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Ball J, Pettie MA, Poasa L, Abel G. Understanding youth drinking decline: Similarity and change in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) in adolescent cohorts 20 years apart. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:664-674. [PMID: 37224083 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Qualitative research aimed at understanding the decline in youth drinking has so far been hampered by a lack of baseline data for comparison. This New Zealand study overcomes this limitation by comparing archival qualitative data collected at the height of youth drinking (1999-2001) with contemporary data collected for this study (June-October 2022). The aim is to explore changes in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) for two cohorts about 20 years apart. METHODS Both archival and contemporary data were collected from 14 to 17 year old secondary school students (years 10-12) through individual and small-group/pair interviews in matched suburban co-ed schools. Interviews explored friendships, lifestyles, romantic relationships and experiences and perceptions of substance use and non-use. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Comparative analysis highlighted changes that may help to explain the decline in youth drinking, including an increased value placed on personal choice and acceptance of diversity; decreased face-to-face socialising and the emergence of social media as a central feature of adolescent social life, perhaps displacing key functions of drinking and partying; increased pervasiveness of risk discourses and increased awareness of health and social risks of alcohol; and increased framing of alcohol use as a coping mechanism by both drinkers and non-drinkers. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these changes appear to have shifted the social position of drinking from an almost compulsory component of adolescent social life in 1999-2001, to an optional activity that many contemporary adolescents perceive to have high risks and few benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude Ball
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Michaela A Pettie
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Loleseti Poasa
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Gillian Abel
- Department of Population Health, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Kreski NT, Askari MS, Cerdá M, Chen Q, Hasin DS, Martins SS, Mauro PM, Olfson M, Keyes KM. Changing adolescent activity patterns and the correlation of self-esteem and externalizing mental health symptoms across time: results from the USA from 1991 through 2020. Psychol Med 2024; 54:169-177. [PMID: 37183659 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Common adolescent psychiatric symptoms cluster into two dominant domains: internalizing and externalizing. Both domains are linked to self-esteem, which serves as a protective factor against a wide range of internalizing and externalizing problems. This study examined trends in US adolescents' self-esteem and externalizing symptoms, and their correlation, by sex and patterns of time use. METHODS Using Monitoring the Future data (N = 338 896 adolescents, grades:8/10/12, years:1991-2020), we generated six patterns of time use using latent profile analysis with 17 behavior items (e.g. sports participation, parties, paid work). Groups were differentiated by high/low engagement in sports and either paid work or high/low peer socialization. Within each group, we mapped annual, sex-stratified means of (and correlation between) self-esteem and externalizing factors. We also examined past-decade rates of change for factor means using linear regression and mapped proportions with top-quartile levels of poor self-esteem, externalizing symptoms, or both. RESULTS We found consistent increases in poor self-esteem, decreases in externalizing symptoms, and a positive correlation between the two across nearly all activity groups. We also identified a relatively constant proportion of those with high levels of both in every group. Increases in poor self-esteem were most pronounced for female adolescents with low levels of socializing, among whom externalizing symptoms also increased. CONCLUSIONS Rising trends in poor self-esteem are consistent across time use groups, as is the existence of a group facing poor self-esteem and externalizing symptoms. Effective interventions for adolescents' poor self-esteem/co-occurring symptoms are needed broadly, but especially among female adolescents with low peer socialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah T Kreski
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Melanie S Askari
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue 4-16, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qixuan Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, R644, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Deborah S Hasin
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 722 W. 168th Street, Room 228F, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Silvia S Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 722 W. 168th Street, Room 228F, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Katherine M Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168th St, R733, New York, NY 10032, USA
