A Systematic Review of Household and Family Alcohol Use and Adolescent Behavioural Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Addictive behavior and mental health of adolescents aged 11-17 years in Bangladesh in 2014: A cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with addictive behavior and mental health in adolescents aged 11-17 years in Bangladesh.

Methods

This study analyzed data from the Bangladesh Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) conducted in 2014. Adolescents aged 11-17 years studying government schools were considered as respondents for this survey. A two-phase group sample design was utilized to deliver illustrative information of all understudies in grades (classes) 7-10 in Bangladesh. Bivariate analyses followed by a weight-adjusted multiple logistic regression was fitted to a sample of size 2989 adolescents.

Results

One in ten and one in four adolescents had different substance addictions and some forms of mental health conditions, respectively. Sex of participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.49; confidence interval [CI]:2.28-8.84), being bullied (AOR: 3.08; CI:1.46-6.49), use of tobacco among parents (AOR: 5.82; CI:3.16-10.75), parental understanding of adolescents' problems (AOR: 0.45; CI:0.23-0.82), and food affordability (AOR: 1.24; CI:1.09-1.42) were associated with addictive behaviors of adolescents. Bullied males with nonempathetic parents were found to be more vulnerable to addictive behaviors and bullied females showed higher tendencies to mental health issues.

Conclusion

Considering the elevated prevalence of reported mental health concerns, identifying vulnerable groups and formulating intervention-oriented policies engaging youths can pave the way towards achieving robust health and well-being for them in Bangladesh.

Are there differences between Mediterranean diet and the consumption of harmful substances on quality of life?-an explanatory model in secondary education regarding gender

Background

Adolescence is a key life stage in human development. It is during this stage of development that healthy and physical behaviors are acquired that will last into adulthood. Gender differences in the acquisition of these behaviors have been observed. This research aims to (a) study the levels of Mediterranean diet adherence, quality of life and alcohol and tobacco consumption as regarding the gender of the participants and (b) study the effects of the variable adherence to the Mediterranean diet, alcohol consumption and tobacco consumption on quality of life as a function of the gender of the participants.

Methods

A non-experimental, cross-sectional, exploratory study was carried out in a sample of 1,057 Spanish adolescents (Average Age = 14.19; Standard Deviation = 2.87).

Results

The comparative analysis shows that the male teenagers shows a higher Mediterranean diet adherence compared to the male adolescents (p ≤ 0.05) and a higher consumption of alcoholic beverages (p ≤ 0.05). On the contrary, adolescent girls show a higher consumption of alcoholic beverages than male participants (p ≤ 0.05). The exploratory analysis indicates that for boys, alcohol consumption has a beneficial effect on the quality of life of adolescents (β = 0.904; p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

In this case, participants show differences in the levels of Mediterranean diet adherence, consumption of harmful substances and quality of life according to gender. Likewise, there are different effects between the variables according to gender. Therefore, gender is a key factor to consider during adolescence.

"She gives it to her child who doesn't even talk": a qualitative exploration of alcohol and drug use among primary school-age children in Uganda

BACKGROUND

There is little research on alcohol and other drugs (AOD) use by school-age children in low-resource settings like Uganda. Including the voices of children in research can inform prevention and early intervention efforts for those at risk of AOD use. The aim of this study was to understand the perspectives of children aged 6 to 13 years regarding AOD in Uganda.

METHODS

This qualitative study was conducted in Mbale district, Uganda from February to March 2020. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 56 primary school-age children, stratified by age (6-9 and 10-13 years), sex (male and female), and school status (in school and out of school). All FGDs were conducted in either Lumasaaba or Luganda. The FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Data were coded, and overarching themes were identified using thematic framework analysis.

RESULTS

Two themes identified were (1) Children's perceptions and experiences with AODs. The participants understood alcohol by its consistency, colour, odour, and by brand/logo. They described the types and quantities of AOD consumed by school-age children, brewing processes for homemade alcoholic drinks, and short and long-term consequences of the use of alcohol. (2) Contributing factors to childhood drinking included: Stress relief for children who experienced multiple adversities (orphaned, poverty-stricken, and hailing from broken homes), fitting in with friends, influence from families, and media exposure that made alcohol look cool. Children would start drinking at an early age) or were given alcohol by their parents, sometimes before they could start talking. In the community, alcohol and other drugs were cheap and available and children could drink from anywhere, including in the classroom.

CONCLUSIONS

Children eligible for primary education in Uganda can easily access and use AOD. Several factors were identified as contributing to alcohol and other drug use among children, including availability and accessibility, advertising, lack of parental awareness and supervision, peer influence, adverse childhood experiences, socioeconomic factors, and cultural norms. There is a need for multi-sectoral action for awareness of childhood AOD use and deliberate consideration of children in the planning, design, and implementation of research, policies, and programs for prevention and early intervention.

Child and adolescent mental health and psychosocial support interventions: An evidence and gap map of low- and middle-income countries

Background

Mental disorders affect about one in seven children and adolescents worldwide. Investment in effective child and adolescent mental health prevention, promotion and care is essential. To date, however, the evidence from this field is yet to be comprehensively collected and mapped.

