Heavy Drinking, Poor Mental Health, and Substance Use Among Asian Americans in the NLAAS: A Gender-Based Comparison

Purpose Young Australian workers are at elevated risk of mental health and alcohol and other drug related problems. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between alcohol and drug (AOD) use, psychological wellbeing, and the workplace psychosocial environment among young apprentices in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of a cohort of 169 construction industry apprentices in their first year of training was undertaken. The survey included measures of psychological distress (K10), quantity/frequency measures of alcohol and illicit drug use, and workplace psychosocial factors. Findings Construction industry apprentices are at elevated risk of AOD related harm and poor mental health. Levels of psychological distress and substance use were substantially higher than age/gender equivalent Australian population norms. Job stress, workplace bullying, and general social support accounted for 38.2 per cent of the variance in psychological distress. General social support moderated the effects of job stress and bullying on psychological distress. Substance use was not associated with psychological distress. However, workplace social support accounted for 2.1 per cent of the variance in AUDIT-C scores, and 2.0 per cent of the variance in cannabis use. Workplace bullying explained 2.4 per cent of the variance in meth/amphetamine use. Practical implications Construction trades apprentices are a high-risk group for harmful substance use and poor mental health. Study results indicate that psychosocial wellbeing interventions are warranted as a harm reduction strategy. Originality/value This is the first study of its kind to describe a cohort of Australian construction trade apprentices in terms of their substance use and psychological wellbeing. The study shows workplace psychosocial factors may predict young workers psychological wellbeing.

Download Full-text

Cyberbullying victimisation and internalising and externalising problems among adolescents: the moderating role of parent–child relationship and child's sex

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796018000653 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

H. Sampasa-Kanyinga ◽

K. Lalande ◽

I. Colman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Self Report ◽

Parent Child Relationship ◽

Child Relationship ◽

Externalising Problems ◽

Bullying Victimisation ◽

Parent Child

Abstract Aims Previous research has found links between cyberbullying victimisation and internalising and externalising problems among adolescents. However, little is known about the factors that might moderate these relationships. Thus, the present study examined the relationships between cyberbullying victimisation and psychological distress, suicidality, self-rated poor mental health and substance use among adolescents, and tested whether parent–child relationship and child's sex would moderate these relationships. Methods Self-report data on experiences of cyberbullying victimisation, self-rated poor mental health, psychological distress, suicidality and substance use were derived from the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide school-based survey of students in grades 7 through 12 aged 11–20 years (N = 5478). Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, subjective socioeconomic status and involvement in physical fighting, bullying victimisation and perpetration at school. Results Cyberbullying victimisation was associated with self-rated poor mental health (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64–2.81), psychological distress (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.90–3.06), suicidal ideation (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.83–3.08) and attempts (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.27–3.38), smoking tobacco cigarette (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.45–2.65), cannabis use (OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.32–2.51), and binge drinking (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.03–2.02). The association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychological distress was modified by parent–child relationship and child's sex (three-way interaction term p < 0.05). The association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychological distress was much stronger among boys who have a negative relationship with their parents. Conclusions Findings suggest that cyberbullying victimisation is strongly associated with psychological distress in most adolescents with the exception of males who get along well with their parents. Further research using a longitudinal design is necessary to disentangle the interrelationship among child's sex, parent–child relationship, cyberbullying victimisation and mental health outcomes among adolescents in order to improve ongoing mental health prevention efforts.

Download Full-text

Cyber Sexual Harassment: Prevalence and association with substance use, poor mental health, and STI history among sexually active adolescent girls

Journal of Adolescence ◽

10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.07.005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 53-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elizabeth Reed ◽

Marissa Salazar ◽

Alma I. Behar ◽

Niloufar Agah ◽

Jay G. Silverman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Sexual Harassment ◽

Adolescent Girls ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Sexually Active

Download Full-text

Changes in millennial adolescent mental health and health-related behaviours over 10 years: a population cohort comparison study

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 1650-1664 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Praveetha Patalay ◽

