Stressful life events and alcohol use among university students in Botswana

Stressful life events are known to be associated with substance use, especially among young adults. In this study, the association between stressful life events and alcohol use among young adults pursuing university education in a university in Botswana was studied. A total of 312 young adults participated in the study (55.4% females, mean age = 21.58 (SD =1.87)). Student Stress Scale adapted from Holmes and Rahe’s Social Readjustment Rating Scale (1967) was used to assess stressful life events. Alcohol use was assessed using a self-reported alcohol use scale. A majority (59%) of participants reported drinking alcohol. Stressful life events correlated moderately and positively with different types of alcohol use: quantity of alcohol consumed, the frequency of drinking beer, and lifetime drunkenness. Gender differences were observed for all types of alcohol use. The main reasons for drinking alcohol were to: celebrate special occasions, feel better, and enjoy the taste and effects of alcohol. In multiple regression analyses, stressful life events significantly and independently predicted quantity of alcohol consumed [(β=.25, (95% CI: .05, .45)], frequency of drinking beer [(β=.28, (95% CI: .11, .45)] , frequency of drinking wine [(β=.18, (95% CI: .04, .32)], drinking liquor [(β=.17, (95% CI: .02, .32)], drinking power drinks [(β=.28, (95% CI: .06, .49)], cocktail drinks [(β=.32, (95% CI: .13, .50)], and lifetime drunkenness [(β=.29, (95% CI: .11, .47)] but not age at first use. Stressful life events are strong predictors of alcohol use among young adults at university levels. More interventions are needed to tackle the adverse effects of stressful life events at university level and to teach students better coping strategies and better education on alcohol use.Keywords: Stress, alcohol use, Botswana, university students, life event

Self-efficacy as a predictor of alcohol use among students at a University In Botswana

Worldwide, harmful alcohol use by college or university students is a public health concern. Many students in colleges and universities indulge in excessive alcohol use, which, in turn, adversely impacts on their health and diminishes opportunities to realise their full potentials. This study assessed the influence of self-efficacy on alcohol use among students at a university in Botswana. The study utilised data from a cross-sectional survey of 266 young adults (age=20.40; SD=20.10; 18-25) enrolled at a university in Botswana. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and regression analyses were performed to assess socio-demographic characteristics, sub-population differences, and the extent to which self-efficacy predicted alcohol use. Forty-six per cent of respondents (n=124) use alcohol, 40 per cent (n=49) of whom were hazardous users. Female students were younger, used less alcohol, and were more self-efficacious than their male peers. The female gender [β = 0.15, 95% (CI: 0.01, 0.28)] and the social [β = -0.24, 95%  (CI: -0.45, -0.09)] and substance use [β = -0.35, 95% (CI: -0.45, -0.09)] domains of self-efficacy significantly and uniquely predicted alcohol use.  University management and healthcare providers should target self-efficacy as a potential strategy to reduce alcohol abuse and enhance self-care among young adults. Self-efficacy as a strategy empowers young adults to manage their alcohol use better than an authoritarian model of managing alcohol abuse by employed by university authorities. The empowerment model shifts power to the young adults, thus enabling them to think critically, take control of their lives, creates awareness and allows them to make their own decisions based on health literacy and self-care behaviours. Keywords: self-efficacy, alcohol use, students, Botswan

Temperament and the risk of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use among university students in Botswana

