Alcohol and tobacco content in UK video games and their association with alcohol and tobacco use among young people

Aims: To determine the extent to which video games include alcohol and tobacco content and assess the association between playing them and alcohol and smoking behaviours in adolescent players. Design: Assessment of substance in the 32 UK bestselling video games of 2012/2013; online survey of adolescent playing of 17 games with substance content; content analysis of the five most popular games. Setting: Great Britain Participants: 1,094 adolescents aged 11-17 years. Measurements: Reported presence of substance content in the 32 games; estimated numbers of adolescents who had played games; self-reported substance use; semi-quantitative measures of substance content by interval coding of video game cut scenes. Findings: Non-official sources reported substance content in 17 (44%) games but none were reported by the official Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system. Adolescents who had played at least one game were significantly more likely ever to have tried smoking (adjusted OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.75 to 4.17) or consumed alcohol (adjusted OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.70 to 3.23). In the five most popular game episodes of alcohol actual use, implied use and paraphernalia occurred in 31 (14%), 81 (37%) and 41 (19%) intervals, respectively. Tobacco actual use, implied use and paraphernalia occurred in 32 (15%), 27 (12 %) and 53 (24%) intervals, respectively. Conclusions: Alcohol and tobacco content is common in the most popular video games but not reported by the official PEGI system. Content analysis identified substantial substance content in a sample of those games. Adolescents who play these video games are more likely to have experimented with tobacco and alcohol

Sistemas de qualificação de videogames, revisão narrativa

Introducción: Los sistemas de calificación de videojuegos son una herramienta muy extendida para orientar en el uso de los videojuegos y la protección del menor. Objetivos: Analizar y revisar los sistemas de calificación de videojuegos en la literatura científica. Métodos: Recopilar de las bases de datos Web of Science y Scopus todas las publicaciones relacionadas directamente con el tópico “Game Rating System”. Resultados y discusión: 13 publicaciones con 11,15 citas por publicación y h-index seis, además no todos los sistemas son estudiados y citados en las publicaciones. Existen coincidencias en la importancia, la necesidad y utilidad de los sistemas de calificación para proteger al menor. Conclusiones: Los sistemas de calificación de videojuegos son una herramienta válida para la protección del menor. Aunque debería investigarse más sobre los sistemas de calificación de videojuegos y posiblemente se podrían mejorar además de adquirir otras competencias en relación con la orientación al usuario.Introduction: Game rating systems are a very widespread tool to guide the use of videogames and the protection of minors Aim: Analyze and review the game rating systems in the scientific literature. Methods: Collect all the publications directly related to the topic "Game Rating System" from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Results & discussion: 13 publications with 11.15 citations per publication and h-index six, besides not all the systems are studied and cited in the publications. There are coincidences in the importance, necessity and usefulness of rating systems to protect the minor. Conclusions: Game rating systems are a valid tool for child protection. Although more should be investigated on videogame qualification systems and could possibly be improved in addition to acquiring other competencies in relation to user orientation.Introdução: Os sistemas de qualificação de videogames são uma ferramenta muito difundida para orientar o uso de videogames e a proteção de menores. Objectivos: Analisar e analisar os sistemas de qualificação do videogame na literatura científica. Métodos: compile todas as publicações diretamente relacionadas ao tópico "Game Rating System" das bases de dados da Web of Science e Scopus. Resultados e discussão: 13 publicações com 11,15 citações por publicação e h-index seis, além de não serem estudados e citados todos os sistemas nas publicações. Há coincidências na importância, necessidade e utilidade dos sistemas de classificação para proteger o menor. Conclusões: os sistemas de qualificação de videogames são uma ferramenta válida para a proteção de menores. Embora seja necessário pesquisar mais sobre sistemas de classificação de videogames e possivelmente ser melhorados, além de adquirir outras habilidades em relação à orientação do usuário

Opt-Out Parental Consent in Online Surveys: Ethical Considerations.

This article aims to foster discussion and debate around seeking parental consent from young people recruited online. The growth of social media, particularly for young people, has led to increased interest in young people's online activities as both a research topic and recruitment setting. In a health-related study, which sought to recruit young people aged 13 to 18 years old from YouTuber fan communities to an online survey, the question arose of how parental consent could be sought from young people below 16 when no link existed between researcher and parents/guardians. A practical strategy is proposed which combines novel communication methods for participant information, opt-out online consent and age verification to address this issue. Strengths and limitations of these approaches are discussed

The EASL–Lancet Liver Commission: protecting the next generation of Europeans against liver disease complications and premature mortality

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Smoking and health 2021: A coming of age for tobacco control?

