The thesis was designed to measure patterns of drug use among undergraduate college students and to examine possible relationships between drug use and six personality traits. An anonymous questionnaire was administered by participating Eta Sigma Gamma faculty advisers and student members to 1,552 undergraduate college students enrolled in introductory health education courses at 11 universities. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and a chi-square analysis provided the means for evaluating the data.The Null hypotheses tested were: (1) drug use is independent of sex, age, race, religious affiliation, religiosity, residence, class, college major, and cumulative grade point average; and (2) drug use is independent of these six personality traits: purposelessness, anomie, insecurity, fatalistic thinking, and belief in intervention by God.The first Null hypothesis was rejected for all variables in that differences were statistically significant at the .05 level. The second Null hypothesis was rejected except for the personality trait of pessimism. All of the other personality scales indicated that the results were statistically significant at the .05 level.

Chemical dependency as it pertains to African-American males is examined through the theoretical perspectives of critical medical anthropology and clinically applied anthropology, the synthesis of the two referred to as critical clinically applied anthropology. The major etiological models and theories of chemical dependency are reviewed as are the contemporary chemical dependency treatment services.The critical clinically applied anthropological perspective examines chemical dependency and its treatment at four levels: 1) the macrosocial, 2) intermediate, 3) the microsocial, and 4) the individual. Additional variables concerning chemical dependency such as societal or large scale, institutional, local/environmental, organizational, and small scale factors are addressed as well. The above levels of analysis and independent variables indicate that racism, in the form of economic, political, and cultural oppression is a significant etiological factor concerning AfricanAmerican male chemical dependency. It is suggested that in order to provide more effective chemical dependency treatment, racial oppression must be addressed in the treatment setting. / Department of Anthropology

The sharing of needles among injection drug users (IDUs) is a common route of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus transmission. Through the increased utilization of social network analysis, researchers have been able to examine how the interpersonal relationships of IDUs affect injection risk behaviour. This study involves a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study of 156 IDUs from Winnipeg, Manitoba titled “Social Network Analysis of Injection Drug Users”. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the individual and the social network characteristics associated with needle sharing among the IDUs. Generalized Estimating Equations analysis was used to determine the injecting dyad characteristics which influence needle sharing behaviour between the IDUs and their injection drug using network members. The results revealed five key thematic findings that were significantly associated with needle sharing: (1) types of drug use, (2) socio-demographic status, (3) injecting in semi-public locations, (4) intimacy, and (5) social influence. The findings from this study suggest that comprehensive prevention approaches that target individuals and their network relationships may be necessary for sustainable reductions in needle sharing among IDUs.

Sharing and inappropriate discarding of syringes and drug use equipment can lead to transmission of bloodborne pathogens and decreased sense of community safety. To reduce these risks, interventions such as syringe drop boxes, are implemented. However, little consideration has been made of the social and spatial networks of the injection drug use (IDU) populations in the placement of these drop boxes. A sample of IDU was obtained through respondent driven sampling in Winnipeg, Canada in 2009. Characteristics of the sample and distribution of these characteristics through the social network were assessed. A spatial network was constructed which focused on the connections between IDU and specific geographic locations. Measures of centrality were calculated using Pajek and the geographic network was mapped using ArcGIS. Analysis of the social network revealed variation among network components in demographic and drug use characteristics. Spatial analysis revealed geographic clustering, quantified through network centrality measures. There was congruence between locations of high degree and current drop box placement in Winnipeg. This research illustrates the benefit of combining IDU social network and spatial data to inform evidence-based municipal policies and programs.

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to study mental distress, health and lifestyle habits, social factors and psychotropic drug use by young people, and how PHNs conceive their roles in relation to this. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Study I included data  from the Norwegian Youth Health Study (NYHS, 11 620 participants, aged 15-16 years) (2000–2003) linked to the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) (2004–2009). Study II included prescription data on psychotropic drugs among 15-16 year olds from the NorPD (2006–2010). Eight young people were interviewed and qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data (III). Study IV included interviews with 20 Public Health Nurses (PHN), and was analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Main results: Mental distress was reported among 15.5% of the adolescents non-users of psychotropic drugs, 75% of whom were girls. In both genders reporting mental distress, incident psychotropic use was higher one to nine years, up to 27.7% among girls, as compared with the rest of the participants. In addition, health, lifestyle habits and social factors were associated with incident use (I). Psychotropic drug use increased during 2006–2010, hypnotics and melatonin accounted for most of the increase. In total, 16.4% of all incident psychotropic drug users in 2007 were still having prescriptions dispensed in 2010 (II). Young people experience both beneficial and undesired effects from psychotropic drugs. Access to professional support and follow-up was experienced as insufficient. Life with family, friends, school and work was influenced by psychotropic drug use, and they were afraid of being lonely and stigmatized (III). The PHNs conceived their roles in relation to young people as; the discovering PHNs who became aware of psychotropic drug use in the health dialogues and chose either to act or not to act in relation to this. Those PHNs who took action continued to be the cooperating PHNs who cooperated with the young people, their families, schools, and others. If cooperation was established, the supporting PHNs teach and support the young people in relation to psychotropic drug use (IV). Conclusions: Attention must be paid to poor mental health and increasing psychotropic drug use by young people. Advances in knowledge, treatment and follow-up are needed. The prevalence of mental distress among young people, with differences between the genders, as well as between socioeconomic groups, should have consequences for health promotion strategies. PHNs in Norway, working in health centres and schools, have responsibility and opportunity to identify and follow-up young people with mental health problems. / Baksidestext International studies indicate an increase in mental distress and psychotropic drug use among young people. In this thesis mental distress is reported among 15.5 % of the young people. Of those reporting mental distress 75 % were girls. One quarter of the girls reporting mental distress at 15-16 years of age was incident users of psychotropic drugs one to nine years later. Psychotropic drug use, increase among young people, particularly hypnotic drugs. The young people experience beneficial and undesired effects of the psychotropic drugs. They miss out on professional availability and follow-up, and experience negative reactions related to their psychotropic drug use by their significant others. The public health nurse who discovers psychotropic drug use among young people chooses either to act or not to act in relation to this. Those who choose to act continue to cooperate with the young people and others. An established cooperation was followed by a public health nurse who supports and teaches the young people. The prevalence of mental distress, with a high frequency of initiation of psychotropic drug use among young people should have consequences for health promotion in the school health service. Public health nurses, working in health centers and schools, have a responsibility to promote health and prevent health problems. They have the responsibility and opportunity to identify young people struggling with mental health problems and psychotropic drug use as well as teach and support significant others.