Substance use is rising among young people in developing countries, especially in schools and universities. Empirical studies on factors associated with substance abuse are required to identify protective and risk factors and to inform interventions. We report on the extent to which temperament and other demographic and background characteristics predict substance use among young adults pursuing university education in Botswana. Information on demographic characteristics and substance use (alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) and temperament was obtained by questionnaire in a crossfaculty sample of 211 university students (41% male, n=87) at a university in Botswana. The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (Cloninger, 1987) was used to assess temperament with only the subscales on novelty seeking and harm avoidance included. Questionnaires were administered during scheduled lecture hours. Twelve per cent (12%) of the students used tobacco, 19% used cannabis weekly, daily, or almost daily, and 45% reported using alcohol. Cannabis use is more common among male than female participants but there were no sex differences in using alcohol. Compared to those who were brought up in urban areas, students who were raised in rural settings were less likely to use substances. Similarly, students who attended public schools were less likely to use substances compared to their counterparts who attended private schools. The temperamental typology of novelty seeking significantly predicted tobacco (β=.32 (95% CI: .28, .37)), cannabis (β=.35 (95% CI: .28, .42)), and alcohol (β=.22 (95% CI: .16, .28)) use while harm avoidance significantly predicted only alcohol use (β=.18 (95% CI: .12, .24)). Background information and knowledge of temperament are essential for designing interventions to reduce substance use among young adults in tertiary education. Such interventions may include better education on substance use in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and communities.Keywords: Alcohol and tobacco, cannabis use, temperament, university studnets, Botswan

Family background and socio-demographic correlates of cannabis use: A cross-sectional survey of University students in Botswana

Globally, cannabis use is widespread, especially among young adults. Because it is linked to current and future health problems, cannabis use is a public health concern. Yet, little is known about the background of users. This study aims to assess familial and sociodemographic correlates of cannabis use in young adults. A cross-sectional survey of 371 students (mean age=21.8; ±1.76; 18-25; 56% female) was conducted at a university inBotswana. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, cannabis use, familial characteristics (drug and substance use and mental health problems) and norms were collected using selfreport measures. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and regression analyses were performed to compute socio-demographic characteristics, sub-population differences, and the extent to which the different familial and socio-demographic correlates predicted  cannabis use. Past month, past year and lifetime prevalence of cannabis use were 13.8%, 20.4%, 32.6%, respectively. Male students significantly used more cannabis than their female peers. Similarly, cannabis use was significantly more prevalent and widespread among tobacco and alcohol users than nonusers and among participants and peers who approved of cannabis use. Gender, alcohol and cigarette smoking, personal and peer  approval, personal history of mental health problems, and sibling’s use of cannabis significantly and uniquely predicted cannabis use. Cannabis use is widespread among young adults, especially among alcohol and cigarette smokers and in dysfunctional family contexts fraught with drug and substance abuse and mental health problems. The government and other stakeholders should prioritise a holistic public health approach that  targets vulnerable families and prevailing norms among young adults. Improvement in health services to meet education, screening and treatment needs is recommended. Keywords: Cannabis use; young adults; familial factors; norms; Botswan

Motivation to use cannabis among young adults at a University in Botswana

In low and middle income countries, cannabis use is common and reported to be rising, especially among adolescents and young  adults. Data on the motives to use cannabis among this group is lacking. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of and motives for using cannabis among 350 University of Botswana students (48.6% male, n=169). Cannabis use was assessed by the revised Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT-R) and motives to use cannabis by Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM). Using both univariable and multivariable regression analyses, the prevalence of cannabis use and the extent to which the social and coping motives predicted cannabis use were assessed in the sample A total of 128 (36.6%) students reported using cannabis at least once in the past six months of whom 82 (64.1%) were male students. Among self-reported users, 16.4% (n=21) were problem users (CUDIT-R score ≥13). Both coping (β = 0.56 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.72)) and social (β =0.33 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.51)) motives significantly predicted cannabis use in univariable regression analyses. When adjusted for social motive, coping motive independently and significantly predicted cannabis use for the total sample (β =0.57 (95% CI: 0.38, 0.77)) and for both male (β =0.47 (95% CI: 0.19, 0.73)) and female (β =0.74 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.99)) students while the influence of social motive attenuated and ceased to be insignificant. In young adults, cannabis use is common and motivated by both coping and social reasons, particularly coping motive. Both motives are essential for designing interventions to reduce cannabis use in educational institutions. Such interventions may include better education on drug and substance use and adaptive coping strategies. Keywords: Cannabis use, social motive, coping motive, university students, Botswan

