International variations in youth drug use: the effect of individual behaviours, peer and family influences, and geographical location

Broken Home or Drug using Peers: “Significant Relations”?

This study reports the results of a comparative survey with representative samples of 3,386 school attending youths, most of whom were 15 years of age and residing in five European cities. We found significant but low correlations between the type of family structure (intact family, model family, dual career houshold, single mother) and five forms of deviant behavior (tobacco smoking, cannabis use, delinquency, general drug use and a composite risk behavior scale). These correlations will be displaced by very high correlations with the level of drug using friends/peers. A number of differences were found between the youth from different cities in relation to these concerns. Results indicate differences among the cities in terms of the youths' relationships with drug use/deviance/risky behavior and family structure, gender role, and peer group behavior. This suggests that the cultural meanings associated with family, gender role, peer group, and risk behavior influence deviant outcomes.

Adolescent elite athletes' cigarette smoking, use of snus, and alcohol

The purpose was to examine cigarette smoking, use of snus, alcohol, and performance-enhancing illicit drugs among adolescent elite athletes and controls, and possible gender and sport group differences. First-year students at 16 Norwegian Elite Sport High Schools (n = 677) and two randomly selected high schools (controls, n = 421) were invited to participate. Totally, 602 athletes (89%) and 354 (84%) controls completed the questionnaire. More controls than athletes were smoking, using snus, and drinking alcohol. Competing in team sports was associated with use of snus [odds ratio = 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6 to 4.7] and a similar percentage of male and female handball (22.2% vs 18.8%) and soccer players (15.7% vs 15.0%) reported using snus. For controls, not participating in organized sport was a predictor for smoking (odds ratio = 4.9, 95% CI 2.2 to 10.9). Female athletes were more prone to drink alcohol than males (46.3% vs 31.0%, P < 0.001). Only, 1.2% athletes and 2.8% controls reported use of performance-enhancing illicit drugs. In conclusion, use of legal drugs is less common among athletes, but this relationship depends on type of sport and competition level. The association between team sports and use of snus suggests that sport subcultures play a role.

Amphetamine use and its associated factors in body builders: a study from Tehran, Iran

INTRODUCTION

Epidemiological studies on all types of illicit drug use among athletes are essential for both the sport community and drug control achievements. Here, we investigated the prevalence and associated factors of amphetamine use in body builders in Tehran, Iran, 2007.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study is a secondary analysis of a substance use survey done in 103 randomly selected gymnasia in Tehran (capital city of Iran). The survey was conducted from November 2007 to January 2008 and included 843 randomly selected bodybuilders (aged 40 years or less). By interviews via questionnaires the following data were obtained: age, job, marital status, education level, housing status, average monthly family income, number of family members, gymnasium area (m(2)), number of trainers, number of gymnasium members, initiation time (months), weekly duration of the sporting activity (h), monthly cost of the sporting activity, purpose of participating in sporting activity, and history of anabolic steroid and amphetamine use.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty (13.3%) body builders reported a history of amphetamine use. According to the results of regression analysis, being married (risk ratio - RR = 0.540), and participating in body building to enhance self-esteem (RR = 0.423) or to enhance sport performance (RR = 0.545) had protective effects on amphetamine use. However, having university qualifications (RR = 1.843), using anabolic steroids (RR = 1.803) and participating in sport to maintain fitness (RR = 2.472) were linked to increased risk of amphetamine use.

CONCLUSIONS

Well-educated bodybuilders were more likely to use amphetamines, and why this is so needs to be discovered. If further studies show that they are not aware of the dangers associated with amphetamine use, providing them with information should be considered.

Alcohol intoxication and mental health among adolescents--a population review of 8983 young people, 13-19 years in North-Trøndelag, Norway: the Young-HUNT Study

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to describe alcohol use among Norwegian teenagers and investigate the associations between mental health problems and alcohol intoxications with focus on age and gender.

METHODS

Population based, cross-sectional survey addressing all adolescents aged 13-19 years, attending secondary or high school in North - Trøndelag County, Norway. 8983 youths (91%) answered the Young-HUNT questionnaire in the 1995-1997 survey. Logistic regression models were used to study associations.

RESULTS

80% of the respondents reported that they had tried drinking alcohol, and 57% had been intoxicated at least once. The proportion of the students, which had tried alcohol, was equal in both genders and increased with age. Attention problems and conduct problems were strongly associated with frequent alcohol intoxications in both genders. Anxiety and depressive symptoms among girls were also related to high numbers of intoxications

CONCLUSION

Gender differences in number of alcohol intoxications were small. There was a close association between both conduct and attention problems and high alcohol consumption in both genders. Girls with symptoms of anxiety and depression reported more frequent alcohol intoxications.

