Risk of alcohol dependence: prevalence, related problems and socioeconomic factors

Changes in mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexican youth: Insights from the Voces-19 study

BACKGROUND

Previous research suggests that the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were stronger during the first months of it. It has also been proposed that those impacts depended on gender and other social determinants.

AIMS

We aim to describe the change in prevalence of mental health problems (symptoms of common mental disorders [CMD], alcohol, and drug use) between two time periods during the pandemic, and the association of mental health problems with social determinants, in adolescents and young adults in Mexico.

METHODS

We conducted a repeated cross-section analysis of data from VoCes-19, an online survey in November 2020 to February 2021 and November 2021 to March 2022 (combined n = ×224,099). We assessed the change in the prevalence of mental health problems, the differences in prevalence and change in the prevalence by gender, and the association of social determinants and pandemic-related variables with mental health problems, by means of multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CMD decreased (46.0% vs. 42.4%), while the prevalence of alcohol (frequent use 8.4% vs. 10.3%) and drug use (4.6% vs. 7.7%) increased. The three conditions increased more among girls/young women and trans/queer/non-binary participants than among boys/young men.

CONCLUSIONS

The results point to the importance of considering the gendered social context of young people. A better understanding of the social circumstances that relate with mental health is required to inform interventions for these age groups.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Alcohol Consumption Among Secondary School Students in Nekemte, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Alcohol consumption is a major public health concern among adolescents and young adults. Adolescence is an important period of human growth. Alcohol consumption during this age will lead to a variety of problems: health, social, economic, etc. Further, research studies have shown that alcohol consumption, both at normal and above normal levels, will lead to a wide range of health problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors for alcohol consumption among secondary school students in Nekemte town, East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia, in 2022.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional research design approach is used. The data is collected using a structured and self-administered questionnaire. Through systematic random sampling, 291 out of 15,798 students ranging from 9 through 12 grades are chosen. The students selected from each school are proportional to their total strength.

Results

The study is conducted on 291 participants with a mean age of 17.5 ± 1.5 years. Of them, 49.8% are males, and the remaining 50.2% are females. It revealed that 27.84% of participants consume alcohol: 30.3% males and 25.3% females. Age (AOR: 2.755, 95% CI: 1.307-5.809), Urban location (AOR: 1.674, 95% CI: 0.962-2.914), Smoking (AOR: 0.426, 95% CI: 0.104-1.740), Chewing Khat (AOR: 2.185, 95% CI: 0.539-8.855), Having friends who drink (AOR: 1.740, 95% CI: 0.918-3.300), and having a family member who drinks alcohol. All these categories are significantly (p<0.05) associated with alcohol use.

Conclusion

The effects of alcohol consumption and its risks of mental illness, chronic illness, and social problems in adulthood are not completely understood by school students. Alcoholism can be eradicated using educational, preventive, and motivating measures. Special attention should be given to young people and their coping mechanisms against alcohol use.

Epidemiological Findings of Alcohol Misuse and Dependence Symptoms among Adolescent Girls and Young Women Involved in High-Risk Sexual Behavior in Kampala, Uganda

Alcohol-related harms may be increased among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) involved in sex work, yet data on alcohol misuse among AGYW in sub-Saharan Africa are still scarce. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 15-24-year-old AGYW from January 2013 to December 2018 in Kampala, Uganda and used the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) to study alcohol use patterns and dependence symptoms (dependence score ≥4). Of 1440 participants (median age 21 years), 83.1% had less than secondary education, 79.8% reported ≥10 paying sexual partners in the past month, 46.0% had ever experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), and 20.6% were living with HIV. Overall, 59.9% scored ≥8 and 29.4% scored ≥16 on the AUDIT. Of 277 (15.8%) with dependence symptoms, 69.1% were screened alcohol dependent. An AUDIT score ≥8 was associated with older age, illicit drug use, experiencing IPV, inconsistent condom use with paying partners, and HIV sero-negativity. All factors remained associated with a higher score ≥16 except HIV status. Similarly, illicit drug use, experiencing IPV and inconsistent condom use were associated with dependence symptoms and, in addition, a higher number of paying sexual partners. Alcohol misuse is high in this population, they urgently need harmful substance use reduction interventions.

Binge drinking, alcohol outlet density and associated factors: a multilevel analysis among adolescents in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Our study sought to evaluate the prevalence of binge drinking in adolescents and its association with density of alcohol outlets around schools. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with 436 high-school students aged between 17 and 19 and enrolled in 18 public and private schools. The students completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C), consisting of questions about alcohol consumption by parents and siblings, and socioeconomic status (type of school, mother's education level). Data from geographic information systems were used to estimate the density of alcohol outlets around schools participating. The association between exploratory variables and binge drinking was investigated using multilevel logistic regression analysis (p < 0.05) with random intercepts and fixed slopes. A three-step sequential modeling strategy was adopted. The prevalence of binge drinking was 39.9%. The alcohol consumption among adolescents was lower for those studying in areas with low density of alcohol outlets around schools (OR = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.14; 0.73) and the consumption of alcohol by mothers was associated with binge drinking among adolescents (OR = 1.94; 95%CI: 1.14; 3.30). Our study concluded that binge drinking among adolescents was associated with density of alcohol outlets around the schools and mother's alcohol consumption.

Inequalities in oral health among adolescents in Gangneung, South Korea

Background

This study aims to evaluate inequality in oral health among adolescents and to explain the mechanisms of such inequalities in Gangneung, South Korea.

Methods

One thousand two hundred sixty-seven students in their first year from four vocational and three general schools participated in the baseline survey of 2011, and 84.7% of them were surveyed again in 2013. Oral examinations by the same dentist and a self-administered questionnaire were repeated during both waves. Outcome measure for oral health was the existence of untreated dental caries (DT). As socioeconomic position (SEP) indicators, school type (general vs. vocational), father’s and mother’s education, perceived economic status, and Family Affluence Scale (FAS) were measured. Variables measuring oral health related behaviours included tooth brushing frequency, frequency of eating snacks and drinking sodas, smoking, and annual visits to dental clinics. Chi-square tests and panel logistic regression were adopted to examine the associations between dental caries and SEP indicators by STATA version 15.1.

Results

Having a less educated father and attending a vocational school were significant predictors for untreated caries after controlling for SEP indicators. However, students from general schools, higher SEP by father’s education, perceived economic status, or FAS, or having non-smoking experience or annual visits to dental clinics were more likely to stay caries-free.

Conclusions

There were socioeconomic inequalities in oral health on an adolescent panel. Given that oral health status during adolescents can persist throughout the course of a person’s life, intervention to tackle such inequalities and school environments are required.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12903-018-0533-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Binge drinking and associated factors among adolescents in a city in southeastern Brazil: a longitudinal study

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the frequency of binge drinking and associated factors in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The sample consisted of 436 adolescents. Data collection involved the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. Ordinal logistic regression was used in the multivariate analysis. An increase in the frequency of binge drinking was found among adolescents who lived in areas of greater social vulnerability (OR = 1.64; 95%CI: 1.01-2.68), those whose mothers consumed alcoholic beverages (OR = 1.75; 95%CI: 1.05-2.92), those whose fathers consumed alcoholic beverages (OR = 2.02; 95%CI: 1.11-3.68), those with an increased risk of tobacco use (OR = 2.82; 95%CI: 1.07-7.42) and those who attended religious services (OR = 2.10; 95%CI: 1.30-3.38). Knowledge regarding factors associated with a change in the frequency of binge drinking among adolescents can assist in the establishment of public policies directed at health promotion and the prevention of adverse health conditions.