Effects of a brief pre‑admission telephone reminder on no‑show and dropout rates in substance use disorder treatment: a quasi‑experimental study

Abstract Background Appointment no-show and early dropout from treatment represent major challenges in outpatient substance use disorder treatment, adversely affecting clinical outcomes and health care productivity. In this quasi-experimental study, we examined how a brief reminder intervention for new patients before their first appointment affected treatment participation and retention. No-shows (not attending any sessions) and dropouts (discontinuation of initiated treatment because of three consecutively missed appointments) were compared between a period with pre-admission telephone calls (intervention) and a period without such reminders (non-intervention). Methods Participants were a…

Physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverages, whole grain bread and insomnia among adolescents and psychological distress in adulthood: prospective data from the population-based HUNT study

Abstract Background In this study, we examined the relationship between low levels of physical activity, high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and low consumption of whole grain bread and experiencing insomnia in adolescence and psychological distress in young adults. Methods This prospective study was based on information retrieved from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in Norway and included adolescents (age 13–19) participating in Young-HUNT3 (2006–2008) and in HUNT4 (2017–2019) 11 years later (age 23–31). The study sample consisted of 2,230 participants (1,287 females and 943 males). The exposure variables collected in adolescence included self-reported physical activity, consum…

Infralow neurofeedback in the treatment of substance use disorders: a randomized controlled trial

Background Infralow neurofeedback (ILF-NF) was recently developed as a subtype of traditional, frequency-based neurofeedback that targets cerebral rhythmic activity below 0.5 Hz and improves brain self-regulation. The efficacy of ILF-NF in the treatment of substance use disorder has not yet been evaluated, but clinical evidence suggests that it may prevent relapse by improving functioning in various life domains. The current study aimed to fill this research gap and extend empirical evidence related to this issue. Methods Ninety-three patients with substance use disorders at an outpatient unit in Norway were randomized to receive 20 sessions (30 minutes each) of ILF-NF training combined wit…

Lifestyle habits and depressive symptoms in Norwegian adolescents: a national cross-sectional study

Abstract Background This study’s purpose was to examine the association between a broad range of lifestyle habits and depressive symptoms in Norwegian adolescents. Methods This study was based on national, self-reported, cross-sectional data from the Ungdata Surveys, conducted in 2017–2019. The target group comprised 244,250 adolescents (ages 13–19). Binominal logistic regression was used to analyse the association between lifestyle habits (physical activity, social media use, gaming, dietary habits, smoking, smokeless tobacco, alcohol intoxication) and depressive symptoms. The outcome measure was defined as a high level of depressive symptoms (≥80th percentile). Separate analyses were perf…

Intergenerational Hazardous Alcohol Use and Area Factors: The HUNT Study, Norway

Alcohol use among adolescents has been found to be associated with parental alcohol abuse, but it's relation to more prevalent forms of hazardous drinking patterns among parents has been less explored. Few studies have included area factors when investigating alcohol use across generations.The aims of this study were to investigate whether adolescent intoxication was associated with parental heavy episodic drinking (HED) and intoxication, area-level socioeconomic status (SES), and rates of area-level HED.General Estimation Equations (GEE) was applied to analyze data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (2006-08) including 2,306 adolescents. Adolescent alcohol use was defined by self-reporte…

Associations between parenting and substance use, meal pattern and food choices: A cross-sectional survey of 13,269 Norwegian adolescents

Identifying factors that affect adolescent lifestyle behaviors is essential in order to develop effective generic prevention approaches. This study aimed to investigate the association between parental monitoring, parental emotional support, parental-adolescent conflict and adolescent substance use, meal pattern and food choices. The study included data from 13,269 Norwegian adolescents aged 13–16 years collected in 2016. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for gender, age and parental education were applied. Results show that low parental monitoring was associated with increased substance use (Odds ratios (OR) ranging from 2.8; 95% Confidence intervals (CI) 2.1–3.6 to OR 3.8;…

Do young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) have more health problems than their peers? A cross-sectional study among Norwegian adolescents

Objectives: An increasing proportion of young Norwegians are categorised as too ill to attend upper secondary education, and poor physical and mental health may reduce their opportunities to return to school or find paid employment. This study examined the differences in self-perceived health, mental health, and prevalence of pain between Norwegian adolescents, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared to adolescents who attend upper secondary school (age 16-21 years). Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants and setting: A total of 96 NEET youth and 384 age and gender matched adolescents attending upper secondary school in the south of Norway participated in the s…

Are Sexually Offensive or Violent Experiences More Common among Adolescents Exposed to Parental Alcohol Intoxication?