[The relationship between the rigorous practice of sports and addictions: results from a survey in south-eastern France]

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cigarette, alcohol and cannabis consumption among top-ranked French student athletes aged between 16-24 years old, and to identify correlating factors. Overall, 837 athletes participated in the study (82% response rate). Among females, the amount and duration of sporting activity in which they were engaged on a weekly basis had a negative correlation to cigarette smoking and the occasional use of cannabis. Among males, however, a positive correlation of these factors was observed for cigarette smoking. Other determinants of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were the level of athletic competition and whether the athlete practiced a team sport (as opposed to an individual one), with some gender variations. Two major risk factors for young adult athletes were the existence of high psychological distress (for both sexes) and a lack of family support (particularly in the case of males). Further research is needed to investigate the specific motives to use so-called "recreational" drugs among young athletes engaging in high-level competition.

Addictive behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Hungary

OBJECTIVE

To investigate drug use among secondary schoolchildren aged 14-18 years in the city of Szeged in Hungary in order to observe and describe drug use, smoking and alcohol intake and to find risk factors for these behaviours.

METHODS

The questionnaire was concerned with recreational drug use, smoking and drinking habits as well as family structure and life-style based upon the European School Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs questionnaire. Statistical methods used were the chi2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis. The standard errors were estimated using the Huber-White procedure.

RESULTS

Overall 20% of schoolchildren reported experience of drug usage. Boys were significantly more likely to report drug use than girls (chi2=4.65; p=0.031). Cannabis was the most commonly reported drug used (96%). The proportion of drug users was significantly higher among those who had smoked (13%) or were current smokers (65%) compared to those who never smoked (1%; chi2=164.7; p<0.001). Moreover, the risk of drug use was significantly higher in those children who reported a drug user in the family (OR 9.3; 95% CI 4.3-19.9; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the hypothesis that strategies for the prevention of drug use should consider the association between drug and tobacco use.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorder: with and without psychosocial impairment

OBJECTIVE

To identify rates of psychiatric disorder in a representative sample of primary school children in a North of England city.

METHOD

The study obtained multi-criterion screen data on a representative one-in-three sample of 7- and 8-year-old children in Newcastle upon Tyne. It also obtained psychiatric interview data for screen-positive and a proportion of screen negative children. In addition the clinically trained interviewers rated psychiatric impairment.

RESULTS

Estimated rates of disorder with impairment, calibrated to be equivalent to that of children attending local child psychiatric clinics, were 1.2% for emotional disorder, 5.6% for disruptive behaviour disorder and 6.7% for any disorder.

CONCLUSION

These findings are consistent with other contemporary studies using similar impairment criteria.

Cross-validation of the alcohol and cannabis use measures in the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) and Timeline Followback (TLFB; Form 90) among adolescents in substance abuse treatment

AIMS

To examine the comparability, reliability and predictive validity of two instruments used to assess alcohol use and dependence: the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) and the Form 90 Timeline Followback (TLFB) method.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Adolescents (n = 101) admitted to a residential treatment program in the United States were interviewed at intake with the GAIN, and again within a week with a variation of TLFB, called Form 90. Alcohol and cannabis measures were compared and used to predict the number of past-month substance abuse and dependence symptoms.

MEASUREMENT

Self-report measures of days of alcohol and cannabis use in the 90 days prior to intake, peak number of drinks/joints used, peak blood alcohol content (BAC) and alcohol and cannabis abuse and dependence symptom counts.

FINDINGS

Results revealed that the measures had: (a) excellent comparability (r = 0.7-0.8) across the two instruments; (b) deteriorating reliability after reported peak BAC levels exceeded 0.50 and peak joints exceeding 19; and (c) similar and strong relationships between use measures and the number of abuse/dependence symptoms across measures and instruments.

CONCLUSIONS

In a sample of 101 adolescents who were admitted to residential treatment for alcohol or drug dependence, the corresponding measures from the two instruments produced comparable results. If the cross-validation of these two measures generalizes to adolescents treated in out-patient settings and other adolescent treatment populations, the GAIN and Form 90 may provide useful core alcohol measures for meta-analyses.

The adolescent behavioral repertoire as a context for drug exposure: behavioral autarcesis at play

AIMS

The aim of this study is to investigate suspected behavioral autarcesis. Autarcesis refers to a mechanism of non-specific shielding from or immunity to infection or disease. Here, suspecting that some facets of the adolescent behavioral repertoire (ABR) might shield youths from early drug involvement, we studied recent-onset occurrence of first chances to try a drug and first actual drug use, expressed as a function of five observed ABR dimensions: religious, socializing, sports-related, gender socialization, and home-based activities.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Nationally representative samples of school-attending youths were drawn in Panama, the five Spanish heritage countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic (n = 12797).