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The great decline in adolescent risk behaviours: Unitary trend, separate trends, or cascade? Soc Sci Med 2023; 317:115616. [PMID: 36563586 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In many high-income countries, the proportion of adolescents who smoke, drink, or engage in other risk behaviours has declined markedly over the past 25 years. We illustrate this behavioural shift by collating and presenting previously published data (1990-2019) on smoking, alcohol use, cannabis use, early sexual initiation and juvenile crime in Australia, England, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the USA, also providing European averages where comparable data are available. Then we explore empirical evidence for and against hypothesised causes of these declines. Specifically, we explore whether the declines across risk behaviours can be considered 1) a 'unitary trend' caused by common underlying drivers; 2) separate trends with behaviour-specific causes; or 3) the result of a 'cascade' effect, with declines in one risk behaviour causing declines in others. We find the unitary trend hypothesis has theoretical and empirical support, and there is international evidence that decreasing unstructured face-to-face time with friends is a common underlying driver. Additionally, evidence suggests that behaviour-specific factors have played a role in the decline of tobacco smoking (e.g. decreasing adolescent approval of smoking, increasing strength of tobacco control policies) and drinking (e.g. more restrictive parental rules and attitudes toward adolescent drinking, decreasing ease of access to alcohol). Finally, declining tobacco and alcohol use may have suppressed adolescent cannabis use (and perhaps other risk behaviours), but evidence for such a cascade is equivocal. We conclude that the causal factors behind the great decline in adolescent risk behaviours are multiple. While broad contextual changes appear to have reduced the opportunities for risk behaviours in general, behaviour-specific factors have also played an important role in smoking and drinking declines, and 'knock-on' effect from these behavioural domains to others are possible. Many hypothesised explanations remain to be tested empirically.
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Wilhoit SA, Goodnight JA. Deviant peer affiliation mediates the prospective association from impulsivity to alcohol use in late adolescence. J Adolesc 2022; 95:454-467. [PMID: 36451310 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous research has found that impulsivity and deviant peer affiliation predict alcohol use among adolescents. However, it remains unclear to what extent these risk factors predict alcohol use in conjunction with one another, and to what extent they predict over and above correlated risk factors, such as pre-existing externalizing problems and sociodemographic characteristics. The present study tested the hypothesis that deviant peer affiliation would mediate the prospective association between impulsivity and alcohol use in adolescence (ages 13-18 years), controlling for a wide range of family and child-level covariates. METHODS Analyses were conducted using data from 2318 participants from the Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. Participants were approximately 9, 12, or 15 years of age at wave 1 of the study, with waves 2 and 3 taking place at approximately 2-year intervals. The sample composition was 50.3% male, 46.1% Hispanic, 35.6% Black, non-Hispanic, 14.4% White, non-Hispanic, and 3.9% other race/ethnicity. RESULTS Results from path analyses indicated that the prospective association between impulsivity and alcohol use was mediated by peer deviance, but only for the oldest (age 15) cohort. CONCLUSIONS Findings from the present study suggest that despite impulsivity being a dispositional characteristic, its effects on alcohol use in later adolescence are achieved through a social pathway, via affiliation with deviant peers. It further suggests that this pathway, especially the link from impulsivity to affiliation with deviant peers, may not operate until late adolescence. Findings suggest that alcohol use may be prevented or reduced among impulsive adolescents by reducing their exposure to delinquent peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Wilhoit
- Department of Psychology Wayne State University Detroit Michigan USA
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de Looze ME, Henking C, Torsheim T, Currie DB, Weber MW, Alemán-Díaz AY. The association between MPOWER tobacco control policies and adolescent smoking across 36 countries: An ecological study over time (2006–2014). THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 109:103871. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Kreski NT, Cerdá M, Chen Q, Hasin DS, Martins SS, Mauro PM, Olfson M, Keyes KM. Adolescents' Use of Free Time and Associations with Substance Use from 1991 to 2019. Subst Use Misuse 2022; 57:1893-1903. [PMID: 36127772 PMCID: PMC9746067 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2115849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Understanding time trends in risk factors for substance use may contextualize and explain differing time trends in substance use. Methods: We examined data (N = 536,291; grades 8/10/12) from Monitoring the Future, years 1991-2019. Using Latent Profile Analyses, we identified six time use patterns: one for those working at a paid job and the other five defined by levels of socialization (low/high) and engagement in structured activities like sports (engaged/disengaged), with the high social/engaged group split further by levels of unsupervised social activities. We tested associations between time use profiles and past two-week binge drinking as well as past-month alcohol use, cigarette use, cannabis use, other substance use, and vaping. We examined trends and group differences overall and by decade (or for vaping outcomes, year). Results: Prevalence of most substance use outcomes decreased over time among all groups. Cannabis use increased, with the largest increase in the group engaged in paid employment. Vaping substantially increased, with the highest nicotine vaping increase in the high social/engaged group with less supervision and the highest cannabis vaping increase in the highly social but otherwise disengaged group. Substance use was lowest in the low social groups, highest in the high social and employed groups. Conclusions: While alcohol, cigarette, and other substance use have declined for all groups, use remained elevated given high levels of social time, especially with low engagement in structured activities or low supervision, or paid employment. Cannabis use and vaping are increasing across groups, suggesting the need for enhanced public health measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah T Kreski
