Bidirectional Associations Between Self-Reported Gaming Disorder and Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence From a Sample of Young Swiss Men

Background: Gaming disorder (GD) has been shown to co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet few studies to date have investigated their longitudinal associations. Method: The sample included 5,067 young Swiss men (mean age was 20 years at wave 1 and 25 years at wave 3). Measures were the Game Addiction Scale and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (6-item screener). Longitudinal associations were tested using autoregressive cross-lagged models for binary measures of GD and ADHD, as well as continuous measures for GD score and ADHD subscales of inattention and hyperactivity. Results: ADHD at age 20 increased the risk for GD at age 25 (probit = 0.066 [0.023, 0.109]; p = 0.003). GD at age 20 also increased the risk for ADHD at wave 3 (probit = 0.058 [0.013, 0.102]; p = 0.011). Only the ADHD inattention subscale showed a bidirectional longitudinal relationship with the GD score (standardized Beta from inattention at age 20 to GD score at age 25: 0.090 [0.056, 0.124]; p < 0.001; from GD score at age 20 to inattention at age 25: 0.044 [0.016, 0.071]; p = 0.002), whereas associations between the hyperactivity subscale and GD were not significant. Discussion: GD had bidirectional longitudinal associations with ADHD, in that ADHD increased the risk for GD and GD increased the risk for ADHD, and they may reinforce each other. These associations may be linked more to the inattention ADHD component than to the hyperactivity ADHD component. Individuals with ADHD or GD should be screened for the other disorder, and preventive measures for GD should be evaluated in individuals with ADHD

Interpretation of DSM-5 alcohol use disorder criteria in self-report surveys may change with age. A longitudinal analysis of young Swiss men

Background: General population surveys using self-reported measures show alcohol use disorder (AUD) to be most prevalent in young adulthood, but this may be due to misinterpretations of AUD criteria among inexperienced drinkers. The present study investigated changes in prevalence of criteria during emerging adulthood. Methods: 4924 young Swiss men were followed across three waves (age at wave 1 (w1): 20; w2: 21; w3: 25 years). We measured AUD according to the 11 DSM-5 criteria and estimated Item Response Theory models for each wave and differential item functioning across waves, related to the cohort growing older. Results: Endorsement of several AUD criteria varied considerably as a function of age in a period of only five years: Five criteria showed differential item functioning between waves 1 and 3 (i.e. between the age of 20 and 25), including the three most frequently endorsed criteria. Prevalence of tolerance (w1, 57.8%; w3, 29.6%) decreased in relation to the AUD score (Mantel–Haenszel OR = 0.26), whereas the use of alcohol larger/longer than intended (w1, 73.7%; w3, 84.8%; OR = 1.93) and hazardous use (w1, 62.7%; w3, 68.4%; OR = 1.31) increased, resulting in an unchanged mean AUD score and prevalence, but changing combinations of criteria to qualify AUD. Conclusions: Considerable differential item functioning over five years among several of the most endorsed AUD criteria suggests shifts in the interpretation of DSM-5 criteria during emerging adulthood. Self-reported measures of DSM-5 AUD criteria may require reformulation to account for young people’s different perceptions and to yield comparable diagnoses over time and across age groups

Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of INEBRIA

CITATION: Watson, R., et al. 2016. Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of INEBRIA. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 11:13, doi:10.1186/s13722-016-0062-9.The original publication is available at https://ascpjournal.biomedcentral.comENGLISH SUMMARY : Meeting abstracts.https://ascpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13722-016-0062-9Publisher's versio

Understanding the experience in the healthcare system of non-migrant and migrant frequent users of the emergency department in French-speaking Switzerland: a comparative qualitative study

Background Previous research revealed the vulnerability of frequent users of emergency department (FUED) because of concomitant medical, psychological and social issues. Case management (CM) provides FUED with effective medical and social support, however, the heterogeneity of this population has highlighted the need to explore the specific needs of FUED subpopulations. In response, this study aimed to explore qualitatively the lived experience of migrant and non-migrant FUED in the healthcare system to identify unmet needs.Methods Adult migrant and non-migrant FUED (≥ 5 visits in the ED in the past 12 months) were recruited in a Swiss university hospital to collect qualitative data on their experience within the Swiss health system. Participants were selected based on predefined quotas for gender and age. Researchers conducted one-on-one semistructured interviews until reaching data saturation. Inductive conventional content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.Results In total, 23 semistructured interviews were conducted (11 migrant FUED and 12 non-migrant FUED). Four main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) self-evaluation of the Swiss healthcare system; (2) orientation within the healthcare system; (3) relationship with caregivers and (4) perception of own health. While both groups were overall satisfied with the healthcare system and care provided, migrant FUED reported language and financial barriers to access it. Both groups expressed overall satisfaction over their relationship with healthcare professionals, although migrant FUED reported a feeling of illegitimacy to consult the ED based on social status, whereas non-migrant FUED felt more often the need to justify their use of the ED. Finally, migrant FUED perceived their own health to be affected by their status.Conclusion This study highlighted difficulties specific to subpopulations of FUED. For migrant FUED, these included access to care and impact of migrant status on own health. Adapting CM to the specific needs of migrant FUED could help reduce their vulnerability

Do sensation seeking and aggression traits moderate the association between peer influence and alcohol outcomes among young Swiss men?

