8 research outputs found
Does parental permissiveness toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use influence illicit drug use among adolescents? A longitudinal study in seven European countries
No full textPurpose Adolescents' perceptions of parental norms may influence their substance use. The relationship between parental norms toward cigarette and alcohol use, and the use of illicit substances among their adolescent children is not sufficiently investigated. The purpose of this study was to analyze this relationship, including gender differences, using longitudinal data from a large population-based study. Methods The present study analyzed longitudinal data from 3171 12- to 14-year-old students in 7 European countries allocated to the control arm of the European Drug Addiction Prevention trial. The impact of parental permissiveness toward cigarettes and alcohol use reported by the students at baseline on illicit drug use at 6-month follow-up was analyzed through multilevel logistic regression models, stratified by gender. Whether adolescents' own use of cigarette and alcohol mediated the association between parental norms and illicit drug use was tested through mediation models. Results Parental permissive norms toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use at baseline predicted adolescents' illicit drug use at follow-up. The association was stronger among boys than among girls and was mediated by adolescents' own cigarette and alcohol use. Conclusion Perceived parental permissiveness toward the use of legal drugs predicted adolescents' use of illicit drugs, especially among boys. Parents should be made aware of the importance of norm setting, and supported in conveying clear messages of disapproval of all substances
Risk factors for mortality after hospitalization for suicide attempt: results of 11-year follow-up study in Piedmont Region, Italy
No full textPurpose. Suicide attempters are at high risk of premature death, both for suicide and for non-suicidal causes. The aim of this study is to investigate risk factors and temporal span for mortality in a cohort of cases admitted to hospital for suicide attempt.MethodsThe cohort included 1489 patients resident in Piedmont Region, North West of Italy, who had been admitted to hospital or emergency department for suicide attempt between 2010 and 2020. Cox regression models were used to identify risk factors for death. The final multivariate model included gender, age, area deprivation index, family composition, psychiatric disorders, malignant neoplasms, neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and intracranial injury or skull fracture.ResultsDuring the observation period, 7.3% of patients died. The highest mortality was observed within the first 12 months after suicide attempt, and remained elevated for many years afterwards. Male gender, older age, high deprivation index of the census area, single-parent family, mood disorders, malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus and intracranial injuries or skull fracture were independent predictors of death. Risk factors for natural and unnatural causes of death were also identified.ConclusionsThe mortality risk of suicide attempters is very high, both in the months immediately following the attempt and afterwards. The identification of high-risk groups can help to plan outpatient care following the hospital discharge. Our findings urge the need to design strategies for the assistance and care of these patients at long term in order to reduce the unfavourable outcomes
Cause-specific mortality after hospital discharge for suicide attempt or suicidal ideation: A cohort study in Piedmont Region, Italy
No full textBackground: Suicide attempters are at higher risk of death than the general population. The present study aims to investigate the excess of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in a cohort of patients who have attempted suicide or had suicidal ideation compared with the general population.Method: The cohort included 826 patients residing in the Piedmont Region of Northwest Italy who were admitted to a hospital or emergency department for suicide attempts or suicidal ideation between 2010 and 2016. Mortality excesses of the study population compared to the general population were estimated by applying indirect standardization. Standardized Mortality Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals were calculated for all-cause, and cause-specific, natural, and unnatural causes of death by gender and age.Results: During the 7 years of follow-up, 8.2% of the study sample died. The mortality of suicide attempters and ideators was significantly higher than that of the general population. Mortality was about twice than expected from natural causes, and 30 times than expected from unnatural causes. The mortality due to suicide was 85 times higher than that of the general population, with an excess of 126 times for females. The SMRs for all-cause mortality decreased with increasing age.Conclusions: Patients who access hospitals or emergency departments for suicide attempts or suicidal ideation are a frail group at high risk of dying from natural or unnatural causes. Clinicians should pay special attention to the care of these patients, and public health and prevention professionals should develop and implement appropriate interventions to timely identify individuals at higher risk for suicide attempts and suicidal ideation and provide standardized care and support services
