Drinking practices and other health-related behaviors among adolescents of São Paulo City, Brazil

Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors

Gun-related violence is a public health concern. This study synthesizes findings on associations between substance use and gun-related behaviors. Searches through PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO located 66 studies published in English between 1992 and 2014. Most studies found a significant bivariate association between substance use and increased odds of gun-related behaviors. However, their association after adjustment was mixed, which could be attributed to a number of factors such as variations in definitions of substance use and gun activity, study design, sample demographics, and the specific covariates considered. Fewer studies identified a significant association between substance use and gun access/possession than other gun activities. The significant association between nonsubstance covariates (e.g., demographic covariates and other behavioral risk factors) and gun-related behaviors might have moderated the association between substance use and gun activities. Particularly, the strength of association between substance use and gun activities tended to reduce appreciably or to become nonsignificant after adjustment for mental disorders. Some studies indicated a positive association between the frequency of substance use and the odds of engaging in gun-related behaviors. Overall, the results suggest a need to consider substance use in research and prevention programs for gun-related violence.

Alcohol, binge drinking and associated mental health problems in young urban Chileans

OBJECTIVE

To explore the link between alcohol use, binge drinking and mental health problems in a representative sample of adolescent and young adult Chileans.

METHODS

Age and sex-adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) for four mental wellbeing measures were estimated with separate conditional logistic regression models for adolescents aged 15-20 years, and young adults aged 21-25 years, using population-based estimates of alcohol use prevalence rates from the Chilean National Health Survey 2010.

RESULTS

Sixty five per cent of adolescents and 85% of young adults reported drinking alcohol in the last year and of those 83% per cent of adolescents and 86% of young adults reported binge drinking in the previous month. Adolescents who reported binging alcohol were also more likely, compared to young adults, to report being always or almost always depressed (OR 12.97 [95% CI, 1.86-19.54]) or to feel very anxious in the last month (OR 9.37 [1.77-19.54]). Adolescent females were more likely to report poor life satisfaction in the previous year than adolescent males (OR 8.50 [1.61-15.78]), feel always or almost always depressed (OR 3.41 [1.25-9.58]). Being female was also associated with a self-reported diagnosis of depression for both age groups (adolescents, OR 4.74 [1.49-15.08] and young adults, OR 4.08 [1.65-10.05]).

CONCLUSION

Young people in Chile self-report a high prevalence of alcohol use, binge drinking and associated mental health problems. The harms associated with alcohol consumption need to be highlighted through evidence-based prevention programs. Health and education systems need to be strengthened to screen and support young people. Focussing on policy initiatives to limit beverage companies targeting alcohol to young people will also be needed.

Health behaviors and related demographic factors among Korean adolescents

PURPOSE

The purposes of this study were to explore health behaviors, examine health behaviors in relation to demographic factors, and investigate the relationships between health risk behaviors (e.g., tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and sexual experience) among Korean adolescents.

METHODS

The study used a cross-sectional descriptive relational design and a population-based data collection of 1,716 middle and high school Korean adolescents. The 72-item Korean Adolescent Health Behavior Scale was used for data collection, while descriptive statistics, t test and chi-square test were used in the data analyses.

RESULTS

Females were doing better on weight control, hygiene, safety, and computer use than were males. Males were doing better on physical activity. Adolescents living in cities were more likely to be addicted to computer but were consuming alcohol and using tobacco less than adolescents in rural areas were. In addition, religion, grade level, and living area also made the adolescents' health behavior significantly different.

CONCLUSION

As the result suggested, gender, religion, grade level, and region need to be considered when designing health promotion interventions among Korean adolescents.

Substance use and sexual risk among at-risk adolescents in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

We examined the difference in prevalence of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among at-risk youth participants in programs offered by community-based organizations in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, by gender and organization type (governmental vs. non-governmental). 388 adolescents were recruited from 25 intervention-based organizations servicing at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 17 in Juiz de Fora. Participants completed a 15-item survey assessing substance use and sexual risk behaviors, along with socio-demographic predictors of these behaviors. Males were more likely to report drug and alcohol use associated with homelessness and abandonment. Females were more likely to report sexual risk taking associated with neighborhood crime. Participants from non-governmental organizations were less likely to engage in all measured risk behaviors. The present analysis points to the need to understand how Brazil’s Child and Adolescent Act is being applied and the implications this has for intervention and the promotion of positive health outcomes for young people.