Peer influence is a strong predictor of drinking behaviors, yet not all young adults respond to its influence in the same way. This study aimed to identify young adults who are more vulnerable to peer influence by prospectively examining whether sensation seeking and aggression traits moderate the associations between peer influence and alcohol use and related consequences among young male drinkers. Participants (N = 4,624 participants) were young Swiss men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors. Measures of peer influence (i.e. descriptive norms and peer pressure to engage in misconduct), sensation seeking, aggression and alcohol use and related consequences were used from the baseline and 15-month follow-up assessments. Findings indicated that neither sensation seeking nor aggression significantly moderated the associations between peer influence and alcohol-related consequences. However, they revealed that sensation seeking and aggression had a moderating effect on the association between peer influence and total drinks per year, such that this association was overall stronger among participants scoring lower on personality traits. These findings suggest that young male drinkers with low scores on sensation seeking and aggression may benefit from stand-alone selective interventions targeting peer influence, whereas those scoring higher on these personality traits may rather benefit from programs that include interventions targeting both peer influence and personality risk factors of drinking behaviors

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and future alcohol outcomes: Examining the roles of coping and enhancement drinking motives among young men.

ObjectiveAlthough there is evidence that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms are positively related to alcohol use and related problems among young adults, little research has examined the mechanisms that might explain this association. In response, this study examined the mediating effects of coping and enhancement drinking motives on the prospective associations between ADHD symptoms and alcohol outcomes.MethodParticipants (N = 4,536) were young men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors. Measures of ADHD symptoms and those of drinking motives, heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol use disorder symptoms were used from the baseline and 15-month follow-up assessments.ResultsFindings indicated that the associations of ADHD-inattention symptoms with alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and with HED were partially and completely mediated through drinking motives, respectively, whereas drinking motives did not mediate the ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity-symptoms-alcohol outcomes associations.ConclusionResults indicated that coping and enhancement motives partially explained the ADHD-inattention symptoms-subsequent alcohol outcomes association. These findings suggest that interventions targeting enhancement and coping motives may help prevent problematic drinking among young men with elevated ADHD-inattention symptoms

Recherche sur la santé des populations vulnérables: enjeux et opportunités.

There is an important gap in health knowledge about vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups. The development of research projects and the implementation of interventions require strategies adapted to the particularities of these groups. This article reviews some of the main issues through the lens of recent projects conducted in French-speaking Switzerland

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated risk factors among asylum seekers living in asylum centres: A cross-sectional serologic study in Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Background: Understanding the factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in asylum seekers and refugees living in centres is crucial to determine targeted public health policies protecting these populations fairly and efficiently. In response, this study was designed to explore the pandemic's spread into asylum centres during the first wave of the pandemic in Switzerland. Specifically, it aimed to identify the risk factors associated with a positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence test after the first semi-confinement period (16 March to 27 April 2020) amongst asylum seekers and refugees living in centres. Methods: This research is part of SérocoVID, a seroepidemiologic study of SARS-CoV-2 infection conducted in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Migrants living in two asylum centres, one known to have had an epidemic outbreak, were invited to participate in this study. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA antibodies targeting the spike viral protein were measured in all participants using a Luminex immunoassay. Each participant also completed a questionnaire measuring socio-demographic characteristics, medical history (comorbidities, smoking status, BMI, flu-like symptoms), health literacy, public health recommendations (wearing a masque in a public area, social distancing and hands cleaning), behaviours and exposures (daily life activities, number of contacts weekly). The association of these independent variables with the serologic test result were estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model. Findings: A total of 124 participants from the two asylum centres took part in the study (Centre 1, n = 82; Centre 2, n = 42). The mean participation rate was 36.7%. The seroprevalence in Centres 1 and 2 were 13% [95% CI 0.03, 0.14] and 50% [0.34, 0.65], respectively. Next, 40.63% of SARS-CoV-2 positive people never developed symptoms (asymptomatic cases), and no one had severe forms of the Covid-19 disease requiring hospitalisation. Participants report high compliance with public health measures, especially hygiene rules (96.3% of positive answers) and social distancing (88.7%). However, only 11.3% said they always wore a masque in public. After adjusting for individual characteristics, infection risk was lower amongst people with high health literacy (aOR 0.16, p = 0.007 [0.04, 0.60]) and smokers (aOR 0.20, p = 0.013 [0.06, 0.69]). Conclusion: Despite the lack of severe complications of Covid-19 disease in this study, findings suggest that developing targeted public health measures, especially for the low health literacy population, would be necessary to limit the risk of outbreaks in asylum centres and improve this population's safety. Further investigations and qualitative approach are required to understand more finely how living conditions, risks and behaviours such as tobacco consumption, and the adoption of protective measures impact SARS-CoV-2 infection

Smartphone-based secondary prevention intervention for university students with unhealthy alcohol use identified by screening: study protocol of a parallel group randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Unhealthy alcohol use is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young people, including university students. Delivering secondary prevention interventions against unhealthy alcohol use is challenging. Information technology has the potential to reach large parts of the general population. The present study is proposed to test a proactive secondary prevention smartphone-based intervention against unhealthy alcohol use. Methods This is a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (1:1 allocation ratio) among 1696 university students with unhealthy alcohol use, identified by screening and followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months. Participants will be randomized to receive access to a smartphone-based intervention or to a no intervention control condition. The primary outcome will be self-reported volume of alcohol drunk over the past 30 days, reported as the mean number of standard drinks per week over the past 30 days, measured at 6 months. Secondary outcomes will be number of heavy drinking days over the past 30 days, at 6 months. Additional outcomes will be maximum number of drinks on any day over the past 30 days, alcohol-related consequences (measured using the Short Inventory of Problems (SIP-2R), and academic performance. Discussion The aim of this trial is to close the evidence gap on the efficacy of smartphone-based secondary prevention interventions. If proven effective, smartphone-based interventions have the potential to reach a large portion of the population, completing what is available on the Internet. Trial registration ISRCTN, 10007691. Registered on 2 December 2019. Recruitment will start in April 2020