L Mercken
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 13365 |
|---|---|
| NOME | L Mercken |
| PRENOMES | L |
| SOBRENOME | Mercken |
| ASSINATURA | MERCKEN L |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Maastricht University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5719-7647 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 25 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 46 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 25 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2006 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2025 |
| ÍNDICE H | 3 |
Determinants of Heavy Episodic Drinking Among University Students, an Application of the I – Change Model
Introduction Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a major problem among Colombian university students. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and motivational constructs, as defined by the I-Change model (ICM), associated with HED among university students in Colombia. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 846 university students from three universities in Colombia. Participants completed an online questionnaire …
Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa
Out of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13-20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocati…
A study Comparing Text-Based WhatsApp and Face-to-Face Interviews to Understand Early School Dropout
The majority of adolescents communicate via text-based messaging, particularly through WhatsApp, a widely used free communication application. Written content on WhatsApp has the methodological potential to provide rich qualitative interview data. This study compares data collected using text-based WhatsApp versus face-to-face interview techniques. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of early school leavers in South Africa, us…
Development of community strategies supporting brief alcohol advice in three Latin American countries
Brief alcohol advice offered to patients was shown to be a clinically- and cost-effective intervention to prevent and manage alcohol-related health harm. However, this intervention is not yet optimally implemented in practice. A suggested strategy to improve the implementation of brief alcohol advice is through community actions which would enhance the environment in which primary healthcare providers must deliver the intervention. However, there…
Improving alcohol management in primary health care in Mexico
Protocol for a process evaluation of SCALA study – Intervention targeting scaling up of primary health care-based prevention and management of heavy drinking and comorbid depression in Latin America
This paper describes the plan for a process evaluation of a quasi-experimental study testing the municipal level scale-up of primary health care-based measurement and brief advice programmes to reduce heavy drinking and comorbid depression in Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The main aims of the evaluation are to assess the implementation of intervention components; mechanisms of impact that influenced the outcomes; and characteristics of the context …
Country and policy factors influencing the implementation of primary care-based alcohol screening
Researchers and practitioners recognise the importance of context when implementing healthcare interventions, but the influence of wider environment is rarely mapped. This paper identifies the country and policy-related factors potentially explaining the country differences in outcomes of an intervention focused on improving detection and management of heavy alcohol use in primary care in Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Qualitative data obtained throu…
Costs of an Alcohol Measurement Intervention in Three Latin American Countries
Alcohol measurement in health care settings is an effective intervention for reducing alcohol-related harm. However, in many countries, costs related to alcohol measurement have not yet been transparently assessed, which may hinder its adoption and implementation. Costs of an alcohol measurement programme in three upper-middle-income Latin American countries were assessed via questionnaires and compared, as part of the quasi-experimental SCALA st…
An Animation- Versus Text-Based Computer-Tailored Game Intervention to Prevent Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in Adolescents
The purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol for the design, implementation, and evaluation of an animation- versus text-based computer tailoring game intervention aimed at preventing alcohol consumption and binge drinking (BD) in adolescents. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (CRCT) is carried out in students aged 14-19 enrolled in 24 high schools from Andalusia (Spain), which are randomized either to experimental (EC-1, EC-2) or wa…
Why are Spanish Adolescents Binge Drinkers? Focus Group with Adolescents and Parents
Binge drinking in adolescents is a worldwide public healthcare problem. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions about determinants of binge drinking in Spanish adolescents from the perspective of adolescents and parents. A qualitative study using fourteen semi-structured focus groups of adolescents was conducted during the 2014/2015 school year ( n = 94), and four with parents ( n = 19), based on the I-Change Model for health behavio…
Cigarette smoking and reasons for leaving school among school dropouts in South Africa
More research is needed to understand why learners leave school and their subsequent tobacco use. This knowledge will help researchers identify and target those students that are at risk for dropping out of school and using tobacco
Design, implementation and evaluation of a web-based computer-tailored intervention to prevent binge drinking in adolescents
Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT03288896 . This study was retrospectively registered on 19/09/2017
A longitudinal study on determinants of the intention to start smoking among Non-smoking boys and girls of high and low socioeconomic status
The 'Fun without Smokes' study is approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Atrium-Orbis-Zuyd Hospital (NL32093.096.11/MEC 11-T-25) and registered in the Dutch Trial Register ( NTR3116 )
Identifying binge drinkers based on parenting dimensions and alcohol-specific parenting practices
Of the parenting dimensions and practices, rules are particularly informative in understanding drinking behaviour. Adolescents' perceptions and parents' reports are complementary as they can help identifying binge drinkers and non-binge drinkers respectively, indicating that surveying specific aspects of adolescent-parent dynamics can improve our understanding of complex addictive behaviours
Web-based interventions to decrease alcohol use in adolescents
The results of this explorative study provide useful strategies to increase effectiveness and decrease drop-out in future interventions