Anthropologists have written about illicit drug use in the Western cultural context since the 1960s and recent years have seen an increased interest. At the same time, young people have become a significant “risk group” in public health efforts to reduce illicit drug use. In particular, youth living or spending time on the street have been the target of interventions. The following thesis describes youth connected to one such intervention in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Youth connected to Bridging the Gap: A Citizen Engagement Initiative in the Interests of Crystal Meth Prevention, Education and Intervention are described in terms of demographic characteristics, health and substance use. They are compared with youth from another study of street-involved youth in the area (Risky Business: Experiences of Street Youth) and a random sample of youth in Victoria (the Healthy Youth Survey). Data were collected in 39 survey-based interviews and 3 qualitative interviews.

The sharing of needles among injection drug users (IDUs) is a common route of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus transmission. Through the increased utilization of social network analysis, researchers have been able to examine how the interpersonal relationships of IDUs affect injection risk behaviour. This study involves a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study of 156 IDUs from Winnipeg, Manitoba titled “Social Network Analysis of Injection Drug Users”. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the individual and the social network characteristics associated with needle sharing among the IDUs. Generalized Estimating Equations analysis was used to determine the injecting dyad characteristics which influence needle sharing behaviour between the IDUs and their injection drug using network members. The results revealed five key thematic findings that were significantly associated with needle sharing: (1) types of drug use, (2) socio-demographic status, (3) injecting in semi-public locations, (4) intimacy, and (5) social influence. The findings from this study suggest that comprehensive prevention approaches that target individuals and their network relationships may be necessary for sustainable reductions in needle sharing among IDUs.

The present study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal developmental characteristics of the association between mental health and substance use. N=1182 adolescents aged between 11 and 20 years were recruited from schools in Australia. Participants completed the Youth Self Report (YSR) (Achenbach, 1991a) and reported on their use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, their social ability, their motivation for using substances, their ability to regulate emotion, and the influences of their parents and peers on their substance use. N=561 of time one participants were retained for testing one year later to assess the potential to predict substance use at time two from mental health at time one. Results indicated a clear and consistent cross-sectional association between externalising scores on the YSR and use of the three substances, regardless of gender. The relation between internalising scores and substance use was non-significant. When the relation between externalising scores and substance use was assessed for mediation, only the influence of parents and peers was found to be significant. A cross-sectional structural model developed to account for this association was demonstrated to be invariant across the three substances of interest, and across gender, but not age category. There was no evidence that social skills, emotion regulation, or substance use motives, had roles in mediating the relationship between mental health and substance use. A model was developed to assess the potential to predict substance use at time two from externalising scores at time one. Results showed that externalising scores predicted increases in alcohol use via parent and peer attitudes. Thus, externalising disposition, in the context of a facilitative social environment, was predictive of an increase in alcohol use over time. Structural models developed to account for the predictive relation between externalising scores and use of cigarettes and marijuana proved unstable and could not be tested. Substance use at time one was not predictive of externalising scores at time two. The results of the present research are discussed in relation to their potential to inform the developmental substance use literature, and efforts directed against the development of substance use problems. Limitations of the present research are noted.

The present study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal developmental characteristics of the association between mental health and substance use. N=1182 adolescents aged between 11 and 20 years were recruited from schools in Australia. Participants completed the Youth Self Report (YSR) (Achenbach, 1991a) and reported on their use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, their social ability, their motivation for using substances, their ability to regulate emotion, and the influences of their parents and peers on their substance use. N=561 of time one participants were retained for testing one year later to assess the potential to predict substance use at time two from mental health at time one. Results indicated a clear and consistent cross-sectional association between externalising scores on the YSR and use of the three substances, regardless of gender. The relation between internalising scores and substance use was non-significant. When the relation between externalising scores and substance use was assessed for mediation, only the influence of parents and peers was found to be significant. A cross-sectional structural model developed to account for this association was demonstrated to be invariant across the three substances of interest, and across gender, but not age category. There was no evidence that social skills, emotion regulation, or substance use motives, had roles in mediating the relationship between mental health and substance use. A model was developed to assess the potential to predict substance use at time two from externalising scores at time one. Results showed that externalising scores predicted increases in alcohol use via parent and peer attitudes. Thus, externalising disposition, in the context of a facilitative social environment, was predictive of an increase in alcohol use over time. Structural models developed to account for the predictive relation between externalising scores and use of cigarettes and marijuana proved unstable and could not be tested. Substance use at time one was not predictive of externalising scores at time two. The results of the present research are discussed in relation to their potential to inform the developmental substance use literature, and efforts directed against the development of substance use problems. Limitations of the present research are noted.

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