Substance use and help-seeking among justice-involved young people in Queensland and Western Australia: A cross-sectional survey of 14-17-year-olds

Association of physical activity, screen time and sleep with substance use in children and adolescents: a large sample cross-sectional study

Background

24-h movement guidelines (24-HMG) play an important role in various demographics such as early years, children, youth, and the older adult. Nevertheless, most existing research exploring the links between socioeconomic factors, dietary intake, and substance use with sleep patterns, physical activity (PA), and sedentary behavior (SB) has been conducted in high-income Western countries.

Purpose

Hence, this study seeks to investigate the relationship between adherence to the 24-HMG and smoking and alcohol use behaviors among children and adolescents in China.

Methods

A comprehensive survey, in collaboration with the Municipal Education Commission, was carried out across primary and middle schools in Shenzhen, China. Sleep duration was gauged using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), screen time was assessed with items adapted from the Health Behavior of School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, and PA was measured using a single item adapted from the HBSC survey. Results were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), considering p-values below 0.05 as statistically significant.

Results

Among the sample, 51.9% were boys and 48% were girls. Those who did not meet any guidelines had a higher probability of smoking (OR = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.03, 2.56], p = 0.037) among children and adolescents. Conversely, meeting one (OR = 0.94 [95% CI: 0.61, 1.52], p = 0.874) or two guidelines (OR = 0.84 [95% CI: 0.52, 1.34], p = 0.459) showed no significant impact. The data displayed an inverse correlation between the number of guidelines adhered to and the likelihood of alcohol use among children and adolescents: none (OR = 2.07, p < 0.001), one guideline (OR = 1.40, p = 0.006), and two guidelines (OR = 1.22, p = 0.106).

Conclusion

Not meeting guidelines elevates smoking and alcohol use risks in children and adolescents, whereas following more guidelines lowers these risks, highlighting the importance of guideline adherence in reducing substance use.

Perspectives of young adults diagnosed with early psychosis using coordinated specialty care in Texas on substance use and substance use interventions

AIM

Despite known prevalence of substance use (SU) among young people experiencing early psychosis and increasing evidence for the relationship between certain substances (e.g., cannabis) and psychosis, there are no specialized interventions developed for effectively addressing substance use among young people participating in coordinated early psychosis services. This study elicited the perspectives of young people with early psychosis participating in Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs about their substance use, including their motivations and concerns around their use, and their ideas on how to best support young people who are interested in reducing or quitting substance use.

METHODS

We recruited young adults (ages 18 to 30) from CSC programs across Texas through flyers sent to program staff inviting young persons willing to talk about substance use to engage in a 60-90 min person-centered, semi-structured, audio-recorded Zoom interview.

RESULTS

A total of 22 young adults were recruited and 18 completed an interview. Participants described mixed positive and negative responses to substance use, and while many understood the importance of discontinuing substance use, many expressed ambivalence related to social, contextual, mental and physical factors that motivated them to keep using. Participants desired practical substance use information, opportunities to explore their substance use ambivalence in supportive relationships, positive peer communities to support healthy choices, help engage, with work, school, and hobbies, and strategies for addressing psychological and physical pain that did not include substance use.

CONCLUSION

Study findings illuminate what motivates young people with early psychosis to initiate, continue, or cut back on substance use, and ideas for CSC practices for exploring substances and helping young people to reduce substance use.

Differential Predictors of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts: Internalizing Disorders and Substance Use in a Clinical Sample of Adolescents

Objective: Dually diagnosed adolescents are a high-risk population for experiencing suicidal thoughts and behavior. Given that research suggests risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts may be different, this study examined whether internalizing disorder severity, frequency of substance use, and the interaction between them differentiated adolescents who attempted suicide from those who ideated. Methods: Baseline data from 287 adolescents who received formal substance use disorder (SUD) treatment were used in this analysis. Major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) severity as well as past-3 month use of alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit drugs were considered. The outcome of interest was a three-category measure of suicide risk: no reported suicidal ideation or attempts, suicidal ideation only, and suicide attempts. Results: Over half of the sample disclosed prior suicidal ideation (30.0%) or attempts (27.9%). Multinomial logistic regression models indicated more severe MDD and GAD symptomology differentiated ideators from non-suicidal adolescents, but internalizing disorder severity did not differ between ideators and attempters. Substance use frequency did not differ between suicide risk groups. MDD severity and frequency of alcohol use interacted to increase the risk of attempts, yet the effects were minimal. Instead, prior weapon violence victimization and sexual abuse were the largest differentiators between attempters and ideators. Conclusions: Findings suggest that internalizing disorder severity and prior traumatic experiences put adolescents with SUD histories at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Thus, integrating evidence-based suicide prevention and intervention efforts into SUD treatment is critical, particularly for dually diagnosed adolescents who meet these risk profiles. Psychotherapy and medication may help curtail the development of ideation by reducing symptoms of MDD and GAD, whereas adolescents with prior traumatic experiences may benefit from additional treatments shown to lower risk of suicide attempts.