The prevalence of inhalant use and associated factors among adolescents in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

The scope of this study was to establish the prevalence of inhalant use among adolescents and its association with marijuana use, alcohol consumption, socioeconomic status and gender. A cross-sectional study was performed with a representative sample of 891 adolescents from public and private schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data were collected using two self-administered questionnaires: the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT C). The socioeconomic status was evaluated using the Social Vulnerability Index, mother's education level and type of school (public or private). The data were analyzed using the chi-square test (p < 0.05) and logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of inhalant use was 7.9%. No significant association was found between the use of inhalants and socioeconomic status after the logistic regression analysis. Inhalant use among adolescents was associated with marijuana use (OR: 4.61; 95% CI: 2.27 - 9.36) and with binge drinking (OR: 5.02; 95% CI: 2.57 - 9.81).

[Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents in an urban high school]

OBJECTIVES

To find out the motivation (attitudes, beliefs and experiences) behind adolescent alcohol consumption.

DESIGN

Qualitative methodology, explanatory method, using conversational techniques (discussion group with 6-8 adolescents/group, 50min duration) recorded by videotape during the school year 2008/09.

PARTICIPANTS AND CONTEXT

Adolescents 12-18 years-old of a middle-class urban school (Jaen-Spain). Purposive sampling stratified by level of education; heterogeneity criteria: sex and alcohol consumption.

METHOD

Process of content analysis: coding, triangulation of categories and obtain/verify results.

RESULTS

Six group interviews, including 44 teenagers (54% males). The rate of consumption varies with age, and there are gender differences in motivations. Alcohol is related to social and leisure activities from early family experiences, and the nightlife on entering school and as peer relationships increase. The preferred social models are university students, with excessive consumption at the weekend that is understood as an act of independence. Rejection of authority figures (teachers/health), critical attitude to the received information (content only, without motivational elements) and failure in education on this topic. There is high accessibility for the purchase of alcohol, a sense of controlled consumption and a tendency to understand acute poisoning as part of leisure. The adolescents related alcohol consumption, tobacco and drug use (except for minor discrepancies).

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention on alcohol consumption of adolescents should incorporate their motivation to achieve greater efficiency.

Reliability of use, abuse, and dependence of four types of inhalants in adolescents and young adults

Inhalants, as a class of drugs, consists of heterogeneous substances that increase the probability of many serious illnesses and death. Research on inhalant abuse has lagged behind other drugs partly because of the need for a diagnostic instrument of different types of inhalants. This study was conducted to obtain reliability estimates for the new Substance Abuse Module DSM-IV inhalants diagnoses for four types of inhalants: aerosols, gases, nitrites, and solvents as well as different diagnostic configurations of inhalant-related criteria. Participants were 162 community sample adolescents or young adults (mean age=20.3 years, S.D.=2.4). Two-thirds of the sample was male and 83.3% was Caucasian. Kappas and intraclass correlation coefficients were computed to estimate test-retest reliabilities. Results suggested (a) abuse was more common than dependence (34.6% versus 12.3%), (b) reliabilities of abuse criteria and diagnosis were good to excellent across subtypes, and (c) reliabilities of dependence criteria and diagnoses were poor to good across subtypes. Alternative configurations of DSM-IV criteria that were consistent with previous research on adolescents provided excellent reliabilities across subtypes of inhalants. Moreover, 11.1% of participants experienced inhalants withdrawal.

Inhalants: not to be taken lightly anymore

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Until recently, inhalant abuse and dependence have been overlooked as serious problems, perhaps because of their relatively low prevalence. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in our understanding of the consequences, pharmacology, and etiology of inhalant use, and how we might develop preventive and management strategies to combat abuse and dependence on these drugs.

RECENT FINDINGS

Animal models have cast light on how reinforcement of inhalant use occurs, and on mechanisms of development of tolerance and dependence. The reinforcing effects occur principally through GABA and dopamine-mediated mechanisms (rather than NMDA-mediated mechanisms). Assays for inhalants provide greater opportunities for accurate diagnosis. In addition to known medical consequences of inhalant use (including death), other risks associated with inhalant use and addiction include addiction to other substances, major depression, suicide, and impaired learning and memory.

SUMMARY

The extensive medical, psychiatric, and psychological damage that can be caused by inhalant use argues for much greater attention to be paid to developing prevention and treatment programmes for inhalant abuse and dependence. These are currently nonexistent, but are badly needed.