Increase in alcohol and substance use among college students is a global public health concern. It is associated with the risk of alcohol and substance use disorders to the individual concerned and public health problems to their family and society. Among students there is also the risk of poor academic performance, taking longer to complete their studies or dropping out of university. This study determined the prevalence and patterns of alcohol and substance use of students at the entry to the university. Method A total of 406 (50.7% male) students were interviewed using the Assessment of Smoking and Substance Involvement Test (ASSIST) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Tool (AUDIT). Bivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between substance use and students' socio-demographic characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictors of the lifetime and current alcohol and substance use. Results Lifetime and current alcohol and substance use prevalence were 103 (25%) and 83 (20%) respectively. Currently frequently used substances were alcohol 69 (22%), cannabis 33 (8%) and tobacco 28 (7%). Poly-substance use was reported by 48 (13%) respondents, the main combinations being cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol. Students living in private hostels were four times more likely to be current substance users compared with those living on campus (OR = 4.7, 95% CI: 2.0, 10.9). Conclusion A quarter of the study respondents consumed alcohol and/or substances at the entry to university pushing the case for early intervention strategies to delay initiation of alcohol and substance use and to reduce the associated harmful consequences.

No abstract

Objective The use of mobile health (mHealth)-based interventions for the prevention of alcohol and other psychoactive substances use is an emerging practice for which new evidence is required. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a mHealth-based peer mentoring tool for early screening, brief intervention, and referral of students who abuse alcohol and other psychoactive substances. It compared the implementation of a mHealth-delivered intervention to the paper-based practice that is the standard at the University of Nairobi. Methods A quasi-experimental study using purposive sampling was used to select a cohort of n = 100 (51 experimental, 49 control) first-year student peer mentors on two campuses of the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Data were collected on the mentors’ sociodemographic characteristics as well as the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions by way of, the magnitude of reach, feedback to investigators, referral of cases, and perceived ease of use. Results The mHealth-based peer mentoring tool scored high with 100% of users rating it as feasible and acceptable. Among the two study cohorts, there were no differences in the acceptability of the peer mentoring intervention. When comparing the feasibility of the peer mentoring practice, actual use of the interventions, and intervention reach, the mHealth-based cohort mentored four mentees for every one mentored by the standard practice cohort. Conclusion The mHealth-based peer mentoring tool had high feasibility and acceptability among student peer mentors. The intervention provided evidence for the need to expand the availability of screening services for alcohol and other psychoactive substances use among students in the university and promote the appropriate management practices within and outside the university.

Conclusions Similar to other studies, condom use was more likely to be reported by persons most at risk; however, even among those at increased risk, fewer than half used condoms during most recent sexual intercourse. Background Young minority men in the US bear a disproportionate burden of STI, but comprise one of the population groups least likely to access services. STI service utilisation is not only constrained by access to quality care but also potentially impacted by socio-cultural factors, including STI-related stigma and shame, which can undermine efforts to promote testing and treatment. STI-related stigma and shame may also provide a disincentive for young men to participate in partner notification programs, including partnerdelivered therapy. We hypothesised that young men who perceive increasing levels of social stigma related to STI would be less likely to seek out STI-related services or notify their sexual partners about STI. Methods Between June and July, 2010, 108 African American young men (15d24 years) responded to a brief, self-administered intercept survey on a hand-held device. Recruitment was conducted on the street and in residential areas of a low income urban neighbourhood with elevated STI rates. The survey included socio-demographic questions, an 11 item scale measuring STI-related stigma and shame, and questions regarding STI testing history, preferences for notifying partners, and interest in partner delivered therapy. The association between stigma and shame scores and STI testing and partner notification preferences was evaluated with multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for age and education. Results The median (range) STI-stigma score was 12 (5e25) and the shame score was 15 (6e30); higher scores indicate more stigma or shame. Most participants had ever been tested for STI (73%), indicated willingness to personally notify their main partners (72%) or other partners (66%), and said they would deliver STI therapy to a partner (68%). Increasing STI-related stigma was significantly associated with a history of STI testing, such that every SD increase in stigma score was associated with 50% decreased odds of having been tested (OR: 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 1.0). Participants with higher levels of stigma and shame were also significantly less likely to be willing to personally notify their partners of STI or to deliver therapy. Conclusions STI-related stigma and shame, common in this population, could undermine STI testing, treatment, and partner notification programs. Efforts to expand access to care should be accompanied by efforts to change socio-cultural attitudes and norms around STI testing and treatment. P2-S3.05 ASSOCIATION OF STI-RELATED