Objectives

The objective of this evidence and gap map (EGM) is to provide an overview of the existing evidence on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting mental health and reducing or preventing mental health conditions among children and adolescents in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs).

Search Methods

We searched for studies from a wide range of bibliographic databases, libraries and websites. All searches were conducted in December 2021 and covered the period between 2010 and 2021.

Selection Criteria

We included evidence on the effectiveness of any Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions targeting children and adolescents from 0 to 19 years of age in LMICs. The map includes systematic reviews and effectiveness studies in the form of randomised control trials and quasi-experimental studies, and mixed-methods studies with a focus on intervention effectiveness.

Data Collection and Analysis

A total of 63,947 records were identified after the search. A total of 19,578 records were removed using machine learning. A total of 7545 records were screened independently and simultaneously by four reviewers based on title and abstract and 2721 full texts were assessed for eligibility. The EGM includes 697 studies and reviews that covered 78 LMICs.

Main Results

School-based interventions make up 61% of intervention research on child and adolescent mental health and psychosocial support. Most interventions (59%) focusing on treating mental health conditions rather than preventing them or promoting mental health. Depression (40%, N = 282) was the most frequently researched outcome sub-domain analysed by studies and reviews, followed by anxiety disorders (32%, N = 225), well-being (21%, N = 143), and post-traumatic stress disorder (18%, N = 125). Most included studies and reviews investigated the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support interventions in early (75%, N = 525) and late adolescence (64%, N = 448).

Conclusions

The body of evidence in this area is complex and it is expanding progressively. However, research on child and adolescent MHPSS interventions is more reactive than proactive, with most evidence focusing on addressing mental health conditions that have already arisen rather than preventing them or promoting mental health. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for children and adolescents as well as interventions to address the mental health and psychosocial needs of children in humanitarian settings. Research on early childhood MHPSS interventions is urgently needed. MHPSS research for children and adolescents lacks diversity. Research is also needed to address geographical inequalities at the regional and national level. Important questions also remain on the quality of the available research-is child and adolescent MHPSS intervention research locally relevant, reliable, well-designed and conducted, accessible and innovative? Planning research collaborations with decision-makers and involving experts by experience in research is essential.

Chapitre 2. Health in Russia, a basic topic: Risk strategies and socio-psychological aspects

High mortality rates in the Russian Federation in all age cohorts, which are exacerbated nowadays due to the risk of contracting a new coronavirus infection, indicate the lack of programs to promote a healthy lifestyle in society, as well as the preservation of negative attitudes of society associated with any aspects of taking care of one’s health.Switching the public’s attention to self-preservation practices is not viable without considering the socio-economic and psychological conjuncture. Maintaining health requires both time and money, so for many people it remains a secondary task for many years, if the disease does not make itself felt.By appealing to the individual’s choice of a voluntary strategy of the preservation of their health, the state should make sure that they are ready to show a high level of self-awareness and culture. However, there is a stable tradition of risky behaviors in Russian society, in which ignoring the first signs of the disease, the transition of the disease to severe forms, and indifferenceе to the outcome of treatment became a social norm. In this vein, individuals show a disregard for new approaches and often aggravate their problem by resorting to alcohol and drugs, which leads to serious health related consequences.The study of aspects of an individual’s choice of risky life strategies showed the interdependence of the level of health preservation on the material and psychological well-being of a social group (i.e., family). The lower the satisfaction of an individual’s needs in society, the higher the apathy and tendency to addiction, which is often followed by crimes against the life and health of others or a tendency to suicide.

The Effects of a Physical Activity Online Intervention Program on Resilience, Perceived Social Support, Psychological Distress and Concerns among At-Risk Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 restrictions have led to social isolation affecting youth's health, particularly at-risk youth.

OBJECTIVES

We examined whether an online mentoring health intervention (OMHI) would strengthen characteristics that can prevent risky behaviors: resilience, perceived social support, psychological distress, and crisis concerns.

METHODS

Fifty-six secondary-school students participated, 27 in the intervention group and 29 in the control group (mean age 16.18, SD 0.83 vs. 16.62, SD 0.82, respectively). The study took place between March and August 2020.

RESULTS

The intervention group was less resilient pre-test, with similar resilience levels as the control group post-test. Intervention group participants presented a significantly higher crisis level pre- and post-test than the control group, as well as an increase in resilience (effect size = 1.88) and social support (effect size = 1.22), while psychological distress significantly decreased (effect size = -1.03). Both groups (intervention vs. control) predicted changes from pre-to-post test for resilience and crisis (adjusted R² = 0.33, p = 0.001 and R² = 0.49, p = 0.0001 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

OMHI participation was associated with improved resilience and social support, and decreased psychological distress, making it an effective strategy in health promotion for at-risk youth. An online intervention program combining mentoring in physical activity and interpersonal connections may constitute an effective health promotion strategy for at-risk youth, especially in times of crisis.