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Qixuan Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Deborah S Hasin
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Silvia S Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Katherine M Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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McArdle P, Coulton S, Kaner E, Gilvarry E, Drummond C. Alcohol Misuse among English Youth, Are Harms Attributable to Alcohol or to Underlying Disinhibitory Characteristics? Alcohol Alcohol 2022; 57:372-377. [PMID: 34875694 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agab077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol use by young people is associated with a range of psychological and physical harms. However, similar harms are also reported with disinhibitory conditions such as conduct problems that are said to precede and predispose to alcohol misuse. We explored whether alcohol use or indicators of underlying disinhibition predict psychological and physical harms in a cohort of young people. METHODS We used data from a randomised controlled intervention trial that identified young people who consumed alcohol (n = 756), mean age = 15.6 years, attending emergency departments (EDs) in England. Disinhibition was measured by the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire hyperactivity and conduct problem items, and alcohol-related harms by questions from the ESPAD, a major European school survey. We conducted a mediation analysis with a primary outcome of frequency of engaging in alcohol-related harms 12 months after screening in ED, exploring for the mediating influence of alcohol consumed at six months. We included age, gender, allocated group and baseline consumption as covariates and adjusted for the multi-level nature of the study, where young people were nested within EDs. RESULTS Conduct problems and to a lesser extent hyperactivity predicted harms at twelve months. This effect was not mediated by alcohol consumed at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Among young drinkers underlying behavioural attributes predict harm independently of alcohol use. This suggests that the harms associated with alcohol use are attributable more to underlying disinhibitory characteristics than the quantity of alcohol consumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul McArdle
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St. Nicholas Hospital, Jubilee Road, NE3 3XT, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Simon Coulton
- Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NF, UK
| | - Eileen Kaner
- Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Baddiley-Clark Building, NE2 4AX, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Eilish Gilvarry
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St. Nicholas Hospital, Jubilee Road, NE3 3XT, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Colin Drummond
- Addictions Department, National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 de Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
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Ball J, Crossin R, Boden J, Crengle S, Edwards R. Long-term trends in adolescent alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use and emerging substance use issues in Aotearoa New Zealand. J R Soc N Z 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2022.2060266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jude Ball
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington
| | - Rose Crossin
- Department of Population Health, University of Otago, Christchurch
| | - Joseph Boden
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch
| | - Sue Crengle
- Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin
| | - Richard Edwards
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington
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Schnettler B, Miranda-Zapata E, Orellana L, Poblete H, Lobos G, Lapo M, Adasme-Berríos C. Family-to-work enrichment associations between family meal atmosphere and job satisfaction in dual-earner parents. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-19. [PMID: 35075341 PMCID: PMC8769786 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Research on factors related to job satisfaction in parents has mainly focused on work-related variables, paying less attention to family events that may provide parents with resources to invest in the work domain. To contribute to this body of knowledge, this study examined the associations between family meal atmosphere and job satisfaction in dual-earner parents with adolescent children, and tested the mediating role of family-to-work enrichment (FtoWE) between family meal atmosphere and job satisfaction. Questionnaires were administered to 473 different-gender dual-earner parents in Temuco, Chile. Participants answered the Project-EAT Atmosphere of family meals scale, three items that measure FWE from the Work-Home Interaction Survey, and the Overall Job Satisfaction Scale. Analyses were conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model and structural equation modelling. A positive association was found from family meal atmosphere to job satisfaction, directly and via FtoWE in fathers, and only via FtoWE in mothers. No associations were found for these variables between parents, as, one parent's perception of a pleasant family meal atmosphere is positively associated with their own FtoWE and job satisfaction, but not with those of the other parent. These findings suggest policymakers and organizations to account for workers' experiences in the family domain to improve satisfaction in the work domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Schnettler