MEASUREMENTS

Drug involvement and ABR were assessed via anonymous self-administered questionnaires.

FINDINGS

A religious activity dimension and a separate sports dimension were associated inversely with recent onset of adolescent drug experiences, and a socializing activity dimension was related to an increased occurrence of these experiences. For example, for each unit increase of the religious activity dimension of the ABR, there was an associated reduced occurrence of the first chance to try tobacco (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.63-0.90, P = 0.002). Adolescents at higher levels of sports activities and home-based activities were less likely to experience recent-onset actual use of marijuana (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.30-0.67, P < 0.001; OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-0.99, P = 0.048, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The study evidence lends some support for behavioral autarcesis. Manipulation of selected ABR dimensions might help prevent or reduce adolescent drug involvement, enhancing autarcesis as a protective mechanism.

Children attending addiction treatment services in Dublin, 1990-1999

In Europe, adolescent substance misuse increased during the 1990s. Ireland has among the highest rates of substance misuse among schoolchildren in Europe. We sought to describe the socio-demographic and drug misuse profile of children presenting to addiction treatment services in Dublin during the 1990s. Of the 9,874 individuals who sought addiction treatment, 1,953 (20%) were aged less than 18 years. There was a sharp increase in the number of children after 1993. The main drug of abuse was an opiate in 48% of cases. Compared to adults, the children were more likely to be female and less likely to inject. As the decade progressed the proportion of girls increased, injecting was reported more frequently and there was a dramatic rise in heroin misuse. Child heroin users were more likely to be female and to be homeless compared to their adult counterparts. This study highlights the need for a dedicated service for child drug users in Dublin.

Sporting activity and drug use: Alcohol, cigarette and cannabis use among elite student athletes

AIMS

To study the relationship between sporting activity and alcohol, cigarette and cannabis use among adolescents and young adults, by focusing on elite student athletes (ESAs).

DESIGN, SETTING, SUBJECTS

Cross-sectional survey (Spring 2002), in a sample of 460 ESAs (ages 16-24 years) recruited at 40 public centres gathering the young sporting elite from 30 different sports in South-Eastern France, comparison with samples of the general population of adolescents in South-Eastern France.

MEASURES

Respondents were asked confidentially by a self-administered questionnaire about their use of licit and illicit drugs, their sporting activity and other aspects of their life-style.

FINDINGS

Prevalences of cigarette, alcohol and cannabis use were markedly lower for ESAs than for other adolescents (generally twice or three times as low). Among ESAs, when compared with the practice of an individual sport, the practice of a team sport was correlated positively with alcohol use (OR = 2.7 for girls, OR = 1.8 for boys), and the practice of a sliding sport was correlated positively with cannabis use (for girls: OR = 2.3) and with alcohol use (for boys: 4.3). Girls who entered competition at international level were more prone to smoke cigarettes and cannabis (OR = 6.1 and 2.4, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

As a whole, practising sports as an elite student-athlete can be considered as correlated negatively with cigarette, alcohol and cannabis use. Nevertheless, this relationship depends on the kind of sport practised as well as the level of competition, and further research is needed to understand specific elite athletes' motives for use.

European adolescent substance use: the roles of family structure, function and gender

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was, first, to explore family structure and measures of family functioning in relation to adolescent substance use and secondly, to establish if these relationships differed according to gender or according to the city of origin of the sample.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

The study surveyed pupils aged 14-15 years in representative samples drawn from five European cities: Newcastle upon Tyne, Dublin, Rome, Bremen and Groningen. Data were obtained on 3984 participants in relation to their substance use, living with both biological parents, confiding in parents and grandparents. and supervision, as well as other variables representing delinquency, social class and drug availability.

RESULTS

Living with both parents was associated with reduced levels of drug use in four cities but not in Dublin, due perhaps to the high availability from peers in that city. It was not associated with reduced levels of regular drinking. The effect of confiding in mother was evident in all cities and in relation to substance use in general. However, when a delinquency variable was added to the logistic regressions, its significance in relation to polydrug use disappeared. Supervision was somewhat more important in relation to male than female drug use.

CONCLUSION

Living with both parents is a less robust barrier to substance use than qualitative aspects of family life, particularly attachment to mothers. The latter is a robust inhibitor of substance use irrespective of regional differences in drug availability, weakening only in the face of more generally problematic behaviour. Perhaps because of their greater tendency to risk-taking or rule breaking, supervision appears more important for male than female drug use. These findings underscore the role of families, but especially that of mothers, in regulating the substance-related behaviour of young people.