Adolescent binge drinking in the West of Ireland: associated risk and protective factors

The impact of the home life environment and organised extracurricular activities on adolescent cannabis use: Findings from the Irish Planet Youth Survey

OBJECTIVES

Adolescent cannabis use is a significant public health concern. This study aimed to investigate how the home life environment and involvement in extracurricular activities correlate with teenage cannabis use in Ireland.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study METHODS: We analysed data from the Planet Youth 2020 survey, an anonymous questionnaire among school-going adolescents in the West of Ireland. Adolescents with complete data pertaining to age, gender, and cannabis use were included (n = 4897). Multinomial logistic regression examined factors associated with cannabis use more than 12 months ago, within the previous 12 months (but not 30 days), and within the previous month (vs. never used). Exposure variables of interest included factors related to the home life environment (parental rule-setting, parental monitoring, being outside after midnight in the previous week, and intergenerational closure), and adolescent involvement in extracurricular activities (sports, arts, volunteering, and/or afterschool clubs).

RESULTS

Overall, 908 (18.5 %) adolescents reported previous cannabis use. Specifically, 182 (3.7 %) had used cannabis more than a year ago, 361 (7.4 %) had used cannabis within the last year (but not 30 days), while 365 (7.5 %) had used cannabis within the past month. Being outside after midnight in the previous week, a lack of parental rule-setting, parental monitoring, intergenerational closure, and lack of participation in sports or volunteering were all associated with increased odds of adolescent cannabis use.

CONCLUSION

Cannabis use is relatively common among adolescents in Ireland. Social environment factors related to cannabis use, both within the home and in the wider community, may provide valuable insights for actionable primary prevention interventions at the grassroots level.

Processes of development related with the implementation of the Icelandic prevention model in a rural Canadian community

The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) is a sequential 10-step community-driven collaborative intervention that is designed to support the prevention of substance use in youth by establishing healthy developmental contexts. The IPM has been implemented across Iceland for over 20 years and is now being implemented in other countries. Recognizing the need to explore how to adapt the IPM to new contexts and document the implementation of the model, this paper describes a process evaluation of the first three steps of the IPM within a Canadian rural community to capture experiences during the early development. Specifically, this study addresses the following research questions: (1) What are the processes of development and contextual features that influence the implementation of the IPM within Lanark County, Ontario? and (2) What adaptations are needed to successfully implement the IPM in Canada? Semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine experiences and lessons learned through the implementation of the model. Thematic analyses were completed using QSR NVivo. A deductive and inductive approach was applied, whereby some interview guide questions were derived from the IPM implementation steps and others were more exploratory, examining context and processes of development. Nine interviews were conducted with key partners who were leading the implementation of the IPM. Themes highlighting cultural factors that influence implementation, processes of development related to community engagement, and themes relating to youth participation, fidelity issues, fundraising, health equity and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic were identified. This paper contributes new scientific knowledge related to implementation processes within upstream prevention of substance use and practical information that is useful for communities interested in implementing the IPM.

Intensifying Substance Use Trends among Youth: A Narrative Review of Recent Trends and Implications

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Substance use among adolescents and young adults remains a critical public health concern, with patterns shifting dramatically in recent years. This narrative review examines trends in substance use behaviors during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

RECENT FINDINGS

Epidemiologic evidence shows declines in the proportion of youth who are using most substances but intensified consumption patterns with rising levels of disorder among adolescents who use substances. This picture may reflect the greater potency, availability and accessibility of substances, vulnerabilities related to poor mental health, minoritization, as well as social factors including pandemic stressors, commercial and regulatory forces - in short, features of the agent (substance), host (person), and environment (context), consistent with a public health formulation. Understanding trends in youth substance use and related problems, especially in the context of contributing factors, is critical for informing clinical care strategies and public health interventions to improve outcomes for youth across diverse populations.

Correlation of Grades of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver on Ultrasound With Blood Parameters

Introduction Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver condition worldwide. NAFLD has been associated with metabolic syndrome and its symptoms, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Ultrasound is widely used to grade hepatic steatosis, being the most cost-effective, non-invasive, and readily available modality without radiation exposure. The study aimed to assess the correlation of NAFLD grade as seen on ultrasound with blood parameters in a Pakistani population. Materials and methods The included patients were those who were diagnosed with fatty liver disease on ultrasound and whose laboratory tests were available within two weeks of the ultrasound. Two seasoned radiologists rated the severity of NAFLD after looking over ultrasound scans. Consecutive sampling technique was used to minimize selection bias. The degree and direction of the linear relationship between the NAFLD grade and each biochemical parameter were measured using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results There were 207 patients in all who had been identified with NAFLD on ultrasound, the majority of whom had grade II NAFLD and were in their sixth decade of life. According to Pearson's analysis, the grade of NAFLD had larger positive associations with triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and fasting blood sugar. High density lipoprotein and C-reactive protein were found to have a negative correlation with the grade of NAFLD. Conclusion The findings of the study highlight the correlation between NAFLD grade on ultrasonography and specific blood parameters, implying that managing these biochemical indicators may help to improve hepatic steatosis.