Actions taken by schools when tobacco policies are violated: associations with adolescent smoking prevalence

This study examined the association of adolescent smoking prevalence with actions taken by schools (i.e., informing parents or disciplining pupils at school) for violating the school tobacco policy. Interaction terms between actions taken by schools and role models' smoking behavior or support for adolescents were also examined. Data were collected using self-completed questionnaires from a nationally representative Norwegian sample of 15-year-olds (1,404 pupils, 51% males) and 73 staff members. Informing parents when the school tobacco policy was violated by contrast with other actions taken by schools was not associated with lower levels of adolescent smoking. Disciplining pupils was associated with lower levels of adolescent smoking but the association was no longer significant when examined together with parents' and teachers' smoking behavior or support. Exposure to parents' and teachers' smoking, and teachers' support were associated with adolescent smoking prevalence, irrespective of actions taken by schools. Identifying the mechanism under which these different home and school factors relate to adolescent smoking may be worthwhile to inform intervention initiatives.     

Sex as an obligation and interpersonal communication among Norwegian heterosexual couples

This study examines the prevalence of having sex as a means of satisfying one's partner among a random sample of 398 heterosexual couples with non-problematic, mild or manifest reduced sexual desire. Data collection was carried out by questionnaires. Two of three women and one of five men with manifest distressing reduced sexual desire had had obligatory sex. Among women with symptoms of mild reduced sexual desire, there was an association between obligatory sex and lack of acknowledgement of one's sexual needs, as well as a lack of communication with one's partner regarding how to be sexually pleased. In men with manifest reduced sexual desire there was an association between obligatory sex and discussion of one's sexual needs, and sexual fantasies with the partner. Thus, men with desire problems seem to communicate with their partner about their sexuality, whereas women seem not to talk with their partner about their sexual needs.     

Gambling behavior and gambling problems in Norway 2007

In Norway, legalized gambling is pervasive, easily accessible and socially accepted, particularly the participation in national lotteries. We conducted a stratified probability sample study during January–March 2007 (age group 16–74 years, N  = 3,482, response rate 36.1%) to assess gambling behavior and prevalence of problematic gambling by the NORC Diagnostic Screen (NODS). Overall, 67.9% of the study population had been engaged in past-year gambling and 0.7% were past-year problematic gamblers (NODS score 3+). Male gender, low educational level, single marital status, and being born in a non-Western country were variables positively associated with problematic gambling. Past-year problematic gamblers indicated the slot machine (34.6%) and Internet gambling (26.9%) as the most important games, while most non-problematic gamblers pointed out the lotteries (62.3%) as the most important game. The prevalence of self-reported sleeping disorders, depression and other psychological impairments was significantly higher among problematic gamblers. Gambling problems affect people's lives in multiple ways.     

Adolescent Place Attachment, Social Capital, and Perceived Safety: A Comparison of 13 Countries

In adolescence, children become increasingly independent and autonomous, and spend more time in neighborhood settings away from home. During mid-to-late adolescence, youth often become more critical about the place they live. Their attachment to home and even community may decrease as they explore and develop new attachments to other specific places. The aim of this study is to understand how 15-year-old students from 13 countries perceive their local neighborhood area (place attachment, social capital and safety), and how these different community cognitions are interrelated. We hypothesize that their place attachment predicts safety, and that the relationship is mediated in part by social capital. Result show that, despite cross-cultural differences in neighborhood perceptions, the proposed theoretical model fits robustly across all 13 countries.     

Critical words and the locus of stuttering in speech

The locus of stuttering in the communicative speech of 26 stutterers was studied in situations where subjects received and conveyed specific information. It was hypothesized that a larger proportion of critical rather than noncritical words would be stuttered. Critical words were those which necessarily had to be pronounced if a listener should be able to understand and act according to the messages given. The critical words were selected by the experimenter before the experiment started. The results showed that 35.8% of the critical and 8.4% of the noncritical words were stuttered. There was also significantly more stuttering on critical words than on long noncritical words. The largest proportion of critical words appeared in the final position of sentences, which was also where most stuttering was located. Whole-word repetitions, an instance of normal nonfluency, were associated with noncritical words. No correlation between frequency of stuttering and whole-word repetitions was found.     

