method for linear fracture analysis

An investigation was performed to compare the Finite Element Method and the Edge Function Method for the solution of two dimensional linear elastic fracture problems. The comparison was made to determine whether one of the procedures had a distinct advantage over the other for fracture analysis. Although each method has minor advantages for the computation of specific quantities or the analysis of specific types of problems, there is no major advantage for either procedure which is immediately apparent. Because of the considerable investment which many organizations have already expended on developing a Finite Element capability, and the additional investment which would be required to implement the Edge Function Method the application of the Edge Function Method will probably be very limited.