19 research outputs found
Genetic and shared couple environmental contributions to smoking and alcohol use in the UK population
Alcohol use and smoking are leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Both genetic and environmental factors have been shown to influence individual differences in the use of these substances. In the present study we tested whether genetic factors, modelled alongside common family environment, explained phenotypic variance in alcohol use and smoking behaviour in the Generation Scotland (GS) family sample of up to 19,377 individuals. SNP and pedigree-associated effects combined explained between 18 and 41% of the variance in substance use. Shared couple effects explained a significant amount of variance across all substance use traits, particularly alcohol intake, for which 38% of the phenotypic variance was explained. We tested whether the within-couple substance use associations were due to assortative mating by testing the association between partner polygenic risk scores in 34,987 couple pairs from the UK Biobank (UKB). No significant association between partner polygenic risk scores were observed. Associations between an individual's alcohol PRS (b = 0.05, S.E. = 0.006, p < 2 × 10 ) and smoking status PRS (b = 0.05, S.E. = 0.005, p < 2 × 10 ) were found with their partner's phenotype. In support of this, G carriers of a functional ADH1B polymorphism (rs1229984), known to be associated with greater alcohol intake, were found to consume less alcohol if they had a partner who carried an A allele at this SNP. Together these results show that the shared couple environment contributes significantly to patterns of substance use. It is unclear whether this is due to shared environmental factors, assortative mating, or indirect genetic effects. Future studies would benefit from longitudinal data and larger sample sizes to assess this further
An exploration of the family resilience needs of a rural community in South Africa: a sequential explanatory mixed methodological study design
The aim of the study is to identify and explore
family resilience needs in a rural community in the West
Coast region of South Africa. An explanatory mixed methodological
sequential design was implemented. Firstly, Sixbey’s
(2005) Family Resilience Assessment Scale, was employed to
conduct the quantitative assessment via a door-to-door sample
of convenience identified with the assistance of a local nongovernmental
organisation. Of the 656 participants, 39.8%
were male and 60.2% were female, with an average age of
37.90 years (standard deviation 13.92). Secondly, four focus
groups involving 27 community participants provided qualitative
data. Results from the quantitative assessment show that
family connectedness and utilising social and economic
resources were the lowest scoring, and belief systems the
highest scoring, dimensions in family resilience. Based on
the quantitative findings and the discussions, three thematic
categories emerged: community and family challenges; community
belief systems; and current family functioning and
organisational patterns. A number of families and groups
within the community were able to provide feedback, recommendations
and work collaboratively in this study. This contributed
to the argument we make for the transformative
mixed methods paradigm that is discussed. This study provides
further insight into the theory of family resilience.ISI & Scopu