Suzanne H Gage

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Health Related ◽

Self Harm ◽

Social Behaviours

Abstract Background There is evidence that mental health problems are increasing and substance use behaviours are decreasing. This paper aimed to investigate recent trends in mental ill health and health-related behaviours in two cohorts of UK adolescents in 2005 and 2015. Methods Prevalences in mental health (depressive symptoms, self-harm, anti-social behaviours, parent-reported difficulties) and health-related behaviours (substance use, weight, weight perception, sleep, sexual intercourse) were examined at age 14 in two UK birth cohorts; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, N = 5627, born 1991–92) and Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, N = 11 318, born 2000–02). Prevalences and trend estimates are presented unadjusted and using propensity score matching and entropy balancing to account for differences between samples. Results Depressive symptoms (9% to 14.8%) and self-harm (11.8% to 14.4%) were higher in 2015 compared with 2005. Parent-reported emotional difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems were higher in 2015 compared with 2005 (5.7–8.9% to 9.7–17.7%). Conversely, substance use (tried smoking, 9.2% to 2.9%; tried alcohol, 52.1% to 43.5%, cannabis, 4.6% to 3.9%), sexual activity (2% to 0.9%) and anti-social behaviours (6.2–40.1% to 1.6–27.7%) were less common or no different. Adolescents in 2015 were spending less time sleeping (<8 h 5.7% to 11.5%), had higher body mass index (BMI) (obese, 3.8% to 7.3%) and a greater proportion perceived themselves as overweight (26.5% to 32.9%). The findings should be interpreted bearing in mind limitations in ability to adequately harmonize certain variables and account for differences in attrition rates and generalizability of the two cohorts. Conclusions Given health-related behaviours are often cited as risk factors for poor mental health, our findings suggest relationships between these factors might be more complex and dynamic in nature than currently understood. Substantial increases in mental health difficulties, BMI and poor sleep-related behaviours highlight an increasing public health challenge.

Download Full-text

Exploring the mental health and psychosocial problems of Congolese refugees living in refugee settings in Rwanda and Uganda: a rapid qualitative study

Conflict and Health ◽

10.1186/s13031-020-00323-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anna Chiumento ◽

Theoneste Rutayisire ◽

Emmanuel Sarabwe ◽

M. Tasdik Hasan ◽

Rosco Kasujja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Free List ◽

Psychosocial Wellbeing ◽

Key Informant ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender

Abstract Background Refugees fleeing conflict often experience poor mental health due to experiences in their country of origin, during displacement, and in new host environments. Conditions in refugee camps and settlements, and the wider socio-political and economic context of refugees’ lives, create structural conditions that compound the effects of previous adversity. Mental health and psychosocial support services must address the daily stressors and adversities refugees face by being grounded in the lived reality of refugee’s lives and addressing issues relevant to them. Methods We undertook a rapid qualitative study between March and May 2019 to understand the local prioritisation of problems facing Congolese refugees living in two refugee settings in Uganda and Rwanda. Thirty free list interviews were conducted in each setting, followed by 11 key informant interviews in Uganda and 12 in Rwanda. Results Results from all interviews were thematically analysed following a deductive process by the in-country research teams. Free list interview findings highlight priority problems of basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare access; alongside contextual social problems including discrimination/inequity and a lack of gender equality. Priority problems relating to mental and psychosocial health explored in key informant interviews include discrimination and inequity; alcohol and substance abuse; and violence and gender-based violence. Conclusions Our findings strongly resonate with models of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing that emphasise their socially determined and contextually embedded nature. Specifically, findings foreground the structural conditions of refugees’ lives such as the physical organisation of camp spaces or refugee policies that are stigmatising through restricting the right to work or pursue education. This structural environment can lead to disruptions in social relationships at the familial and community levels, giving rise to discrimination/inequity and gender-based violence. Therefore, our findings foreground that one consequence of living in situations of pervasive adversity caused by experiences of discrimination, inequity, and violence is poor mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. This understanding reinforces the relevance of feasible and acceptable intervention approaches that aim to strengthening familial and community-level social relationships, building upon existing community resources to promote positive mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among Congolese refugees in these settings.

Download Full-text

Risk of Gender-Based Violence and Poor Mental Health Among Nepalese Women During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

Nepal Medical Journal ◽

10.37080/nmj.129 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 39-46

Author(s):

Lalita Kumari Sah ◽

Prabhu Sah ◽

Manoj Kumar Yadav ◽

Surya B. Parajuli ◽

Rinku Shah

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Service Providers ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Service Access ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Health Service Access ◽

Limited Health ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

Financial Dependency

During Covid-19 pandemic, gender-based violence (GBV) against women and poor mental health with limited health service access for women have received paramount attention among researchers, policy makers, health professionals and healthcare service providers. This paper presents a review of published articles in an attempt to understand GBV and poor mental health among Nepalese women in the context of Covid-19. Evidence suggests that gender inequality and gender-based violence have played a significant role in increasing mental health issues among women during the pandemic. Social factors such as low education, financial dependency, lack of support system, limited access to healthcare, lack of awareness about the GBV laws, and cultural norms that put women in the lower position within the society are the realities of majority of Nepalese women. These factors intersect each other and present compounded risks that put women at more vulnerable position than others, which is further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic putting Nepalese women at risks of GBV and poor mental health compared to men in the society. The paper also recommends actions that are required to address the GBV and poor mental health among Nepalese women.

