Substance abuse among adolescents: a cross-cultural review

Abstract

This review aims to provide a global perspective on substance abuse among adolescents across different cultures and to review appropriate strategies in communicating with the adolescent population about substance abuse. Drug abuse continues to be a major public health issue in the United States, especially among adolescents. The attitude toward and involvement in drug abuse among adolescents is a complex problem shaped by multiple psychosocial parameters. Psychosocial variables such as ethnicity, and religion, and group dynamics, while deeply intertwined in shaping the cultural identity of adolescents, also deliver their impact to substance abuse in this patient population. In a society largely composed of a diverse immigrant population, cultural sensitivity of the healthcare provider to patient culture is critical to patient centered care and effective clinical outcomes. Summary: Cultural sensitivity of healthcare providers is critical to addressing the health needs of adolescent patients in the increasingly culturally heterogeneous patient population of the United States.

Addictive behavior and mental health of adolescents aged 11–17 years in Bangladesh in 2014: A cross‐sectional study

“…2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Although addiction can affect people of all ages, the prevalence of addictive substances is notably high among adolescents, aged 10–19 years. 6 , 7 …”

“…[2][3][4][5] Although addiction can affect people of all ages, the prevalence of addictive substances is notably high among adolescents, aged 10-19 years. 6,7 According to the World Health Organization, 8 substance abuse among young people is increasing globally. Approximately 150 million youths worldwide were using tobacco in 2015, and the majority of tobacco users started smoking during adolescence, which could result in premature deaths.…”

“…Addiction to different harmful substances has been found to lead to liver damage (alcohol use), lung cancer (tobacco use), stroke, heart disease (smoking use), increased heart rate (marijuana use), and dopamine and serotonin neurons in the brain damage caused by methamphetamine use 2–5 . Although addiction can affect people of all ages, the prevalence of addictive substances is notably high among adolescents, aged 10–19 years 6,7 …”

Uso problemático de Internet y adolescentes: el deporte sí importa (Problematic Internet use and adolescents: sport does matter)

“…Parece razonable pensar que instaurar la actividad física y la práctica deportiva en el repertorio conductual de un adolescente, debe favorecer no sólo a la promoción de hábitos y estilos de vida saludables en general, sino también un uso más saludable de Internet y las TIC en particular. La adolescencia constituye una etapa evolutiva crítica en la que converge una mayor tendencia a implicarse en conductas de riesgo, como el uso y/o abuso de alcohol y otras sustancias (Salous & Omar, 2009;Steketee, Jonkman, Berten, & Vettenburg, 2013), el desarrollo una posible adicción o uso problemático de Internet (Gómez et al, 2014;Kuss, van Rooij, Shorter, Griffiths, & van de Mheen, 2013), con importantes tasas de abandono de la práctica deportiva (Isorna, Ruiz y Rial, 2013). En ese sentido, diversos trabajos han recalcado la importancia de realizar deporte federado o pertenecer a clubes deportivos de cara a incrementar la adherencia de niños y adolescentes a la práctica de actividad física y deportiva (I.…”