Smoking and health 2021 says that while the reduction in smoking prevalence by 75% since 1962 has been considered a national success, if the policies advocated by the RCP in 1962 had been adopted and followed through, smoking would have been eradicated from the UK years ago. Instead, modelling of current tobacco control policies shows a failure to achieve a smoking prevalence of <5% until after 2050. ‘Too many UK generations have been blighted by addiction to tobacco. To ensure that those born today live their lives tobacco-free, we must take the necessary steps to make smoking obsolete. In a historic time of medicine showing it can solve the health crises that come its way, this is our opportunity to make smoking and tobacco addiction history.’ Andrew Goddard President, Royal College of Physicians Written by expert contributors and approved by RCP Council, this 150-page report provides a comprehensive account of all aspects of tobacco use in the UK today in ten chapters, from the effects of tobacco control measures across time, through the effects of tobacco promotion and tobacco company lobbying, to the economics and ethics of tobacco smoking. Each chapter carries recommendations which are brought together in the executive summary, available as a separate document below. The report underlines the need to take action in all of the ten areas featured. The action we take now has to be thoroughly comprehensive, not piecemeal as in the past. Health measures are not enough on their own, and the report contains recommendations on reforming tax policy, eradicating media promotion of smoking, prioritising the treatment of tobacco dependency, realising the potential of comprehensive public health campaigns to promote quitting, raising the legal age of sale for tobacco products, and silencing the voice of the tobacco industry. ‘Tobacco smoking is a blight on health and society. The ill health, premature death and financial toll caused by tobacco use touches all communities in the UK, and is typically concentrated in the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society. To ensure that those born today live their lives tobacco-free we must take the necessary steps to make smoking obsolete.’ Sanjay Agrawal Chair of RCP Tobacco Advisory Group and Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Leiceste

Moderating Factors of Co-occurring GD/IGD and ENDS Use among College Students

Introduction: Research has found extensive similarities between symptoms of gaming disorder/Internet gaming disorder (GD/IGD) and symptoms of other addictive disorders, including the presence of cravings, tolerance, and inability to stop despite adverse consequences (Müller & Montag, 2017). Significant associations between GD/IGD and financial strain, occupational difficulties, sleep deprivation, malnutrition, obesity, and the development and/or exacerbation of other mental illness have been found, contributing to growing concern over the detrimental impact of GD/IGD (Kohorst et al., 2018). Video gaming is also associated with increased use of substances, including nicotine as found in electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; Cranwell et al., 2016). The harmful consequences of ENDS use may exacerbate the health risks associated with GD/IGD, especially in connection to sleep, nutrition, and mental health. There is extensive overlap between the demographic and psychosocial characteristics of typical video gamers and typical users of ENDS, including being young, male, highly impulsive, sensation-seeking, and having a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may account for the rates of concurrent dependence (Von der Heiden et al., 2019; Mathews, 2019). However, definitive characteristics of individuals demonstrating symptoms of both GD/IGD and ENDS dependency remain unknown. The present study aims to explore the demographic and psychological associations of co-occurring symptoms of GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. Method:Participants (n = 2,174) were college students age 18-24 (M=19.25) recruited as part of a multi-university study examining psychological variables within young adults. Participants completed a battery of self-report questions assessing for demographic characteristics, symptoms of ADHD, and level of impulsivity and sensation seeking as measured by the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11, respectively. ENDS dependency was evaluated through the PROMIS E-cigarette Dependence Scale, and GD/IGD was measured by the Video Game Dependency Scale. Pearson correlations, chi-square tests, MANCOVAS, and moderation analyses were used to evaluate this data. Results:Results found that 7.3% of the sample met criteria for probable ENDS dependency, 4.7% of the sample endorsed symptoms of GD/IGD dependency, and 1.4% of the sample endorsed both dependencies. Age, gender, and race/ethnicity were all associated with increased risk of concurrent GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. The moderating effect of ADHD symptoms on the relation between GD/IGD and ENDS dependency was significant, ΔR2 = .067, F(1, 1036) = 24.75, p \u3c .001, indicating that the relation between GD/IGD and ENDS dependency was stronger when participants endorsed more symptoms of ADHD. Impulsivity and sensation seeking also had significant interaction effects on the relation between ENDS dependency and GD/IGD. Conclusion:Ultimately, there is ample evidence that ENDS dependency and GD/IGD occur at significant levels on college campuses. Heightened impulsivity and sensation seeking and the diagnosis of ADHD significantly correspond with increased rates of GD/IGD and ENDS dependency. These results are supported by prior research findings that impulsivity and sensation seeking are risk factors for many behavioral health concerns, including engagement in risky sexual behaviors and substance addiction. Future research examining protective factors and treatment of co-occurring GD/IGD and ENDS dependency is warranted. References: Cranwell, J., Whittamore, K., Britton, J., & Leonardi-Bee, J. (2016). Alcohol and tobacco content in UK video games and their association with alcohol and tobacco use among young people. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 19(7), 426-434. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0093 Kohorst, M. A., Warad, D. M., Nageswara Rao, A. A., & Rodriguez, V. (2018). Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and video games: The new thrombophilia cocktail in adolescents. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 65(7), e27041. Mathews, C. L., Morrell, H. E. R., & Molle, J. L. (2019). Video game addiction, ADHD symptomatology, and video game reinforcement. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 45(1), 67-76. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2018.1472269 Müller, M., & Montag, C. (2017). The relationship between internet addiction and alcohol consumption is influenced by the smoking status in male online video gamers. Clinical Neuropsychiatry: Journal of Treatment Evaluation, 14(1), 34–43. Von der Heiden, J. M., Braun, B., Müller, K. W., & Egloff, B. (2019). The association between video gaming and psychological functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 17-31. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.0173