The significance of the social and material environment to place attachment and quality of life: findings from a large population-based health survey

Abstract Background There is an international public health interest in sustainable environments that promote human wellbeing. An individual’s bond to places, understood as place attachment (PA), is an important factor for quality of life (QoL). The material environment, such as access to nature (AtN), access to amenities (AtA), or noise, and the social environment, such as social support or loneliness, has the potential to influence PA. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between these factors and QoL. Methods The study relied on data from 28,047 adults from 30 municipalities in Southern Norway obtained from the Norwegian Counties Public Health Surveys in 2019. Lat…

Associations between parental alcohol problems in childhood and adversities during childhood and later adulthood: a cross-sectional study of 28047 adults from the general population

Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are related to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. However, few larger studies based on a general population sample with age groups ranging from young adults to elderly have investigated whether parental alcohol problems increase the risk of offspring subjective reports of ACE both during childhood and current adult adversities. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between parental alcohol problems and adversities during childhood and later in adulthood. Methods The 28,047 respondents were adults (> 18 years old) from the general population who participated in the Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey…

Participation in organized sports is associated with decreased likelihood of unhealthy lifestyle habits in adolescents

Adolescence is a pivotal time for investing in both present and future health. Thus, it is important to identify arenas for promoting positive adolescent health behaviors and preventing negative ones. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between organized sports participation (OSP) and a broad range of lifestyle habits in Norwegian adolescents. A comprehensive survey was completed by 13 269 junior high and high school students in southern Norway. Multivariable binary logistic regression models, adjusted for gender, age, and parental education, were used to investigate the associations between OSP and adolescent substance use, dietary habits, physical activity level, pas…

Adverse childhood experiences and impact on quality of life in adulthood: development and validation of a short difcult childhood questionnaire in a large population‑based health survey

Abstract Purpose A short adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) measure is needed with non-intrusive items that include subjective evaluations of childhood. We validated a short Difficult Childhood Questionnaire (DCQ) that assesses ACEs using personal perceptions of events. Methods The study relied on 2019 data from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway. We examined the DCQ’s factor structure, internal consistency, and discriminant validity in a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. As a group variable, we used whether the respondent had the ACE of parental alcohol use disorder (adult children of alcoholics; ACOA). To assess the DCQ’s convergent validity, we used latent regressio…

A mediational analysis of adverse experiences in childhood and quality of life in adulthood

Objectives: This study examined associations of three prevalent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - parents' problematic alcohol use (PPAU), parental separation/divorce, and lack of support from a trusted adult-with adult quality of life (QoL), and potential mediators of associations. Methods: Data were from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway that assessed ACEs, QoL, and potential mediators: enduring perceptions of childhood hardships (Difficult Childhood Questionnaire; DCQ), current mental distress, and current social isolation. Latent regression analyses examined potential mediators. Results: Each ACE was positively associated with perceptions of childhood as difficult (hig…

Prevalence of Parental Alcohol Problems among a General Population Sample of 28,047 Norwegian Adults: Evidence for a Socioeconomic Gradient

The aim of the study presented here was to estimate the prevalence of parental alcohol problems during childhood in a general population of Norwegian adults, and to investigate associations between parental alcohol problems during childhood and lower socioeconomic status in adulthood. This cross-sectional study recruited 28,047 adults (≥18 years) to an online health survey (Norwegian Counties Public Health Surveys). We evaluated demographic and socioeconomic measures and responses to a shortened version of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST-6) scale to assess whether respondents perceived parental alcohol consumption during childhood as problematic. Respondents reported parenta…

Unngåelse som mestringsarbeid. En kvalitativ studie av jenters håndtering av sosiale utfordringer i skolen

Mestring er et etablert begrep i arbeidet med å forebygge psykisk uhelse for ungdom. I 2020 kom mestring inn i læreplanen for grunnskolen gjennom det tverrfaglige temaet folkehelse og livsmestring. For å forstå mestring blant ungdom er konteksten og sammenhengen hvor handlingene foregår viktige momenter. I denne studien utforsker vi hva jenter selv gjør for å mestre sosiale utfordringer i skolen. Gjennom en innholdsanalyse av totalt 22 intervjuer med ti jenter om deres hverdag, og ved hjelp av begrepet arbeid, finner vi at jentenes mestringsarbeid er mangfoldig og har ulik intensjon. Unngåelse er et mestringsarbeid som er særlig utbredt. Vi forstår dette som et viktig mestringsarbeid for je…

Association between Self-Reported Childhood Difficulties and Obesity and Health-Related Behaviors in Adulthood—A Cross-Sectional Study among 28,047 Adults from the General Population

The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between self-reported childhood difficulties, weight status, and lifestyle behaviors among a representative sample of Norwegian adults. This cross-sectional study included 28,047 adults (>18 years old) living in southern Norway. A self-report questionnaire was used to assess information about the overall quality of the respondents’ childhood retrospectively in addition to current weight status and current lifestyle behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for gender, age, and educational level showed that evaluating childhood as difficult was associated with increased odds of obesity (OR: 1.29; 95% CI;…

Å gjøre «det som er liksom planen, da» – en kvalitativ intervjustudie av skolestress blant unge jenter som et strukturelt problem