Examining the relationship between use of sexually explicit media and sexual risk behavior in a sample of men who have sex with men in Norway

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumption patterns of gay‐oriented sexually explicit media (SEM) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Norway, with a particular emphasis on a possible relationship between gay SEM consumption and HIV risk behavior. Participants included 529 MSM living in Norway recruited online to complete a SEM consumption and sexual risk survey. Of the 507 participants who responded to the all items measuring exposure to SEM, 19% reported unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner (UAI) in last 90 days, and 14% reported having had sero‐discordant UAI. Among those with UAI experience, 23% reported receptive anal intercourse (R‐UAI) and 37% reported insertive anal intercourse (I‐UAI). SEM consumption was found to be significantly associated with sexual risk behaviors. Participants with increased consumption of bareback SEM reported higher odds of UAI and I‐UAI after adjusting for other factors using multivariable statistics. MSM who started using SEM at a later age reported lower odds of UAI and I‐UAI than MSM who started earlier. Future research should aim at understanding how MSM develop and maintain SEM preferences and the relationship between developmental and maintenance factors and HIV sexual risk behavior.     

The Roman Catholic Church of Norway and migration challenges

Ever since its re-establishment in Norway in 1843, the Roman Catholic Church has grown steadily. On 1 January 2017, the church had a total membership of approximately 150,000. The reason for the latest, and certainly largest, wave of Catholic migrants to settle in Norway is labour migration resulting from the eastward expansion of the EU in 2004, when Poland and Lithuania joined. About half the Catholic population of Norway originates from these two countries. This article focuses on the following research question: How does the Roman Catholic Church in Norway, represented by sisters in religious communities, priests and ecclesiastical employees, respond to the large influx of Catholic migrants to Norway? The study is based on a qualitative survey consisting of semi-structured interviews with 10 informants, all religious sisters, priests or ecclesiastical employees. Although some informants admit that the strong growth resulting from migration has posed problems, such as tendencies to form ‘parallel congregations’ based on ethnic origin, most expressed a positive view of this influx of migrants and of the future of the Catholic Church in Norway.     

Stereotypes of Norwegian social groups

We present a pilot study and two main studies that address the nature of stereotypes of social groups in Norway within the framework of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM). The first study focused on stereotypes of a wide range of groups across categories such as gender, age, religious conviction, socioeconomic and health status. The second study focused on stereotypes of immigrant groups. Participants (n = 244 and n = 63, respectively) rated the groups on perceived warmth, competence, status, and competition. Results from both studies support the applicability of the SCM in Norway and provides a unique insight into stereotypes of Norwegian social groups.     

Theology after the Massacre in Norway

In 2011 Norway experienced its worst violent attack in peacetime and one of the most horrible mass murders ever: one young, white Norwegian killed 77 people, injured 40, and destroyed the Government Building in Oslo. He explained that the terror as a necessary attack on the Social Democracy and the multi‐ethnic and pluralistic society. Was he insane or competent? Was he guilty? In this article I argue that theology can contribute to the debate about guilt, punishment, and evil acts. A contextual theology today should draw from the treasures in the Christian tradition and take part in contemporary discourses about existential and ethical issues.     

Smoking cessation among Norwegian adolescents and young adults: preferred cessation methods

Despite generally declining smoking rates, particularly among young people, a large number of people remain smokers and many young people still pick up smoking. Helping smokers quit therefore remains a high priority for the public health sector. In the present study we examined adolescents and young adults' preferences regarding cessation methods and if these differed between genders and depended on smoking frequency. The data came from a nationally representative survey in Norway among 16-20 year olds. Only regular (weekly and daily) smokers were included in the statistical analyses (n = 509, 51% females). The findings suggest that the majority of both male (83.6%) and female (78.4%) smokers would prefer to quit smoking without help. More males than females reported that they would consider using snus as a cessation aid, while females more often reported willingness to attend cessation classes or use brochures and diaries as cessation aids. Both males and females had similar preferences albeit low, regarding the use of health services, nicotine gum or patches and internet and sms-services to quit smoking. Daily smokers would more often than weekly smokers prefer to attend cessation classes, seek help from health services, use nicotine gum or patches or use brochures and diaries. In contrast, weekly smokers preferred to use snus as a cessation aid more often than daily smokers. Identifying and making appropriate cessation methods attractive may lead to successful quitting and consequently public health gains.