Coevolution of Information Sharing and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices Among North American Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
Objectives. We examined the coevolution of information sharing and implementation of evidence-based practices among US and Canadian tobacco cessation quitlines within the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). Methods. Web-based surveys were used to collect data from key respondents representing each of 74 participating funders of NAQC quitlines during the summer and fall of 2009, 2010, and 2011. We used stochastic actor-based models to estim…
A Web-based computer-tailored game to reduce binge drinking among 16 to 18 year old Dutch adolescents
Dutch Trial Register (NTR4048). Trial registered on 06/26/2013
Explaining socio-economic differences in intention to smoke among primary school children
This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Atrium-Orbis-Zuyd Hospital (NL32093.096.11 / MEC 11-T-25) and registered in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR3116)
A sexual affiliation network of swingers, heterosexuals practicing risk behaviours that potentiate the spread of sexually transmitted infections
Determinants of binge drinking in a permissive environment
Parents and adolescents should both be targeted in interventions to reduce alcohol use among adolescents. In particular, communication between parents and children should be improved, in order to avoid misconceptions about acceptable alcohol use. Further, adolescents should be supported to handle difficult social situations with peers where they feel obliged to drink. Additionally, revisions of policies towards a less permissive standpoint are ad…
Awareness of Evidence-Based Practices by Organizations in a Publicly Funded Smoking Cessation Network
This research examines the awareness of evidence based practices by the public organizations that fund services in the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). NAQC is a large, publicly funded, goal-directed "whole network," spanning both Canada and the U.S., working to get people to quit smoking. Building on prior research on the dissemination and diffusion of innovation and evidence based practices, and considering differences between network…
A web-based computer-tailored smoking prevention programme for primary school children
Dutch Trial Register NTR3116
Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior
Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior
Challenges to the peer influence paradigm
Smoking uptake in this age cohort may be more strongly influenced by personal and parental influences than initially believed. Hence, social inoculation programmes teaching youngsters to resist the pressures to smoke may be less appropriate if youngsters have a positive attitude towards smoking, associate smoking with various advantages and look for peers with similar values. For this group attitudes towards smoking may thus guide future friend s…
Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior
Awareness of Evidence-Based Practices by Organizations in a Publicly Funded Smoking Cessation Network
This research examines the awareness of evidence based practices by the public organizations that fund services in the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). NAQC is a large, publicly funded, goal-directed "whole network," spanning both Canada and the U.S., working to get people to quit smoking. Building on prior research on the dissemination and diffusion of innovation and evidence based practices, and considering differences between network…
Coevolution of Information Sharing and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices Among North American Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
Objectives. We examined the coevolution of information sharing and implementation of evidence-based practices among US and Canadian tobacco cessation quitlines within the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). Methods. Web-based surveys were used to collect data from key respondents representing each of 74 participating funders of NAQC quitlines during the summer and fall of 2009, 2010, and 2011. We used stochastic actor-based models to estim…
Challenges to the peer influence paradigm
Smoking uptake in this age cohort may be more strongly influenced by personal and parental influences than initially believed. Hence, social inoculation programmes teaching youngsters to resist the pressures to smoke may be less appropriate if youngsters have a positive attitude towards smoking, associate smoking with various advantages and look for peers with similar values. For this group attitudes towards smoking may thus guide future friend s…
Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior
Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior
A web-based computer-tailored smoking prevention programme for primary school children
Dutch Trial Register NTR3116
A sexual affiliation network of swingers, heterosexuals practicing risk behaviours that potentiate the spread of sexually transmitted infections
Determinants of binge drinking in a permissive environment
Parents and adolescents should both be targeted in interventions to reduce alcohol use among adolescents. In particular, communication between parents and children should be improved, in order to avoid misconceptions about acceptable alcohol use. Further, adolescents should be supported to handle difficult social situations with peers where they feel obliged to drink. Additionally, revisions of policies towards a less permissive standpoint are ad…
Awareness of Evidence-Based Practices by Organizations in a Publicly Funded Smoking Cessation Network
This research examines the awareness of evidence based practices by the public organizations that fund services in the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). NAQC is a large, publicly funded, goal-directed "whole network," spanning both Canada and the U.S., working to get people to quit smoking. Building on prior research on the dissemination and diffusion of innovation and evidence based practices, and considering differences between network…
A Web-based computer-tailored game to reduce binge drinking among 16 to 18 year old Dutch adolescents
Dutch Trial Register (NTR4048). Trial registered on 06/26/2013
Explaining socio-economic differences in intention to smoke among primary school children
This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Atrium-Orbis-Zuyd Hospital (NL32093.096.11 / MEC 11-T-25) and registered in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR3116)
A longitudinal study on determinants of the intention to start smoking among Non-smoking boys and girls of high and low socioeconomic status
The 'Fun without Smokes' study is approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Atrium-Orbis-Zuyd Hospital (NL32093.096.11/MEC 11-T-25) and registered in the Dutch Trial Register ( NTR3116 )