Stress blant jenter ser ut til å være knyttet til press om å gjøre det bra på skolen og er videre relatert til psykiske plager. I denne artikkelen undersøker vi hvordan skolestress arter seg i unge jenters hverdagsliv, og hvilke institusjonelle prosesser jentenes erfaringer inngår i. Vi tar utgangspunkt i 22 intervjuer med 10 jenter på 10. trinn fra skoler i Norge og beskriver vurderingsarbeid – deres tankearbeid og gjøremål som er knyttet til testing, vurdering og individuell forbedring. Vi drøfter skolestresset og vurderingsarbeidet elevene gjør opp mot prinsippene om tydelig vurderingskultur og forbedring i skolen slik som det kommer fram gjennom den pedagogiske satsingen Vurdering for l…

Parental alcohol intoxication and adverse health outcomes among offspring. A 4-year follow up HUNT study among 2399 Norwegian adolescents.

Highlights • Alcohol’s harm to others includes adverse health outcomes in adolescence. • Non-dependent parental heavy drinking increases health harm among adolescents. • Hospital admission was related to exposure to parental alcohol intoxication. • Mental distress was related to exposure to parental alcohol intoxication. • Poor self-rated health was related to exposure to parental alcohol intoxication.

Risky Lives? Self-Directed Violence and Violence From Others Among Young People Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET)

Self-directed violence and violence from others comprise a major public health concern in youth. However, we lack knowledge about the prevalence of violent experiences among young people that are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), whether violent occurrences are similar among girls and boys, and whether violence differs between NEET youths and young students. This cross-sectional study compared the occurrences of self-directed violence (suicide attempts and self-harm) and exposure to violence from others (violent threats, beaten without visible marks, or injured due to violent events) between 96 NEET youth and 384 age- and sex-matched upper secondary school students (16–21 ye…

The social gradient in stress and depressive symptoms among adolescent girls: A systematic review and narrative synthesis

Aim: Socioeconomic inequality is found to negatively influence mental health, but studies investigating the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and specific common mental health problems such as stress and depressive symptoms in the general adolescent population are needed. Moreover, gender gaps in mental health among adolescents are evident, but there is a lack of studies that investigate socioeconomic differences in mental health within genders. As girls report consistently more depressive symptoms than do boys, this systematic review specifically investigates whether socioeconomic status is associated with stress and depressive symptoms among adolescent girls in the general p…

Additional file 1: of Gender differences and gender convergence in alcohol use over the past three decades (1984–2008), The HUNT Study, Norway

Supplementary: Classification of alcohol measures in HUNT1 (1984-86), HUNT2 (1995-97), HUNT3 (2006-08), questionnaires (Q1-Q2). (DOC 33 kb)

Commentary on Livingston et al. (2018): Change in gender ratios, what do they signify?

Mannlige vernepleiere og deres yrkesvalg

Myndighetene formulerte målet om et kjønnsblandet arbeidsliv for ti år siden. Graden av måloppnåelse for enkelte yrkesgrupper er noe belyst, men det finnes lite kjønnsspesifikk forskning innen vernepleieryrket. Formålet med denne studien har vært å undersøke og beskrive hva som kjennetegner mannlige vernepleiere og deres yrkesvalg. I tillegg har vi undersøkt hvilke faktorer hos menn som har sammenheng med å ta et bevisst valg om å bli vernepleier. Resultatene er basert på data fra SSB og en spørreundersøkelse blant mannlige vernepleiere (n=487). Tall fra SSB tyder på at aldersfordelingen blant mannlige vernepleiere kan være i endring. Andelen menn under 40 år ser ut til å synke. Studien vis…

Gender differences and gender convergence in alcohol use over the past three decades (1984–2008), The HUNT Study, Norway

Background: To examine changes in men‘s and women’s drinking in Norway over a 20-year period, in order to learn whether such changes have led to gender convergence in alcohol drinking. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional studies (in 1984–86, 1995–97, and 2006–08) of a large general population living in a geographically defined area (county) in Norway. Information about alcohol drinking is based on self-report questionnaires. Not all measures were assessed in all three surveys. Results: Adult alcohol drinking patterns have changed markedly over a 20-year period. Abstaining has become rarer while consumption and rates of recent drinking and problematic drinking have increased. Most changes were…

Additional file 1 of The significance of the social and material environment to place attachment and quality of life: findings from a large population-based health survey

Additional file 1. Figure S3 Latent regression model showing associations between material environment and social factors as independent variables and quality of life (QoL) mediated by place attachment (PA). The model controls for sociodemographic variables. The figure shows the structural model (without the observed indicators of the latent variables) with unstandardized regression coefficients. Abbreviations: access to amenities (AtA), access to nature (AtN), social support (SOC), loneliness (LONE), education (Edu), relationship (Relat), economic capability (INCOME).