The purpose of this study was to determine energy drink (ED) consumption patterns among Hispanic college students. We measured the prevalence and frequency of ED consumption according to gender, degree programs, and specific university-related and social situations. In addition, we assessed the frequency of consumption of EDs mixed with alcoholic beverages. A total of 508 college students from the University of Puerto Rico, the largest Hispanic institution of higher education statewide, completed an online questionnaire. Twenty-one percent of participants reported consuming EDs with the majority consuming EDs either occasionally (every 2-3 months) or at least once or twice a month. Men were found to be more likely to consume EDs than women. Undergraduate students were found less likely to consume EDs than graduate students. Most students consumed EDs while studying and during social activities. More than one-third of participants that consume EDs admitted mixing them with an alcoholic beverage. Graduate students were found to consume EDs mixed with alcohol more often. The majority of students consumed EDs occasionally and while studying. Most side effects reported after consuming EDs were similar to previous findings. The higher consumption of EDs and of EDs mixed with alcohol by students in graduate programs could be explained by a higher and more complex study load requiring longer periods of wakefulness and concentration. Future studies looking at the consumption patterns of EDs in more competitive graduate programs such as medical and/or dentistry school should be considered.

The present study involves a psychometric evaluation of the Substance Abuse Self-Stigma Scale (SASSS), a 40-item dimensional measure of internalized or self-stigma developed by Jason Luoma and collaborators, among Latinos with substance use disorders (SUDs). The present study’s specific aim is to assess the psychometric properties (factor structure and reliability) of the translated and culturally adapted SASSS instrument in a cross-sectional study of individuals (n = 412) with SUDs with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from correctional facilities and community treatment programs. A confirmatory factor analysis evidenced the four-factor structure of SASSS. Results showed significant correlations with HIV felt stigma among those participants with co-occurring SUD and HIV (n = 119), internalized shame, stigma-related interpersonal rejection due to substance abuse, symptoms of depression, substance use within the last 30 days, psychological flexibility, self-esteem, and self-efficacy, supporting good convergent validity. The measure showed a strong factor structure and adequate reliability estimates supporting its applicability to Latinos with SUDs from community and criminal justice settings. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for studies of stigma impact and intervention.

La Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (TAC) ha demostrado ser una intervención prometedora para el estigma internalizado en personas con virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) y trastornos por uso de drogas (TUD). Sin embargo, hay incertidumbre sobre si esta intervención es apropiada para latinx hispanx hablantes. Este estudio preliminar evaluamos la viabilidad y aceptabilidad de una intervención TAC culturalmente adaptada y desarrollada para reducir el estigma internalizado del VIH y TUD en una muestra de latinxs de habla hispana. Ocho pacientes de clínicas primarias con diagnóstico de VIH y TUD participaron en este estudio. Se recopilaron medidas de viabilidad y aceptabilidad, así como tasa de asistencia. Todas las personas participantes describieron la intervención como aceptable, alcanzable, fácil de usar e indicaron estar receptivas a la terapia. La TAC parece ser una intervención aceptable y viable para las personas pacientes de atención primaria de descendencia latina de habla hispana. Un estudio de control aleatorizado es requerido para explorar mejor la eficacia de la intervención.

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