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, PO Box 54-D, Temuco, Chile
- Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN-UFRO), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Universidad de La Frontera. Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo. Núcleo de Ciencias Sociales, Temuco, Chile
- Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Edgardo Miranda-Zapata
- Universidad de La Frontera. Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo. Núcleo de Ciencias Sociales, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ligia Orellana
- Universidad de La Frontera. Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo. Núcleo de Ciencias Sociales, Temuco, Chile
| | - Héctor Poblete
- Universidad de La Frontera. Centro de Excelencia en Psicología Económica y del Consumo. Núcleo de Ciencias Sociales, Temuco, Chile
| | - Germán Lobos
- Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - María Lapo
- Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Ball J, Zhang J, Stanley J, Waa A, Gurram N, Edwards R. Has increasing internet use due to smartphone uptake contributed to the decline in adolescent smoking? Drug Alcohol Rev 2021; 41:365-376. [PMID: 34487593 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The emergence of low-cost smartphone technology has coincided with major declines in adolescent smoking and other risk behaviours. This study explores the relationship between internet use and smoking in adolescents and investigates whether rising internet use contributed to the decline in smoking between 2012 and 2018. METHODS Data were drawn from a nationally representative New Zealand survey of students aged 14-15 (N = 11 299), conducted biennially between 2012 and 2018. We used logistic regression to explore the association between internet use and smoking and test whether increasing time on the internet was associated with declining adolescent smoking over the study period. RESULTS The proportion of students spending 5+ hours per day online increased from 15% to 35%. Heavy internet use was not a protective factor for smoking at the individual level. In 2016/2018, some types of past week internet use were associated with decreased risk of smoking (e.g. doing schoolwork, finding out about news), some were associated with increased risk (e.g. social media use) and others appeared to have no association with smoking (e.g. gaming, online shopping). The relative risk of smoking was lower in 2018 relative to 2012 (relative risk 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.51, 0.90, after adjustment for demographic factors). Adding internet use to the model did not help to account for smoking decline. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that increasing time spent on the internet during the 2012-2018 period (during which smartphones became ubiquitous) contributed to the decline in adolescent smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude Ball
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jane Zhang
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - James Stanley
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Waa
- Eru Pōmare Māori Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Niveditha Gurram
- Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Richard Edwards
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
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Vasiljevic Z, Svensson R, Shannon D. Trends in alcohol intoxication among native and immigrant youth in Sweden, 1999-2017: A comparison across family structure and parental employment status. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 98:103397. [PMID: 34329951 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developing a better understanding of drinking patterns across immigrant generations and how these change over time is important for the development of effective alcohol polices. This study investigates the direction and rate of change in youth alcohol intoxication over time, based on immigrant status, and by family structure and parental employment status. METHOD The study is based on eight nationally representative school surveys conducted by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention between 1999 and 2017, with a combined sample of 50,657 adolescents. Group by time interactions were examined to compare rates of change of alcohol intoxication over time across immigrant generations. RESULTS The results show a decreasing trend in alcohol intoxication among both first and second generation immigrant youth, and also among immigrant youth across different family structures and parental employment statuses. The results also show that the decrease in alcohol intoxication over time is greater for youths born abroad and for youths with two immigrant parents than for native Swedes, and that the decrease over time is greater for youths from intact families than for native Swedish youths from non-intact families and youths with one immigrant parent. CONCLUSION Native and first- and second-generation immigrant youth may differ substantially from one another in many ways, and may therefore manifest different patterns of drinking behaviours. From a policy and prevention perspective, the data in this study imply that native youths and youths with one immigrant parent should be a central target group for alcohol prevention policy in Sweden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoran Vasiljevic
- Department of Criminology, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Robert Svensson
- Department of Criminology, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - David Shannon
- Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, Stockholm, Sweden
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