TY - JOUR
T1 - Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and other illegal drug use among young adults
T2 - The socioeconomic context
AU - Redonnet, Bertrand
AU - Chollet, Aude
AU - Fombonne, Eric
AU - Bowes, Lucy
AU - Melchior, Maria
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the French Ministry of Health-IReSP (TGIR Cohortes), the French Inter-departmental Mission for the fight against drugs and drug addiction (MILDT), The French Institute of Cancer (INCa), the French Foundation for Research on Psychiatry and Mental Health (FRPSM). Maria Melchior is the recipient of a Young Researcher Award from the French National Research Agency (ANR). The founders had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
PY - 2012/3/1
Y1 - 2012/3/1
N2 - Background: Low socioeconomic position predicts risk of substance abuse, yet few studies tested the role of preexisting familial and individual characteristics. Methods: Data come from the TEMPO (Trajectoires Epidémiologiques en Population) study (community sample in France, 1991-2009, n=1103, 22-35 years in 2009) set up among offspring of participants of an epidemiological study (GAZEL). Past 12-month substance use was assessed in 2009 by self-completed mail survey: regular tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse (AUDIT), cannabis use, problematic cannabis use (CAST), other illegal drug use. Socioeconomic position was defined by educational attainment, occupational grade, employment stability and unemployment. Covariates included demographics (age, sex, relationship status, parenthood), family background (parental income, parental tobacco smoking, parental alcohol use), and juvenile characteristics (psychological problems, academic difficulties) measured longitudinally. Results: 35.8% of study participants were regular smokers, 14.3% abused alcohol, 22.6% used cannabis (6.3% had problematic cannabis use) and 4.1% used other illegal drugs. Except for alcohol abuse, substance use rates were systematically higher in individuals with low, rather than intermediate/high, socioeconomic position (age and sex-adjusted ORs from 1.75 for cannabis use to 2.11 for tobacco smoking and 2.44 for problematic cannabis use). In multivariate analyses these socioeconomic disparities were decreased, but remained statistically significant (except for illegal drugs other than cannabis). Conclusions: Tobacco smoking, alcohol, cannabis and polysubstance use are common behaviors among young adults, particularly those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Interventions aiming to decrease substance abuse and reduce socioeconomic inequalities in this area should be implemented early in life.
AB - Background: Low socioeconomic position predicts risk of substance abuse, yet few studies tested the role of preexisting familial and individual characteristics. Methods: Data come from the TEMPO (Trajectoires Epidémiologiques en Population) study (community sample in France, 1991-2009, n=1103, 22-35 years in 2009) set up among offspring of participants of an epidemiological study (GAZEL). Past 12-month substance use was assessed in 2009 by self-completed mail survey: regular tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse (AUDIT), cannabis use, problematic cannabis use (CAST), other illegal drug use. Socioeconomic position was defined by educational attainment, occupational grade, employment stability and unemployment. Covariates included demographics (age, sex, relationship status, parenthood), family background (parental income, parental tobacco smoking, parental alcohol use), and juvenile characteristics (psychological problems, academic difficulties) measured longitudinally. Results: 35.8% of study participants were regular smokers, 14.3% abused alcohol, 22.6% used cannabis (6.3% had problematic cannabis use) and 4.1% used other illegal drugs. Except for alcohol abuse, substance use rates were systematically higher in individuals with low, rather than intermediate/high, socioeconomic position (age and sex-adjusted ORs from 1.75 for cannabis use to 2.11 for tobacco smoking and 2.44 for problematic cannabis use). In multivariate analyses these socioeconomic disparities were decreased, but remained statistically significant (except for illegal drugs other than cannabis). Conclusions: Tobacco smoking, alcohol, cannabis and polysubstance use are common behaviors among young adults, particularly those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Interventions aiming to decrease substance abuse and reduce socioeconomic inequalities in this area should be implemented early in life.
KW - Alcohol
KW - Cannabis
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Longitudinal cohort study
KW - Socioeconomic position
KW - Tobacco
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.09.002
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.09.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 21955362
AN - SCOPUS:84857139915
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 121
SP - 231
EP - 239
JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
IS - 3
ER -