The Association of Substance Use and Antisocial Behaviours with the Probability of Gambling among Adolescents
No full textIntroduction: Gambling behaviour among adolescents is a serious public health concern. Adolescents' involvement in gambling is often related with substance use and antisocial behaviours. This study aims to examine the association of substance use and antisocial behaviours with gambling among Italian early adolescents. Methods: The analytical sample of the present study included 1,822 students attending 29 secondary schools in nine NHS districts of Piedmont region and the city of Rome who participated in the baseline survey of the experimental controlled trial "GAPUnplugged."The association of lifetime cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, drunkenness, illicit drug use, violence, and stealing with the probability of any gambling and regular gambling was estimated through multilevel mixed-effect regression models. Results: The prevalence of any gambling and regular gambling in the last 30 days was 36.4% and 12.7%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, drunkenness, violence, and stealing were significantly associated with an increased probability of both gambling outcomes. The link of gambling outcomes with alcohol drinking and drunkenness was higher for females, whereas the association with violence and stealing was higher for males. Conclusion: Due to the association of gambling with other problem behaviours during early adolescence, school-based health promotion and prevention interventions should address multiple risk behaviours simultaneously. Prevention of one risk behaviour may contribute to the prevention of other risk behaviours
Correlates of cannabis and other illicit drug use among secondary school students in Nigeria
No full textImplementation of the “unplugged” school-based prevention programme in Nigeria: Results of process evaluation
No full textProcess evaluation can improve the quality of program implementation and the achievement of program outcomes. This paper aims to describe the fidelity of implementation of the school-based prevention program 'Unplugged' in Nigeria, i.e., the degree to which the intervention was delivered as intended, and the satisfaction of teachers and students. The program aims to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and substance use and consists of 12 standardized units, one-hour each, delivered by class teachers. Sixteen schools implemented the program. Eleven schools, 33 classes, 27 teachers, 993 students provided process evaluation data. Eighty-two percent of classes implemented the entire program, with lower rates of activities implementation at the beginning and at the end of the program. Each unit took on average 55 minutes. More than 90% of teachers perceived high students' interest for units 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9, high interactivity for units 1, 2, 8, and 9, and declared high comfort in implementing most units. About 80% of teachers reported an improvement in knowledge, teaching skills, and relationships with students due to the program. More than 75% of students declared the program changed their way of seeing themselves, was helpful to answer questions about themselves, and improved their relationships with mates and teachers. About 95% of students reported an increase in knowledge of the consequences of substance use. Students declared Unplugged educative, informative, helpful, impacting on change, interesting and suggested the program should be spread to other schools
Parental correlates of adolescent gambling behavior: a study on 12–14 years old students in Italy
No full textObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the role of parental factors on adolescents' gambling in a sample of Italian students, and to identify the mediating factors of the relationship between parental gambling and adolescents' gambling.MethodsThis is a secondary study based on data collected in the baseline survey of the experimental controlled trial “GAPUnplugged”. The analytical sample included 1,848 students 12–14 years old who participated in the study in Piedmont and Lazio Regions in Italy. Multilevel mixed-effect regression models were used to estimate the associations between correlates and the probability of adolescents' gambling. Mediation analysis was conducted to test the mediating effect of personal factors on the relationship between parental and adolescents' gambling.ResultsOverall, 55.7% of students reported gambling in the last 12 months. In the multivariate regression model, gambling with parents and parental permissiveness to gamble were the strongest correlates of adolescents' gambling. Parental gambling, parental permissiveness to use licit substances and perception of friends' gambling were also significantly associated with adolescents' gambling. Performance beliefs, attitudes toward gambling, and sensation-seeking emerged as potential mediators of the relationship between parental gambling and adolescents' gambling.ConclusionsParental factors appear to be important correlates of gambling behavior among adolescents. These results provide insights into the complex dynamics influencing adolescent gambling behavior and emphasize the importance of targeted interventions and parental guidance to promote healthier decision-making and mitigate adolescent gambling problems