Identifying binge drinkers based on parenting dimensions and alcohol-specific parenting practices
Of the parenting dimensions and practices, rules are particularly informative in understanding drinking behaviour. Adolescents' perceptions and parents' reports are complementary as they can help identifying binge drinkers and non-binge drinkers respectively, indicating that surveying specific aspects of adolescent-parent dynamics can improve our understanding of complex addictive behaviours
Web-based interventions to decrease alcohol use in adolescents
The results of this explorative study provide useful strategies to increase effectiveness and decrease drop-out in future interventions
Coevolution of Information Sharing and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices Among North American Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
Objectives. We examined the coevolution of information sharing and implementation of evidence-based practices among US and Canadian tobacco cessation quitlines within the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC). Methods. Web-based surveys were used to collect data from key respondents representing each of 74 participating funders of NAQC quitlines during the summer and fall of 2009, 2010, and 2011. We used stochastic actor-based models to estim…
Design, implementation and evaluation of a web-based computer-tailored intervention to prevent binge drinking in adolescents
Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT03288896 . This study was retrospectively registered on 19/09/2017
Cigarette smoking and reasons for leaving school among school dropouts in South Africa
More research is needed to understand why learners leave school and their subsequent tobacco use. This knowledge will help researchers identify and target those students that are at risk for dropping out of school and using tobacco
Why are Spanish Adolescents Binge Drinkers? Focus Group with Adolescents and Parents
Binge drinking in adolescents is a worldwide public healthcare problem. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions about determinants of binge drinking in Spanish adolescents from the perspective of adolescents and parents. A qualitative study using fourteen semi-structured focus groups of adolescents was conducted during the 2014/2015 school year ( n = 94), and four with parents ( n = 19), based on the I-Change Model for health behavio…
An Animation- Versus Text-Based Computer-Tailored Game Intervention to Prevent Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in Adolescents
The purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol for the design, implementation, and evaluation of an animation- versus text-based computer tailoring game intervention aimed at preventing alcohol consumption and binge drinking (BD) in adolescents. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (CRCT) is carried out in students aged 14-19 enrolled in 24 high schools from Andalusia (Spain), which are randomized either to experimental (EC-1, EC-2) or wa…
Costs of an Alcohol Measurement Intervention in Three Latin American Countries
Alcohol measurement in health care settings is an effective intervention for reducing alcohol-related harm. However, in many countries, costs related to alcohol measurement have not yet been transparently assessed, which may hinder its adoption and implementation. Costs of an alcohol measurement programme in three upper-middle-income Latin American countries were assessed via questionnaires and compared, as part of the quasi-experimental SCALA st…
Development of community strategies supporting brief alcohol advice in three Latin American countries
Brief alcohol advice offered to patients was shown to be a clinically- and cost-effective intervention to prevent and manage alcohol-related health harm. However, this intervention is not yet optimally implemented in practice. A suggested strategy to improve the implementation of brief alcohol advice is through community actions which would enhance the environment in which primary healthcare providers must deliver the intervention. However, there…
Improving alcohol management in primary health care in Mexico
Protocol for a process evaluation of SCALA study – Intervention targeting scaling up of primary health care-based prevention and management of heavy drinking and comorbid depression in Latin America
This paper describes the plan for a process evaluation of a quasi-experimental study testing the municipal level scale-up of primary health care-based measurement and brief advice programmes to reduce heavy drinking and comorbid depression in Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The main aims of the evaluation are to assess the implementation of intervention components; mechanisms of impact that influenced the outcomes; and characteristics of the context …
Country and policy factors influencing the implementation of primary care-based alcohol screening
Researchers and practitioners recognise the importance of context when implementing healthcare interventions, but the influence of wider environment is rarely mapped. This paper identifies the country and policy-related factors potentially explaining the country differences in outcomes of an intervention focused on improving detection and management of heavy alcohol use in primary care in Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Qualitative data obtained throu…
Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa
Out of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13-20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocati…
A study Comparing Text-Based WhatsApp and Face-to-Face Interviews to Understand Early School Dropout
The majority of adolescents communicate via text-based messaging, particularly through WhatsApp, a widely used free communication application. Written content on WhatsApp has the methodological potential to provide rich qualitative interview data. This study compares data collected using text-based WhatsApp versus face-to-face interview techniques. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of early school leavers in South Africa, us…
Determinants of Heavy Episodic Drinking Among University Students, an Application of the I – Change Model
Introduction Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a major problem among Colombian university students. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and motivational constructs, as defined by the I-Change model (ICM), associated with HED among university students in Colombia. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 846 university students from three universities in Colombia. Participants completed an online questionnaire …
Medicine (22 obras) · Environmental health (15 obras) · Psychology (15 obras) · Public health (15 obras) · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes (12 obras) · Nursing (11 obras) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (10 obras) · Biostatistics (9 obras) · Smoking Behavior and Cessation (9 obras) · Computer Science (8 obras)