Alcohol Trajectories over Three Years in a Swedish Residence Hall Student Population

Although it is known that college students have a high alcohol consumption, less is known about the long-term drinking trajectories amongst college students and, in particular, students living in residence halls, known to be high-risk drinkers. Over four consecutive years, the drinking habits of 556 Swedish residence hall students were analyzed. The main instruments for measuring outcome were AUDIT (Alcohol Use Identification Disorders Test), SIP (Short Index of Problems) and eBAC (estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration). The drinking trajectories among Swedish residence hall students showed stable and decreasing drinking patterns, with age and gender being predictors of group membership

College students' drinking patterns: trajectories of AUDIT scores during the first four years at university.

AIMS: Changes in AUDIT score trajectories were examined in a student population during their first 4 years at a university, including high-risk consumers and a subsample of low-risk consumers. METHOD: 359 students were selected for the present study, comprising all high-risk consumers (the 27% with highest scores, i.e. 11 for males and 7 for females) and a randomized sample of low-risk consumers (n = 177 and 182, respectively). The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was used as screening instrument. Trajectory analyses were made using a semiparametric group-based model. RESULTS: In the low-AUDIT group, five distinct trajectories were identified: three stable non-risky consumption groups (83%) and two increasing groups (17%; from non-risky to risky). In the high-AUDIT group, three groups were identified: two stable high groups (58%) and one decreasing group (from risky to non-risky consumption; 41%). In the integrated model, stable risky consumption comprised 16% of the total sample, decreasing consumption 11%, increasing consumption comprised 13% and stable non-risky consumption 60% of the sample. Gender influenced the trajectories. CONCLUSION: The pattern of changes in risk consumption is similar to that found in corresponding US studies

Forskargruppen i alkohol- och drogepidemiologi, prevention och behandling

Målet är att utveckla teoretisk och tillämpad alkohol- och drogforskning inom olika områden. Forskningen är ofta interdisciplinär och inkluderar medicinska, sociala och beteendefaktorer av betydelse för bruk av alkohol och droger. Den omfattar epidemiologi, prevention och utvärdering med användning av olika metoder. Särskilt intresse riktas på socialklass, kön och sårbara grupper. Forskningen är nära relaterat till den anknytning gruppens medlemmar har till landstinget, Folkhälsoinstitutet och Stockholms universitet. Huvudsakliga forskningsområden: -Alkohol- och drogpolicy, både på nationell och lokal nivå, -Utvärdering av förebyggande strategier, inkluderar samhällsintervention och sekundär prevention, -Betydelsen av sociala och andra faktorer relaterade till riskfyllt bruk av alkohol och droganvändning, -Sociala och hälsokonsekvenser av alkohol och droger, -Tillförlitlighet för olika mått och metoder samt - Studier av behandling av alkohol och drogberoende personer, och också av behandlingssystem.The aim is to advance theoretical and applied research in different fields applied to alcohol and drugs. The research is interdisciplinary including medical, social, and behavioural aspects of use and misuse of alcohol and other drugs and including epidemiology, prevention, and evaluation, using different methods. Specific interest is paid to the influence of socioeconomic class, gender and to vulnerable groups. The research is closely linked to affiliations of the collaborators to the Stockholm County Council, the National Public Health Institute and Stockholm University. Main research areas: -Alcohol and drug policy, both at the national and the local level, - Evaluations of prevention strategies, including community based interventions, -Social and other factors related to increased or decreased risk of hazardous alcohol and drug use, and consequences, -Social and health consequences of alcohol and drug use, -Validity of measures and - Studies of treatment of dependent subjects, but also of treatment systems

Childhood trauma exposure in substance use disorder patients with and without ADHD

Background Childhood trauma exposure (CTE) is frequently reported by those with substance use disorders (SUDs). SUDs also frequently co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective To investigate the role of childhood trauma exposure (CTE) in the presence and the persistence of ADHD in treatment seeking SUD patients. Method Data was derived from the International ADHD in Substance Use Disorder Prevalence (IASP) study. A structured interview was administered to 1274 treatment-seeking SUD patients aged 18 to 65. Results CTE was present in 53.5% of the patients and comorbid adult ADHD in 14.1%. CTE was significantly associated with ADHD: the prevalence of adult ADHD with and without CTE was 19.4% and 8.5% (OR adjusted for age, gender, main substance of abuse, BPD, and ASPD 1.91 [95% CI 1.29–2.81]). CTE was not associated with the severity of adult ADHD or with the persistence of childhood ADHD into adulthood. Conclusions CTE is common in SUD patients and associated with adult ADHD but not with the persistence of childhood ADHD into adulthood. These findings suggest that the increased rate of adult ADHD in SUD patients with CTE is not the consequence of a negative effect of CTE on the persistence of childhood ADHD into adulthood, but a direct expression of the high rate of childhood ADHD in SUD patients with CTE. © 201