Family socioeconomic status and adolescent depressive symptoms in a chinese low– and middle– income sample: the indirect effects of maternal care and adolescent sense of coherence

The current study investigated whether socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with adolescent depressive symptoms through maternal parenting and adolescent sense of coherence (SOC). Using a sample of 1220 Chinese adolescents, it was found that SES, maternal care, and adolescent SOC were positively related to each other and negatively related to adolescent depressive symptoms, respectively. Maternal control was positively related to adolescent depressive symptoms and negatively related to their SOC, but not significantly to SES. By analysis of structural equation modeling, we found that SES was associated with adolescent depressive symptoms indirectly through maternal care separately, as well as through maternal care and adolescent SOC sequentially. This study extended our understanding by showing possible indirect pathways by which family contextual factors and individual internal resources for adolescent depressive symptoms may operate separately and sequentially. The overall results highlighted the need to study adolescent depressive symptoms to find external and internal positive factors for maintaining adolescent emotional health, especially in families with relatively lower income

Cognitive ability, parental socioeconomic position and internalising and externalising problems in adolescence: Findings from two European cohort studies

We investigated whether cognitive ability (CA) may be a moderator of the relationship of parental socioeconomic position (SEP) with internalising and externalising problems in adolescents. We used data from two longitudinal cohort studies; the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Indicators of SEP were mother’s education and household income. CA was estimated with IQ scores, derived from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Internalising and externalising problems were measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in ALSPAC and with the Child Behavior Checklist in TRAILS. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the relative index of inequality (RII) for each outcome; the RII provides the odds ratio comparing the most to least deprived for each measure of SEP. In fully adjusted models an association of mother’s education with externalising problems was observed [ALSPAC RII 1.42 (95%CI: 1.01–1.99); TRAILS RII 2.21 (95%CI: 1.37–3.54)], and of household income with internalising and externalising problems [pooled ALSPAC & TRAILS internalising RII 1.30 (95%CI: 0.99–1.71); pooled ALSPAC & TRAILS externalising RII 1.38 (95%CI: 1.03–1.84)]. No consistent associations were observed between mother’s education and internalising problems. Results of stratified analyses and interaction-terms showed no evidence that CA moderated the association of SEP with internalising or externalising problems

Youth in the Netherlands Study (JOiN): study design

Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental period regarding exposure to substances. Therefore, it is important to be able to identify those adolescents who are most vulnerable to substance abuse in the (near) future. The JOiN study was specifically designed to examine two endophenotypes of adolescent substance use in a normal risk (NR) and high risk (HR) sample of adolescents: (1) behavioural disinhibition, and (2) individual differences in stress sensitivity. Methods: The NR adolescents were part of a longitudinal general population study at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands of children and adolescents initially aged 6 to 18 years old. Three assessment waves have been nearly completed, and data are available of N = 711 participants for stress sensitivity measures, and of a subsample of N = 110 for electroencephalography (EEG) measures. Added to this study, HR adolescents who had at least one parent with a substance use disorder and who were treated by an outpatient clinic of a primary addiction care provider were approached via their parent(s). In total, N = 83 adolescents formed this HR sample. NR and HR adolescents participated in standardized stress procedure and EEG procedures in our laboratory. Questionnaires were filled out on background variables, behavioural and emotional problems, and substance use, and a diagnostic interview was conducted with adolescents and parents to assess psychopathology symptoms. DNA was collected through saliva or blood samples. Discussion: The design of the JOiN study is optimal for examining the predictive role of endophenotypes of adolescent substance use. The combination of different methods, i.e. stress physiology, electrophysiology, genetics, and questionnaire data from several informants on a range of behaviours and environmental factors enables the investigation of the multifactorial nature of adolescent substance use