B. Challier et al., Associations of family environment and individual factors with tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use in adolescents, EUR J EPID, 16(1), 2000, pp. 33-42
Citations number
60
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health","Medical Research General Topics
Despite abundant literature the respective roles of psychosomatic status, p
ersonality, health perception, family environment, and sport activity in to
bacco, alcohol and illicit drug use have not been well known. To assess the
ir roles, an epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted in 3294 mi
ddle and high school adolescents, 2396 (73%) of whom agreed to participate.
The standardized questionnaire was filled out by the teenagers under the s
upervision of the teachers. Strong associations were found between tobacco,
alcohol, and illicit drug use. The prevalence of alcohol use and illicit d
rug use were respectively 7 and 10 times higher in smokers than in non-smok
ers. On the whole, the potential risk factors for tobacco, alcohol, and ill
icit drug use were age, psychosomatic status and psychotropic drug consumpt
ion, boring family atmosphere, not living with both father and mother, and
health perception. Mother being a housewife was a protective factor. No mar
ked role was noted for the head of family's socio-occupational category. Pe
rsonality would be indicators of self-control ability. Indeed, some self-re
ported personalities (serious, attentive, calm, organized) had protection r
oles whereas some others (easily irritable, aggressive, worried, clumsy, ca
reless, solitary, etc.) were risk factors (risk-taking or deviant behaviors
). Some sports activities were found to be negatively related, but some oth
ers related positively with drug use, possibly due to repetitive meetings b
etween the adolescents at risk. Preventive measures may be targeted at thes
e risk factors.