Department of Technology Management, SINTEF Digital, Steinkjer, 7715, Norway.
Regional Drug and Alcohol Competence Centre, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 12;24(1):2482. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19983-9.
Substance use is a global health concern and early onset among adolescents increases health risks. We explore national overall trends in prevalence and trends in socioeconomic inequalities in past year alcohol intoxication, cannabis use, and use of other illicit drugs among Norwegian adolescents (ages ∼ 15-19 years of age) between 2014 and 2022.
The present study builds on data from a nationwide repeated cross-sectional survey collected in 2014-2016 (T1), 2017-2019 (T2), 2021 (T3) and 2022 (T4). In total 415,560 adolescents (50.3% girls) completed the questionnaire during the study period. Trends in socioeconomic inequalities were assessed using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII).
While the prevalence of alcohol intoxication remained fairly stable, the prevalence of cannabis and other illicit drug use increased between 2014 and 2022 among upper secondary school boys (13.3-17.6%, and 2.0-5.2%, respectively) and girls (8.8-12.8%, and 1.1-2.7%, respectively). Similar trends were observed among 10th-grade adolescents. Boys were more likely than girls to use cannabis or other illicit drugs, but the gender gap in cannabis use narrowed during the study period. Among upper secondary girls, use of cannabis and other illicit drugs was higher among those from less affluent backgrounds, with absolute and relative inequalities in cannabis use increasing between 2014 and 2022. Small inequalities in cannabis use and decreasing relative inequalities in the use of other illicit drug were observed among upper secondary boys.
The increasing use of cannabis and other illicit drugs among Norwegian adolescents is concerning. Future studies should explore the underlying causes of this rise and explore the complex factors influencing adolescent substance use behaviours. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is essential for developing targeted and effective interventions.
物质使用是一个全球性的健康问题，青少年早期开始使用会增加健康风险。我们探讨了 2014 年至 2022 年间挪威青少年（年龄约为 15-19 岁）过去一年中酒精中毒、大麻使用和其他非法药物使用的全国总体趋势和社会经济不平等趋势。
本研究基于 2014-2016 年（T1）、2017-2019 年（T2）、2021 年（T3）和 2022 年（T4）期间全国重复横断面调查的数据。在此期间，共有 415560 名青少年（50.3%为女孩）完成了问卷。使用不平等斜率指数（SII）和相对不平等指数（RII）评估社会经济不平等趋势。
虽然酒精中毒的流行率保持相对稳定，但在 2014 年至 2022 年间，上高中的男孩（分别为 13.3-17.6%和 2.0-5.2%）和女孩（8.8-12.8%和 1.1-2.7%）中，大麻和其他非法药物的使用有所增加。在 10 年级青少年中也观察到了类似的趋势。男孩比女孩更有可能使用大麻或其他非法药物，但在研究期间，大麻使用的性别差距有所缩小。在上高中的女孩中，来自较贫困背景的人更有可能使用大麻和其他非法药物，2014 年至 2022 年间，大麻使用的绝对和相对不平等有所增加。在上高中的男孩中，大麻使用的不平等程度较小，其他非法药物使用的相对不平等程度也在下降。
挪威青少年中大麻和其他非法药物的使用不断增加令人担忧。未来的研究应该探讨这种上升的根本原因，并探讨影响青少年物质使用行为的复杂因素。全面了解这些因素对于制定有针对性和有效的干预措施至关重要。