Download Full-text

Workplace violence and health in human service industries: a systematic review of prospective and longitudinal studies

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oemed-2020-106450 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. oemed-2020-106450

Author(s):

Anna Nyberg ◽

Göran Kecklund ◽

Linda Magnusson Hanson ◽

Kristiina Rajaleid

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Workplace Violence ◽

Human Service ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Psychological Violence ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Medium Quality ◽

Gender Based

ObjectivesTo provide systematically evaluated evidence of prospective associations between exposure to physical, psychological and gender-based violence and health among healthcare, social care and education workers.MethodsThe guidelines on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses were followed. Medline, Cinahl, Web of Science and PsycInfo were searched for population: human service workers; exposure: workplace violence; and study type: prospective or longitudinal in articles published 1990–August 2019. Quality assessment was performed based on a modified version of the Cochrane’s ‘Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies’.ResultsAfter deduplication, 3566 studies remained, of which 132 articles were selected for full-text screening and 28 were included in the systematic review. A majority of the studies focused on healthcare personnel, were from the Nordic countries and were assessed to have medium quality. Nine of 11 associations between physical violence and poor mental health were statistically significant, and 3 of 4 associations between physical violence and sickness absence. Ten of 13 associations between psychological violence and poor mental health were statistically significant and 6 of 6 associations between psychological violence and sickness absence. The only study on gender-based violence and health reported a statistically non-significant association.ConclusionThere is consistent evidence mainly in medium quality studies of prospective associations between psychological violence and poor mental health and sickness absence, and between physical violence and poor mental health in human service workers. More research using objective outcomes, improved exposure assessment and that focus on gender-based violence is needed.

Download Full-text

Longitudinal changes in within-salience network functional connectivity mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect, and mental health during adolescence

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721003135 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Divyangana Rakesh ◽

Nicholas B. Allen ◽

Sarah Whittle

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Childhood Abuse ◽

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Resting State Fmri ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Risk And Resilience ◽

Abuse And Neglect ◽

Problematic Substance

Abstract Background Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of childhood maltreatment is vital given consistent links with poor mental health. Dimensional models of adversity purport that different types of adversity likely have distinct neurobiological consequences. Adolescence is a key developmental period, during which deviations from normative neurodevelopment may have particular relevance for mental health. However, longitudinal work examining links between different forms of maltreatment, neurodevelopment, and mental health is limited. Methods In the present study, we explored associations between abuse, neglect, and longitudinal development of within-network functional connectivity of the salience (SN), default mode (DMN), and executive control network in 142 community residing adolescents. Resting-state fMRI data were acquired at age 16 (T1; M = 16.46 years, s.d. = 0.52, 66F) and 19 (T2; mean follow-up period: 2.35 years). Mental health data were also collected at T1 and T2. Childhood maltreatment history was assessed prior to T1. Results Abuse and neglect were both found to be associated with increases in within-SN functional connectivity from age 16 to 19. Further, there were sex differences in the association between neglect and changes in within-DMN connectivity. Finally, increases in within-SN connectivity were found to mediate the association between abuse/neglect and lower problematic substance use and higher depressive symptoms at age 19. Conclusions Our findings suggest that childhood maltreatment is associated with altered neurodevelopmental trajectories, and that changes in salience processing may be linked with risk and resilience for the development of depression and substance use problems during adolescence, respectively. Further work is needed to understand the distinct neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes of abuse and neglect.

Download Full-text

Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes During Emerging Adulthood Among Individuals With Different Patterns of Child Maltreatment

Emerging Adulthood ◽

10.1177/2167696819830481 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 542-547

Author(s):

Kate Guastaferro ◽

Bethany C. Bray

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Abuse ◽

Substance Use ◽

Child Maltreatment ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Substance Use Disorders ◽

Latent Class ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Health Disorders

The aim of the current study was to identify patterns of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 18 and examine the relationship between those patterns and substance use and mental health disorders among emerging adults. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. The analytic sample consisted of 5,194 adults between 18 and 25 years old. Latent class analysis revealed a three-class model: Rare Maltreatment (59%); Occasional Maltreatment, Rare Sexual Abuse (37%); and Frequent Maltreatment, Some Sexual Abuse (4%). Risk of substance use disorders and poor mental health was higher for the two classes who experienced maltreatment; however, those with Frequent Maltreatment had higher risk of poor mental health, but not substance use disorders compared to those with Occasional Maltreatment. Patterns of child maltreatment are important predictors of substance use and mental health disorders in emerging adulthood, but different patterns may necessitate specific intervention efforts.

Download Full-text