Can Intersectoral Interventions Reduce Substance Use in Adolescence? Evidence From a Multicentre Randomized Controlled Study

Objectives: We measure the impacts of an intersectoral intervention tackling adolescent substance use implemented between 2017 and 2019 in a tri-border region of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Methods: The intervention involved 23 institutions from different sectors and 880 adolescents, equally split between randomly selected treatment and control classes across institutions. Treatment group students were involved in the co-development of activities to tackle substance use within their institutions. Both treatment and control group students benefited from the activities developed and implemented from the second year of the intervention. We use difference-in-differences models to measure the impacts of participation in the co-development of the activities on alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis consumption.

Results: Adolescents involved in the co-development of activities are 8 pp less likely to consume tobacco and cannabis, and 13 pp less likely to consume alcohol (p<0.01), compared to those who only participate in the activities. Among cannabis users, frequent consumption is also reduced by the intervention. Peer frequency of consumption is strongly associated with individual consumption.

Conclusion: Co-development of activities by the subjects themselves can be key to decreasing substance use in this very crucial stage of life, especially if the institutions and the implementers are familiar with the area and subjects of the intervention.

Family Structure, Unstructured Socializing, and Heavy Substance Use among Adolescents

Background: Psychoactive substance use is a transient behavior among many adolescents and diminishes as they mature, but some engage in heavy forms of substance use, which increases their risk of health and behavioral challenges. A consistent predictor of substance use among youth is family structure, with adolescents living in single-parent, stepparent, or no-parent families at higher risk than others of several forms of substance use. The objective of this research was to investigate whether unstructured socializing mediated the association between family structure and heavy alcohol or substance use. Methods: Data from 30 nations (n = 65,737) were used to test the hypothesis using a generalized structural equation model and tests of mediation. Results: The analysis furnished clear support for a mediation effect among adolescents living with a single parent but less support among those living with a stepparent or neither parent. Conclusion: The association between living in a single-parent household and heavy alcohol or other substance use was mediated largely by time spent outside the home with friends in unsupervised activities. Additional research that uses longitudinal data and more nuanced measures of family structure is needed to validate this finding.

The effects of others' drinking on the harms to children in Thailand: Lessons from the WHO-ThaiHealth project

BACKGROUND

Many knowledge gaps exist in the area of alcohol-related harms in children research such as the potential impact of other's drinking and their social demography. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effects of characteristics of household members and others' alcohol drinking on harms to children in Thailand.

DATA AND METHODS

This study examined 952 parents caring for children and adolescents under 18 years of age, using the questionnaire (i.e., The Harm to Others from Drinking under the WHO/ThaiHealth International Collaboration Research Project). They were interviewed between September 2012 and March 2013.

RESULTS

The study found that 15.89% of children and young people were affected by someone's drinking in at least one category of harms. People over 60 years of age were less likely to cause alcohol-related harm to children than those aged 18 to 29 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.19, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.06-0.58). Households with a binge drinker or regular drinker (≥1 time/week) were more likely to have children at higher risk of suffering alcohol-related harm in comparison to households without alcohol drinker (AOR 4.75 and 1.92, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study found that children whose family members are young adult or consume alcohol (i.e., weekly drinker or binge drinker) were significantly adversely affected. The most common problems were domestic violence and verbal abuse. Most of the problems, affecting children, were caused mostly by their parents.

PROTOCOL: Child and adolescent mental health and psychosocial support interventions: An evidence and gap map of low- and middle-income countries

This is the protocol for a Campbell review. The objective of this evidence and gap map is to provide an overview of the existing evidence on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting mental health and reducing or preventing mental health conditions among children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries.

The Explanation of Adolescent Delinquent Behaviors Based on Jessor's Problem Behavior Theory (PBT) in Iran: The Role of Individual Vulnerability, Opportunity Risk Availability, and Perceived Support

This study tested the generality of Problem Behavior Theory (PBT) in explaining adolescents' problem behavior in Iran. Data were collected from 392 adolescents (Mage = 15.97, SD = 1.12, 55.4% girls) who completed the Adolescent Health and Development Questionnaire (AHDQ) to assess the individual vulnerability, opportunity risk availability, perceived support, and delinquent behaviors. Results indicated that individual vulnerability and opportunity risk availability had a significant relationship with delinquent behaviors and a significant interaction with perceived support in their influence on delinquent behaviors. Further, perceived support was negatively associated with delinquent behaviors. Our results were consistent with PBT's explanatory model for adolescents' problem behavior in Western countries and are informative about problem behavior involvement among Iranian adolescents and the design of interventions.

A Systematic Review of Household and Family Alcohol Use and Childhood Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Childhood exposure to alcohol misuse by household adults has been related to childhood developmental delay, cognitive impacts, mental illness, and problem behaviours. Most evidence comes from high income countries. This systematic review only included studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Five databases were searched from 1990-2020. Twenty-eight studies of children 0-12 years were included, with 42,599 participants from 11 LMICs. The most common outcome was behavioural problems/disorders (19 studies). Despite varying study designs, this review found that alcohol misuse by household members in LMICs is associated with adverse child neurodevelopmental outcomes, although casual inferences cannot be drawn in the absence of well conducted prospective studies. Statistically significant correlations were described between parental alcohol misuse and child emotional and behavioural difficulties, cognitive delay, and risky behaviours. In future, prospective cohort studies are recommended, with adjustment for confounders.